A note from the desk of our Pastor:

“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.”

Colossians 2:8

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In the prior verse, the Apostle Paul told his readers to be built up in the things of Jesus Christ, to be like a tree that grows tall and strong, or to be a house with a solid foundation that is a refuge to turn to. In our study verse this week, the Apostle warns against following teachings that would weaken the disciple of Jesus Christ.

The idea of spoiling in this verse is not equivalent to spoiling a child. Rather, it should be understood as turning the soul into prey. In other words, the things of men, will turn the soul from being strong in Jesus Christ to being weak in the things of man. This condition makes the disciple susceptible to the attacks of the devil and likely to have their peace and hope impaired or destroyed.

As an academic endeavor, philosophy is defined as the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, existence, and reality. As a result, some have looped following Jesus Christ and the study of his word into the realm of philosophy because in some ways they have similar aims. However, they are not one and the same. The primary reason is their nature. Philosophy is a thought exercise while following Jesus Christ is a way of living.

Finally, the Apostle warns against following the traditions of men instead of the teachings of Jesus Christ. The specific traditions being referenced are not identified here and their identities are not important. The lesson for the disciple is to constantly compare what they are believing to the actual teachings of the scripture. First and foremost they should evaluate if their actions are fulfilling the commandments to love God first and to love your neighbor as yourself.

The lesson of the Apostle to all generations of believers is that in discipleship we must make a daily choice to seek after Christ and his teachings. In doing so we will be made stronger in our faith and be protected against the impairment of our peace and hope.

Our Prayers are with you daily,

Brother Jeremiah