Colossians 2:8
by Dr. Grant C. Richison
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Colossians 2:8
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of
the world, and not according to Christ."
We now come to a major transition in the book of Colossians. After setting
forth what the Christian needs to combat evil forces against them, he now
turns to a polemic against the enemy that was threatening the church.
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"Beware lest anyone cheat you"
"Beware"--be on guard against an attack. The Devil's boobytraps
are everywhere. He has land mines in places where we would not suspect.
The word "cheat" means to carry off as a spoil of war, lead captive.
False teachers can carry the Colossians off as so much booty. Satan is
about to carry them off as a captive in a spiritual war to false philosophy-theology.
This philosophy was about to take complete control (captive) of the Colossians
by human wisdom (philosophy). False teaching wanted to kidnap the Colossians
from the truth. Our colloquialisms for this are "Don't get conned,"
"Don't get sucked in," "Don't let someone sell you a bill
of goods."
The Devil seeks to maneuver the believer into a predicament where God will
not bless his life. He always tries to suck us into some deal or proposition.
If he can neutralize us, we will be of no good to God. An inert Christian
is a trophy for the Devil. The Devil wants to maneuver us into a demilitarized
zone where there is no fighting. There we do not fight the enemy; neither
do we fight for God. He does not always lure us into gross sin. If he
can paralyze the power of the Christian life, he wins.
PRINCIPLE: The Devil takes prisoners of Christians on a regular basis.
Satan's strategy is to so stymie, so handicap the believer that he/she will
never amount to anything for God.
APPLICATION: The only way to keep from being captured by the Devil is to
use God's system of warfare. If we operate by using the promises of God
we will become a walking defense perimeter.
Many Christians try to sustain their Christian lives by external mechanisms.
If they go to church or are faithful to their small group, they feel this
will protect them from the Devil taking them captive. That is an illusion.
No life of incubation will protect the Christian from evil. There is no
way to protect ourselves from temptation. A young couple coming home from
a date in a car must carry in their souls God's viewpoint and the willingness
to apply that viewpoint to their lives. Their line of defense comes from
within.
God sustains the Christian life from within. Paul is in Rome. He is not
holding the hands of the Colossians. He has cut their apron string of dependence
upon his person. He is not in Colosse personally. They need to apply the
promises of God for themselves. The first line of defense against any assault
upon the Christian life is fellowship with God through the Word of God.
If we do not use the "sword of the Spirit" (the Word of God)
we will become a spiritual casualty in the war against Satan.
Are you spiritually self sustaining? We cannot live our spiritual lives
in an incubator, therefore, we need power of God's Word to face temptation.
Paul turns his guns of polemic assault against a certain kind of philosophy,
philosophy that carries religious assumptions.
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"through philosophy"
Does the negative reference to philosophy here condemn all philosophy?
Does the Bible disparage the study of Plato, Socrates, Descartes, Spinoza
or Kant? The Bible nowhere condemns philosophy as such. Paul uses "philosophy"
here in the context of human viewpoint in religion. Philosophy here is
a system of religion. The term here berates religious philosophy. The
Bible challenges the pretensions of philosophy to address issues beyond
the finite. Philosophy is limited to the faculty of the human mind.
This is not a polemic against all philosophy but against philosophy that
seeks to undermine Christianity. Philosophy that seeks to enable us to
understand the world and the principles underlying it, is a noble exercise.
The story of philosophy is a story of a pendulum whereby one philosophy
contradicts another in perpetuity. It is a tale of discarded hypotheses.
What philosophy cannot define, the Word of God makes clear. Apart from
the Bible, no philosopher today knows any more about ultimate reality than
the Greek philosophers before Christ.
This is the only occurrence of the word "philosophy" in the New
Testament. It is noteworthy that there is only one occurrence in the New
Testament since the Greeks viewed this as their highest pursuit.
Plato used this word for the love of knowledge and wisdom. Greek thought
used philosophy for the systematic treatment of a subject, investigation
into life. In the New Testament it came to mean human wisdom in contrast
to revealed truth (the Bible).
"Philosophy" is the battlefield for the turf of the Christian
life. Philosophy pursues reality. Our philosophy of life determines our
course of living. If we are off here, we are off everywhere. What we believe
is our base of operation for our lives. From what philosophy are you operating,
the Devil's or God's? The Devil's philosophy is humanism, subjectivism,
rationalism, empiricism, naturalism, false religions, etc.
The military handbook for God's war on Satan is the Word of God. The Christian
soldier must be well trained or he/she will become a casualty of war. We
do not send people to war with two days training! We must understand the
spiritual equivalent to field operations, the use of air support and how
to retreat, for example. If we do not understand God's system of war, we
will suffer defeat in the spiritual war (Eph. 6:11-17). Human techniques
will not sustain us in a war of spiritual forces. If we do not go with
God's system of operations, Satan will take us captive in spiritual war.
Either we use God's system or our own (or Satan's).
Two systems of Gnostic philosophy challenged the Colossian Christians:
1) Stoicism: Stoicism seeks an indifferent attitude. No matter what situation
a person may face, he detaches himself from it whether it is prosperity
or poverty. He holds all desire in check. He is not elevated by good fortune
or cast down by misfortune. Circumstances are irrelevant to this person.
The person is greater than the situation.
2) Epicureanism: There is no certainty in truth. Life is capricious.
There is no purpose. Therefore, it is useless to deny self. Their philosophy
was "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
PRINCIPLE: All philosophies of the world operate on assumptions (presuppositions;
belief systems). Philosophy that presupposes a religious position is false
philosophy.
APPLICATION: Most philosophers concede that they cannot find ultimate reality.
All philosophies make assumptions about how to find reality. These assumptions
are belief systems. Christianity is no more a belief system than philosophy
itself (rationalism) or even science (empiricism). Science operates with
the assumption that all reality must root in the physical world. However,
if there is something beyond the physical (metaphysical) then that assumption
falls to the ground as an incomplete system.
Christianity operates on a belief system (presupposition). That premise
is God has spoken to us in a revelation (the Bible). Since it is impossible
to understand all reality because of the finite human mind, we cannot find
truth by finite means. We must find truth by infinite means -- the Word
of God.
The Christian is isolated on the battlefield of life. We are on our own.
No one else can live the Christian life for us. Our pastor cannot live
that life for us. Our closest friends cannot do it. It is up to us. The
believer must draw resources from the Word of God he has placed into his
mind to counteract assaults upon his faith.
Paul's polemic against false philosophy exposes its insidious method.
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"and empty deceit"
There is a philosophy that is hollow. The philosophy at Colosse was "empty"
(hollow). This philosophy sets up its presuppositions against Christianity
and makes it conclusions based on its own assumptions. This philosophy
is false because it is prejudicial.
"Deceit" means to cheat, deceive, beguile. It is that which gives
a false impression whether by appearance, statement or influence. Philosophy
that connives misleads, it deceives or lies to people about what is true.
Matthew 13:22 uses the word "deceit" for the deception of riches,
"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word,
and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
and he becomes unfruitful."
In Hebrews 3:13 uses this word for the deceitfulness of sin, "but exhort
one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Ephesians 4:22 uses "deceit" for lusts excited by deceit, i.e.,
deceit is the source of strength, not lusts deceitful in themselves, "That
you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts."
II Thessalonians 2:10 uses this word for all manner of unscrupulous communication
and deeds, "And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish,
because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
All these things subtly and insidiously lead us astray from Christ. The
individual so weakened by deception says, "I just cannot believe that."
What happened? "I am taking sociology. I've ruled the Bible out
of my life."
PRINCIPLE: Human religious philosophy is empty.
APPLICATION: The Christian who follows the religious philosophies of the
world operates on empty delusion.
There are two areas of delusion:
1. False doctrine.
2. Idolatry of things (e.g., riches).
False philosophy can take on two levels, the level of ideas or the level
of daily life. If we buy into belief systems contrary to God, it will result
in disaster for the Christian life.
After Solomon sought fulfillment in pleasure, acquisition, women, power,
etc., he proclaimed "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." The
believer minus the Word of God will enter self-induced misery. If he loses
his money, friends or success, he will come to a crash. Chasing the things
of life never fulfills a person.
There are three uses of the phrase "according to" in this verse.
This is the first use.
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"according to the tradition of men"
This is the first system of war used by the Devil to defeat Christians.
The word "according" means according to the standard or norm of
something. Some Christians try to live by the standard of tradition.
The word "tradition" means something handed down. Many people
do not evaluate what they believe for themselves. They believe it simply
because their family believed it, "My mom told me so." How you
do know it is true? "I never question it." A person without
healthy skepticism is vulnerable to seduction. The test question is "Can
it be substantiated by the Bible?"
"Tradition" was used of the teaching of the Rabbis which they
made void by their life-styles in Matt. 15:2, 3, 6; Mark 7:3, 5, 8, 9, 13;
Gal. 1:14; Col. 2:8. It was used of apostolic teaching in I Cor. 11:2,
23, 15:3; II Thes 2:15 (doctrine in general). In II Thes. 3:6 it is used
of instructions for everyday conduct.
The emphasis is on the transmission of scruples. These people were precise
about which cup to use while worshipping but careless about an unclean heart.
Religion was a routine of superstitious ritual. By a series of postures
and vain repetitions they observed their ceremonies. Everything was under
formal regulation: postures, ablutions, amulets, etc. They were exacting
about oblations but could not care less about a broken and contrite heart.
Their religion was a mechanical pantomime. They lost sight of a genuine
relationship with God.
PRINCIPLE: Tradition is anything we pick up that is not biblical in the
life of our soul.
APPLICATION: The child picks up many values in the home. The school and
social life add more evaluation of life. Everyone develops a culture of
thinking. The culture firms up as we reach adulthood. We all have viewpoints
on what is right and wrong. That, however, may be tradition.
If we add religion into the mix, our culture becomes yet more complicated.
A church may have its taboos. This person will not chew bubble gum and
he won't go with the girls who do!! All of this has nothing to do with
God's viewpoint on life. This is tradition handed down from people. Anything
that is contrary to the Bible is error.
We say, "Well, my father and mother and grand father and mother all
believed this. This has been our custom. This is our religion."
The main question is, "Is it true?" People answer this with
"I never question my tradition." The true question is can it
be substantiated by the Bible.
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"according to the basic principles of the world"
The second system the Devil uses to propound his philosophy is "the
basic principles of the world." "Basic principles" is elementary
principles. It is any first things from which others in a series, or in
a composite whole, take their rise. It is an element or first principle.
This term was used for the letters of an alphabet.
This passage uses "tradition" of the delusive speculations of
Gentile cults where they presented worship of angels as superior to faith
in Christ. They viewed the constellations as animated and governed by heavenly
beings. This might refer to elementary spirits or evil spirits who inspire
heresy. The Colossian enemy was demonic.
In other passages use "basic principles" of the rudimentary principles
of religion (Col. 2:20; Gal. 4:3,9). Finally, Hebrews 5:12 uses it of the
elementary principles of the Old Testament.
The world has an inferior system of belief. The world functions on a much
more restrictive scale of understanding than Christianity. The world system
speculates; the Christian system comes to conclusions. They hope; we have
actuality. We have advanced knowledge of the ultimate (God) through the
Bible.
Christians march to a different drum beat philosophically. The world struggles
to appreciate people who know what they believe. They believe Christians
are speckled birds. That makes us odd or queer. They view us as eccentric.
We do not play according to their rule book, "Morality? That is
mid-Victorian, prudish!" They laugh at cheating. That is standard
procedure for our culture. They wink at dishonesty.
PRINCIPLE: The ABCs Paul warns against here is any system that seeks to
understand God by human systems of understanding.
APPLICATION: We inevitably move to dependence upon limited human systems
to cope with reality. If the "basic principles" is the ABCs, why
do Christians not move on to the higher learning of the Word of God? If
we are working on a Ph.D in the Word of God, why revert to the ABCs of dependence
upon self? Why descend back to the mere alphabet if we have gone on to
learn many languages?
Why should a Christian revert to ritual ceremonies if they have established
a dynamic fellowship with God by grace? Why should a Christian who has
gone on to graduate school of spirituality sit in an elementary (Gal. 4:3,9)?
It is the same as if a person is able to encompass the heavens and measure
the distances between bodies in space, and then forego that capacity to
sit in first grade learning two plus two equals four.
The third and last time Paul uses "according to" in this verse--"not
according to Christ." Christ is the proper standard for living the
Christian life.
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"and not according to Christ"
The Christian philosophy has a different criterion -- the criterion of Christ.
The world depreciates and undervalues Christ. They operation on philosophy
contrary to his person and work. However, the Word of God makes him the
standard for our world view. The Bible ever exalts him. He is the center
of our belief system. We must evaluate all other apparent philosophies
in the light of who he is.
Those who place their belief system on men's philosophy, rather than revelation,
do not follow Christ's philosophy. The standard operating procedure for
the world is to completely overlook the supernatural. They are oblivious
to the reality of Christ.
False systems of believe invariably undervalue Jesus the Lord. The Devil
will systematically seek to lead the believer away from his Lord. He will
tempt the believer to go off on religious tangents. He will do anything
to woo us away from the Lord Jesus (II Cor. 11:3; II John 7-9).
These philosophies are not according to the standard of Christ. They do
not base their belief on who Christ is. They are contradictory to his person
and work. Religion undermines the finished work of Christ for our sin.
It underestimates his mediation for us before God.
PRINCIPLE: We can test any doctrine by its view of the person and work
of Christ.
APPLICATION: All that is false seeks to minimize the person and work of
Christ. Satan systematically seeks to lead us away from Christ. He aims
to lower Jesus' rank and significance. True Christianity bends to his authority
and seeks to exalt him. Any tangent that woos us away from him is false
philosophy.
Copyright © 1995, Dr. Grant Richison. All rights reserved.
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