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Colossians 2:8 – Be Careful
There are two words I believe every mother has uttered – “be careful.” I think these words are more often spoken to first born children, than latter born. It goes from “be careful, or you’ll get hurt” to “Be careful that you don’t get any blood on the carpet.”
Paul warns also “be careful.” And he warned that we need to be careful concerning spiritual things, mysteries and philosophies.
Colossians 2:8 (HCSB) Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.
Everyone loves a mystery…except those who read the last chapter of the mystery book first. Everyone loves a mystery, except for those who can’t figure it out. How many mystery books are written and read? What are riddles, but mysteries? Even a joke is a mystery, and I don’t mean that it is a mystery why anyone laughs at my jokes! Jokes are mysteries in the sense that the punch line shows an unexpected connection.
Why is it that people love mysteries? First, it is that we have figured something out. It is a boost to the ego. It says that we are smart enough, maybe smarter than, the people trying to keep the secret. We figured it out either before we were supposed to or despite their best efforts to hide it. Second, solving mysteries are exhilarating because we have figured something out…that others have not. Now when this happens watching a movie or reading a book, it can be fun and done in good humor – “Ha, I figured it out before you did.” Such taunting is then followed by a celebration dance done in the “dishonor” of your family!
However when it happens in religion, it becomes dangerous and self-deceptive. And religion is very susceptible to the attraction and danger of mysteries. Therefore, may I suggest to you that the real drawing power of a religious mystery is not the mystery itself, not the knowledge gained, but rather the exclusion it provides which feeds our egos and gives us permission to look down on and disdain the ignorant, the masses, the uninformed and unenlightened. There is no difference between a bully who uses muscles and one who uses his mind. Some bullies knock others around with superior force, others with their superior knowledge. Therefore the real glory found in exclusive knowledge is not the knowledge, but that it is exclusive and excluding, leaving only the superior as worthy. The real glory is found in how it allows us to feel superior to others.
Mystery is an important word within the human psyche. Mystery is an important word in Colossians (1:26; 1:27; 2:2; 4:3).
Colossians 1:25-27 (HCSB) 25) I have become its servant, according to God’s administration that was given to me for you, to make God’s message fully known, 26) the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. 27) God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 2:2 (HCSB) 2) I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery — Christ.
Colossians 4:3 (HCSB) 3) At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah, for which I am in prison,
The word mystery does not mean that which cannot be known, or is only known by a few enlightened ones. It means that which was hidden, but is now revealed. Premillennialists say that that mystery is the church. Others say that it is that Gentiles would be saved. God says, the mystery is Christ. Now what does that mean? Christ was clearly spoken of in the Old Testament. The coming Messiah was expected. So it is not that Christ would come, but they hidden message found within Christ.
Mysteries, wisdom, knowledge, are all commended and condemned. When commended, it is the revelation of God and impact upon ourselves and our lives.
Colossians 1:9-10 (HCSB) 9) For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10) so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.
When commended, knowing God is to have a profound change in our thinking, our lives, and how to treat others. When condemned, the change in God’s message, our thinking and how we treat others is the problem.
Why Should We Be Careful?
Satan sets traps mainly with two type of bait. Confusing people over who Jesus Christ is, and confusing people over how Jesus Christ saves.
There are many reasons why. In no particular order, except for the first two:
First, it is because the knowledge is not of a divine origin, but of men which means of Satan.
Colossians 2:8 (HCSB) 8) Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.
Colossians 2:22 (HCSB) 22) All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men.
James 3:15 (HCSB) 15) Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Contrast that to God’s knowledge.
Second, false knowledge often attacks who Jesus is. This is why Paul includes the Christological Hymn (1:15-20). This is why in the middle of attacking the false philosophies, Paul says,
Colossians 2:9 (HCSB) 9) For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,
New mysteries almost always try to bring down Christ and lift up man. The history of Christianity is filled with Christological heresies:
- Docetists – Jesus only appeared human but was really divine and never incarnated.
- Ebionites – Christ had the Spirit after his baptism; he was not preexistent and therefore only human prior to the baptism.
- Arians – Christ was the first and highest created being (Jehovah Witnesses are today’s proponents)
There are even more doctrines taught by the Appollinarians, Nestorians, and Eutychians.
Satan knows that if you can destroy the savior, then how can he save?
Third, false knowledge often attacks the authority of Christ.
Colossians 1:3 (HCSB) 3) We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
Colossians 1:7 (HCSB) 7) You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow slave. He is a faithful servant of the Messiah on your behalf,
Colossians 3:17 (HCSB) 17) And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Can you imagine Paul saying, “’Jesus is Lord,’ but we do not need authority from the Lord to do whatever we want religiously. We are ‘servants of the Messiah’ but we do not need authority from our Master to do whatever we want religiously. ‘Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,’ but that doesn’t mean that Jesus actually had to authorize by His name whatever we want to do religiously.”
Have you ever noticed that so-called “new knowledge” usually lessens relying upon Christ for authority? This new found false freedom is not freedom from sin, but freedom from subjection.
Fourth, it is because of what that knowledge does to how we view our salvation, where Christ’s sacrifice is not quite enough, where we think we have to be good enough. It is not Christ’s death plus our works that earns us salvation. It is Christ’s death which demands our works not to earn salvation, but to honor God’s offer of salvation.
Colossians 2:14 (HCSB) 14) He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross.
Fifth, how it causes us to conduct our religious life, which is very closely tied with the fourth reason.
Colossians 2:20-21 (HCSB) 20) If you died with the Messiah to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21) “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”?
Colossians 2:23 (HCSB) 23) Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.
This is how I would differentiate between the third and fourth dangers of false knowledge. The second is negative in that it lessens the atonement of Christ and causes us to live in a state of doubt. The third danger of false knowledge is that it can lessen the joy we have by making us think and act that God wants us to suffer in order to make ourselves holier. It makes righteousness Pharisaic, where external rules are enforced make the internal soul holy. This will be spoken of in more depth in another lesson.
Sixth, how it causes us to live in our daily life. The false knowledge propagated within the Colossian Heresy does not seem to allow a licentious life, although Paul does in his letter remind the Christians what a holy life demands:
Colossians 3:5 (HCSB) 5) Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
But we know that false knowledge loosens people us morally:
Jude 1:3-4 (HCSB) 3) Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 4) For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.
Have you ever noticed that seldom does new knowledge make one more conservative?
Seventh, it is because of how knowledge makes us view and treat others.
Colossians 2:16 (HCSB) 16) Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.
Colossians 2:18 (HCSB) 18) Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his unspiritual mind.
Did you notice what this supposed higher knowledge does? It disqualifies, and in disqualifying, it excludes. This maltreatment of others is taught elsewhere which shows its prevalence.
James 3:13-14 (HCSB) 13) Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness. 14) But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth.
1 Corinthians 8:1-2 (HCSB) 1) About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. 2) If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.
Eighth, because it can cause us to lose our salvation:
Colossians 1:21-23 (HCSB) 21) Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. 22) But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him — 23) if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
Now the mystery of Christ is entirely different. It invites and includes, it is universal, and it is revealed to all even to those who reject it. All that is worth knowing and believing is found in Jesus Christ. Worth is not found within ourselves but when ourselves are found in Christ.
How Can We Be Careful?
Some preachers remind me of dishonest financial advisors – they can make anything sound like a good deal.
Colossians 2:4 (HCSB) 4) I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.
This might come as a surprise, or something strange for me to say, but not every author, writer, preacher or teacher should be read or listened to. This does not mean there needs to be a censored list of acceptable authors. This does mean that not everyone, and not everything, is worth listening to. It might be because of what they intentionally teach, or unintentionally. Some purposely distort truth to build a following. Some build a following based upon their own misunderstood beliefs.
Does this mean we should only read or listen to those of “our fellowship?” No, because some of them are not worth listening to either. The reasons for that can be several. They might have their own agenda, or be speaking from a spiritually warped sense, be simply wrong, or as is often the case, underdeveloped in their thinking by presenting only milk and not meat.
Let me ask a question. What kind of books do you like to read? Let’s narrow that done to religious books. What we like to read says a lot about ourselves, doesn’t it. Do we like books that simply confirm what we already believe? How about those that challenge what we always believed? The first doesn’t ask you to think, which is dangerous. The latter is constantly asking you to think, which is also dangerous. Personally I prefer books that make me think by spurring new thoughts that are not even specifically targeted by the speaker.
But let’s go back to the second type of literature. There are some authors that almost thrive on constantly challenging without comforting. They have become what they abhor. They are now doing exactly what they condemn others for doing. They are reacting against the constant haranguing against perceived false doctrine by constantly haranguing against what they now perceive false doctrine.
Paul gives us some hints as to who can be dangerous. Some of these hints should be obvious, and others are surprising.
- Persuasive arguments (2:4)
- Philosophy (2:8)
- Empty Deceit (2:8)
- Human Tradition (2:8)
- Exclusion through judging (2:16,18)
- Ascetic practices (2:18; 23)
- Spirituality (2:18)
- Special knowledge (2:18)
Syncretistic Religion is the religious genre of the Colossian Heresy, combining concepts from Christianity, Judaism and Greek philosophy. This is an old trick of Satan. What is the best way to get someone to believe a lie? Combine it with the truth.
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