Sermon Central
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Guiding Against Philosophy And Deception Of Men
Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Oct 24, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: There are false teachers being used of the Devil to sweep the believers away from the truth of the word of God and the way of eternal Salvation. We are being warned to be careful and to resist such tactics as much as possible.
Guiding against Philosophy and Deception of Men.
Study Text: Colossians 2: 6 - 10
Introduction:
- It is possible for those who have believed in Jesus to be deceived and drawn away from the truth of the Word of God into error and falsehood. Galatians 1:6
- The bait used by the enemy for deceiving the Christian is called philosophy of men. This is the reasoning of men that formed their belief; coming from their thought and preconceived ideas.
- In Isaiah 55:8-9, it is very clear that the
Knowledge and Ways of God are far from human knowledge and ways.
- True success is based on the Word of God, and not on ideas of men. But the Devil wants us to seek success and prosperity outside God and the truth of His Word. Joshua 1: 8, Psalms 1: 2-3.
- By reasoning, men rejected the way of God for man’s salvation, and lay down natural principles that looks attractive and reasonable and many innocent souls are being taken captive. Romans 10:1 - 3
- There are three-fold possible attack of the Enemy revealed to us in the Scripture :
a. Through philosophy and vain deceit.
b. After the traditions of men which are human reasoning appealing to our fleshly desires.
c. After the rudiments of the world, which are the elementary concepts that are not embracing true Spiritual realities.
- The Apostle Paul believed that the Colossian church was under attack. The believers there were in danger of being captured and dragged away from their genuine devotion to Jesus Christ by the deceitful philosophies and high-minded ideas of false teachers.
- Paul delivered a similar warning to the church in Ephesus: “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient”
- With empty deception or vain deceit, false teachers try to undermine the deity and supremacy of Christ and the truth of God’s Word still today. So the message is equally relevant to us today as it was for the Colossians and Ephesians believers.
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings by the grace of God:
1. The Precautions to Hint the Believers.
2. The Philosophies to Harm the Believers.
3. The Principles to Help the Believers.
1. The Precautions to Hint the Believers:
- In our text, Paul warns that false teachers want to deceive us and make us slaves to their false teachings. He identifies for us three precautions that we must heed to avoid ever being taken captive by false teachers.
1. The Precaution to Beware.
- The word translated “beware” means, to see, discern, to turn the eyes to anything, to perceive by the senses. This word calls us to action. We must not be caught off guard. We must open our physical eyes and the eyes of our discernment.
- Spiritual dangers are all around us. False teachers abound. The warning Paul is giving to the believers is not an option, but a direct command.
- God is saying to us through Paul, “You must keep your eyes open and scrutinize carefully the philosophies of men in the light of the Word of God.”
- False teachers are constantly luring those who are ignorant of the Bible. As Children of God, we must know the Bible and know it well.
2. The Precaution to avoid Deception.
- Men will use philosophy to deceive you. Biblical wisdom is the God-given ability to make right choices in life. Secular wisdom or human philosophy is the human ability to make choices based on education, reasoning or opinion. It is earthly, sensual and often devilish (James 3:15).
- The human philosophy Paul spoke of was the love of secular wisdom. It was in partnership with vain deceit which was nothing but unprofitable and empty claims.
- Paul said that this human philosophy and vain deceit was based on two things:
a) Human Philosophy was based on traditions of men.
- The word describes that which is handed down by word of mouth or in writing by one generation to another.
- Traditions are not bad except when they contradict the Bible. The philosophy and vain deceit of false teachers is based on ideas handed down from another man (or woman). It did not originate from God. This is true of every false religion today.
b) Human Philosophy was based on the rudiments of the world.
- The word refers to the first principles or basic elements of something.
- Human philosophy is not based on Christ. Any philosophy that is not clearly rooted in the teachings of Christ and the Bible is not of God.
3. The Precaution Not to Look for Something More outside Christ.
- Christ is all you need. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead. He is the sum total of all that God is, all of His being and attributes.
