Colossians 2:8-12 Bible Teaching

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1st day opened back up in 2 months.

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Grateful in these times for:
The Word.

“The comforter.

A true benefit to following Christ in this world.
Colossians 2.8-12
5/12/2020

So, we left off covering verse 7 last week of chapter 2 where Paul said:

Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

And now he says to those believers in Colosse in that day:

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

I want to stop there because we are about to understand some things, I believe, which are key to understanding the make-up of God and Christ.

Paul had commended them to being rooted (down) and then built (up) in Christ in the verses from last week. And now he gives them a warning.

“Beware lest any man spoil you.”

We speak of something being spoiled by rot or mold but the Greek word better means spoil as by “plunder” – it where we get the term spoils of war.

“Take heed lest any one plunder or rob you of your faith and hope by philosophy.”

Of course the false teachers with their philosophical views and meanderings had the capacity to strip believers of their faith and hope then, like an invading army would rob a country of all that was valuables, and they have the same ability to do so now.

It’s all around us – the philosophies of this world or age.

The believers at Colosse were surrounded by Greeks who had hundreds of years of philosophy under their belts (as did the corrupted Jews by this time) and so it was very easy to get off course with their views if embraced.

Gnosticism was heavily present in that day which did all sorts of things to the deity and person of Christ and these specious teachings had the capacity to undermind and strip a person of their faith in Him.

Today the same dangers lurk and if I have been leveled by anything in my nearly 60 years of life it has been by the people who go from holding to faith to denouncing it all together.

I have seen then manifest in people I know and still love at least a dozen times over the years.

Paul calls them “vain deceits,” here, which are speaks to egotistic fallacies. The idea is, that the doctrines that were advanced in those systems were maintained by some plausible merits or applications (perhaps in this world) but were not solid arguments relative to the Spirit of eternal truths and the incorporation of them could lead to spiritual defection.

I use that term “spiritual defection” for a reason (which we’ll get to momentarily).

Paul says that they are “After the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the world,” (LISTEN) “and not after . . . and NOT after Christ.

In my lost years I meandered around the vain philosophies of Man so much that when I here them to day (due to my time in the world) an gentle alarm sounds in my head and I have been blessed to be able to discern them with a fair amount of accuracy.

They are bloated ideations – with most of them pointing to elevating human beings and devaluing humility, longsuffering and especially selflessness.

And so after warning them of such and how theyn are not after Christ, Paul says, speaking of Christ:

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Now, I want you to think about when Paul wrote this. Where was Jesus at that time?

Paul was in Rome and Jesus was resurrected and in heaven. And I would maintain that this passage, which is so very important to our understanding of post-resurrection Jesus, describes him THEN – that in HIM (then!) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily!

We tend to read that passage as if it was speaking of him when he walked the earth, but at that time I suggest that the Word of God dwelled in Him bodily and not the fullness of the Godhead as Paul puts it.

The fullness of the Godhead in Him was something that happened post resurrection when Jesus was called for the first time in scripture, God’s only begotten Son. After the resurrection ALL things were placed in Jesus hands – all things – and so I see this description perfectly describing him then – but not before.

This is an important clarification and we are about to find out why.

Paul has warned them, saying:

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

So walk this back a bit with me – Paul has warned them not to be caught up and ravaged by

“Philosophy and vain deceits”
Which are after the traditions of men
Which are after the rudiments of the world
Which “are not after Christ” FOR
In him dwells all – all the fullness – of the Godhead bodily.

I want to suggest something to you at this point – which I see in scripture and at life around us.

I suggest that in the human experience, in this world, there are two general spiritual forces at work.

There is the spirit of the World, or the Weld-geist (also known as the Spirit of the Age) and there is the Spirit of God through Christ.

I am purposely naming these two spiritual forces this way which will become evident in a minute.

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD SPIRIT OF GOD
THROUGH CHRIST

The spirit of the world is not necessarily bad or evil in and of itself, but because it is NOT the spirit of Christ, at the end of the day, it is ultimately hollow – from an eternal perspective – as it bears little fruits in the eternities.

This Welt Geist 0r ZeitGeist (spirit of the age) launches human beings into all sorts of endeavors, many of them beneficial to the world around us (hence spirit of the world).

It is the spirit found in the arts, and science, and business, and so many other things that make the world go round.

It is possible that this spirit is the force God gives all human beings created in His image to thrive by, think by, reason, create, solve, produce and all the rest. Or perhaps it is merely the Spirit of Fallen Man using his or her godly attributes to make away for themselves to survive.

We see the spirit of the world played out in things detrimental and beneficial around the world.

There are masterminded people who choose to appeal to this spirit to commit crimes, and there are those who use it to build medical facilities and hydrogenerators.

But again, just because they are beneficial or successful here does not make them good in the eternal spectrum of things – they are merely “good” in an earthly sense, but maintain little value in the spiritual realm beyond.

Paul tells the believers at Colosse to
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD SPIRIT OF GOD
THROUGH CHRIST
(ON BOARD) Spoil the Christian through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition
of men and the Rudiments of the world
(WHICH are not after Christ)

When I look around at some of the most fascinating contributions to this world by people like:

Frank Lloyd Wright
Adam Jones
Jackson Pollock
Bill Gates
And writers and filmmakers and scientists and sports figures.

I am astounded by the values they bring to this world but the hollow hearts many of these contributors have for God Himself and the things of Christ.

In some of them there is not a care. And I am convinced that they are filled with the Spirit of the World or Weld Geist.

Again its not that their contributions are bad or evil or against God, I see them instead as beneficial to this life and of the world, and reaping the fruits of such here. This is where the rewards are had for these rudiments – whether they be philosophical or practical or artistic or whatever – here and now. What Jesus called treasures on earth.

Again, while rewarded often greatly here but have zero currency there. Paul intimates this when he says that these rudiments of the world are “not after Christ” and then he adds, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

That line is not added there by mistake. It is deliberate and purposeful. See, the Spirit of the World is not the Spirit of Christ. The rudiments of the world typically operate on principles opposite of Christ.

Here Paul tells the believers at Colosse to be careful not to be spoiled by the spirit of the World with its philosophies and man-centered ideas, which are “not after Christ . . . for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

There is a really interesting thing that happens in scripture once Christ has died, resurrected and ascended to the right hand of His father.

Prior to that, in fact, prior to his birth, the Spirit of God moved around, upon and over the earth. In fact, the second verse of Genesis says:

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

It seems that this spirit worked in and around men and the world and inspired and moved Man in ways.

Perhaps it is this same spirit that inspires Godless people to greatness in this world, inspiring them to great advances and discoveries since Man, made in the image of God, is able, though fallen, to access His inspiration and to create solutions to our plights.

I am personally grateful for all the atheists scientists, or the Muslim or Hindu scientists that are working to create a vaccine for this virus, so to speak.

All good and all a gift from God to us.

But what we also know is that Jesus said some things to his disciples about sending the Spirit that seems different than the Spirit of God that moved around in the Old Testament and was even present on earth prior to Jesus death and resurrection.

Listen to what Jesus says in John 14:15-17

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.”

Then in John 15:26 Jesus says

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

Certainly, this Comforter, proceeds from the Father, and is therefore the same Spirit of God that brooded over the waters at creation and over men in that day; certainly this is the same “spirit of God” that caused prophets to prophesy. But there is a difference between that spirit of God in the Old Testament and Gospels and the Spirit of God that Jesus calls “the Comforter” which he says he can only send if he goes away.

Stay with me now.

Jesus said when he was on the earth, “I am the way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Listen again to what Jesus says to his disciples in

John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Then John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

And then John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

And then in 1st John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD SPIRIT OF GOD
THROUGH CHRIST
(ON BOARD) Spoil the Christian through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition * Spirit of Truth
of men and the Rudiments of the world * World cannot understand
(WHICH are not after Christ) * Know truth from error
Comforter
Frank Lloyd Wright
James Hetfield
Jackson Pollock
Tool
Bill Gates
Tom Brady
Writers, filmmakers, scientists, sports figures.

Remember what Jesus said in John 16:7 about this comforter? He said:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

I suggest that this was and is a manifestation of the Spirit of God that anything the world had never seen before.

The Spirit of God was on and around earth from the beginning. It was inspiring people to know truths even before Jesus began his ministry and mission.

It descended on Jesus at his water baptism.
It inspired Elizabeth and Mary
It caused people in the temple to prophesy, and Peter to proclaim Jesus as the Christ.

But this was not the Comforter. This was not the Spirit of Christ that Jesus said he would send.

I suggest that what Jesus would send once he left was a form of the Holy Spirit that emanates from the Father through His victorious Son in whom all things are placed.

This Spirit, while certainly the Holy Spirit that comes from God, can I describe it as passing through the once human Son, and that is what fills those who are His by faith today?

That post the death and resurrection it is the Holy Spirit through His Son that fills true Sons and daughters of God?

Paul writes in Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

This spirit could not come unless Jesus died, resurrected, received all thing from His father, then left, and He sends it to those who are His.

It is different than the Spirit of God that brooded over the waters and caused people to prophesy. It is the literal Spirit of God and Christ that supports the heart and soul of the Son, who once being incarnate, understands what it means to be in flesh.

It is not by chance that Paul wrote in Romans 8:9

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Add in that here in Colossians Paul has written:

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

I am beginning to think that there are many spirits in the world, as scripture suggests, but that there are three main forces:

The spirit of the World
The Spirit of God – driving people to seek him in all faith expressions, and
The Spirit of Christ.

With the latter being the definitive spirit moving Christians.

Looking at the Spiritual Influences on the world, I see it as the following:

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD SPIRIT OF GOD
THROUGH CHRIST

1 Godless World 2 Sons and Daughters

3. Straddlers
Holy Spirit
Lukewarm
Worldly Religion
God and Mammon

So Christ, post resurrection and ascension, Paul describes as having the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily.

And he has warned the believers that they philosophies and rudiments of the world are not of Christ, not of His Spirit, which is synonymous with the Holy Spirit of Truth which both teaches, comforts and guides.

The word translated here, “of the Godhead,” is theotace and it best means “the Divinity of all of God dwells in Christ fully.”

That makes him God – post resurrection.

With all things having been given Him of His father, and having ascended into the Holy of Holies, sitting on the right hand of God in that day, he sends the comforter, “the Spirit of His Son,” “the Spirit of God through Christ,” into the hearts of all who are His by faith – the sons and daughters of God.

His Spirit is unique in that it is NOT of this world, but it has been in this world, and as the Spirit of Truth it cuts through the darkness of this world and its influences.

When a believer has the comforter, they cannot be of this world – it is impossible – the two are like water and oil – which Paul makes very clear here.

Then Paul adds the rest of our text, saying at verse 10

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

So back to verse 10 where Paul adds:

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Having Him in us by the Spirit, comforted by His power and strength, believers are complete in him. Only in Him. Everything else leaves a gap.

Paul seems to say this as an allusion to the idea that there remains no need for the philosophies or rudiments of the world when He is in us.

All that is necessary to secure our salvation and to guide us in this life is to be found in the Lord Jesus which is in us by His Spirit.

And then taking this point even farther, Paul now adds

11 In whom you are also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

Of course the Nation of Israel were all about the circumcision of the flesh – the cutting away of the male foreskin with hands as a symbol and type which was to come and is now applicable to followers of Christ everywhere – that we be circumcised with the circumcision that is made without hands.

What is that? Paul describes it here adding:

“in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”

A “circumcision made without hands” is obviously a reference to a cutting away of flesh spiritually.

The flesh is a symbol and type for our carnal self-willed natures, what drives us to desire the things of this world and the spirit of it.

To cut away such things, to circumcise them without hands, means to have our carnal natures cut back and away from ourselves, meaning from our carnal hearts.

For us to participate in this “by the circumcision of Christ,” is not in reference to his fleshly circumcision on the eighth day of his life, but to the fact that He cut back on his flesh minute to minute by the Spirit refusing to give in to His carnal nature.

Paul says here that we too receive this ability (in and through Him) and too have ourselves, our hearts of sinful flesh, cut back or circumcised.

We have received, in and through Christ, that which was represented by circumcision – which is the putting away of sin by the cutting away of our sinful flesh.

For this reason Paul wrote in Philippians 3:3 “

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

The Jewish teachers insisted on a literal circumcision in order for salvation to be given.

But believers are different, as Paul wrote in Romans 2:28-29

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

For this reason, Paul writes often of the comparison going to great lengths to show that, by believing in Christ, all was obtained which was required in order to have salvation.

And after describing the fact that all believers are circumcised with Christ in the way he cut back on his flesh by living for God in the Spirit, Paul addresses the emblems of our walk in Christ, saying and referring to our sharing in his circumcision (verse 12):

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Being buried with him in baptism speaks not on the actual baptism transferring His burial to us, but that we, upon belief, die to our former lives (which we often evidence vicariously in water baptism).

That is why Paul says we are “BURIED WITH HIM” in baptism.

See, Jesus flesh was put to death and he was buried. And so this first reference is to our dying to our flesh too (and therefore being buried or circumcised, having out flesh cut off from us, or put to death.)

But then Paul adds:

“wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

So just as Jesus flesh was put to death – cut off, and we too, are buried with him in His baptism as a symbol of this in our lives, Paul adds:

“wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

So we are not only buried with Him in his death but we are also “risen with him through faith (of the operation of God) who has raised him from the dead.”

In other words, we trust that God through His operation, raised Jesus from the dead and we are also raised with Him (Jesus) to new life as well.

Buried in our flesh with Him as He was buried in his, raised to new life by the operation of God as Jesus was raised from the grave to new life.

This principle is explained in Romans chapter 6 when Paul said:

4-11 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We will continue on next week picking up Colossians chapter 2 at verse 13.

Prayer