In a previous message I made the following statement: “The great spiritual challenge for our generation is whether we will obey God in areas where the Bible and culture are opposed.”
Our world is changing. It’s more than human technological progress. Our values are changing. Our morality is changing. Against the backdrop of these changes, Christians must decide wether we will submit to CHRIST or CULTURE?
The degree to which Christians have succumbed to pressure to submit to culture is explained in an article by Bruce Davidson in “The American Thinker.” Davidson writes,
At one time, evangelical meant a clear commitment to biblical authority and historic Protestant doctrine, but now the term is applied to a wide range of people, from bizarre TV faith healers to religiously affiliated social justice warriors. Evangelical no longer represents any consistent body of beliefs or even political commitments.
In sum, evangelicalism has been slowly dying, mainly from its failure to let divine revelation and the message of salvation in Christ take precedence over contemporary thinking and cultural relevance. Evangelicalism doomed itself when it put its faith in social science and political success rather than in the God of scripture.
The sad truth is that much of evangelicalism does not now offer an alternative voice; it offers the same voice as pop culture and the mass media. Rather than being a light to the world, much of it is merely a mirror of the world
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/08/the_death_of_evangelicalism.html
I have long sensed the same spiritual decay withing the church. This is the reason that I preached a sermon series on Jude. I would like to continue to explore this theme and encourage us as a Christian church to remain faithful to Christ and the Scriptures, even as our culture changes and even as many Christians follow along with the popular trends of our day.
There is ANOTHER NEW TESTAMENT BOOK, Similar to JUDE, that provides an EXAMPLE of a CHURCH in DANGER. That book is Colossians. The theme of this four chapter Epistle can be found in Colossians 2:8. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."
I. The PROBLEM at Colossae
Colossae was in ASIA MINOR (modern day Turkey). Paul never visited there. We know this from what he writes in Colossians 2:1 "I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally." BUT HE FELT IT NECESSARY to WRITE. False teachers were urging the people to move away from their Christian roots and to accept other religious ideas. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 160–161.
So, what did Paul write? What is the answer for a church drifting toward embracing the CULTURE over CHRIST? The ANSWER: CHRIST!
In this Epistie, Paul focuses on the person of CHRIST. One of the greatest statements on the person of Christ is provided to us in Colossians 1:15-50. In the New American Commentary, Mellick notes that in Colossians, “One Theme predominates, the PERSON of Christ. No other epistle is as Christocentric as this one.” Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 162.
The supremacy and centrality of Christ continues in Colossians 1:13–14 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, " "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
As we think about the centrality of Christ and our need to learn about him and from him, let me ask you, How Did you Come to Know About Christ?
My testimony of salvation begins with my parents who trusted Christ around the time I was born. But they came to Christ through the witness of my Aunt Mildred, a wonen I only ever met a few times when I was very young.
The reality is that someone introduced you to Christ. Paul reminds the COLOSSIANS of the PERSON who introduced them to CHRIST. His name was Epahpras. Colossians 1:7 "You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,"
This personal connection to real people is a reminder that the Bible is a PERSONAL book! It is not just philosophy and religious ideas. The Bible is unlike any other spiritual or religious book. Scripture contains frequent details about PEOPLE.
Just consider some of the people in COLOSSIANS
Epaphras. 1:7. Colossians 1:12 "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."
Tychichus (4:7)
Onesimus (4:9)
Aristichus (4:10)
Mark (4:10)
Barnabas (4:10)
Justus (4:11)
Luke (4:14)
Demas (4:14)
Brothers at Laodicea (4:15)
Nympha (4:15)
Archipus (4:17)
Remember that the GOSPEL is conveyed through PEOPLE
Let’s look at the Importance of RELATIONSHIPS in Communicating the Gospel
The Gospel was REVEALED in a PERSON. The person of Jesus Chirst! 2 Timothy 1:8–10 "So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, " "who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, " "but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
Hebrews 1:1–3 "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, " "but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. " "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
In the UPPER ROOM. John 14:8–9 "Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” " "Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
The Gospel was ENTRUSTED to People.
Colossians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,"
Colossians 1:24–25 "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. " "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—"
1 Corinthians 15:8 "and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
Ephesians 3:4–5 "In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, " "which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets."
1 John 1:5 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."
The GOSPEL is AUTHENTICATED through People. There were two requirements of an Apostle - the had to be WITH the LORD and WITNESS his resurrection. Acts 1:21–22 "Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, " "beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”" Paul is qualified as an Apostle because he saw Jesus. Likely Paul is referring to his experience of seeing Christ on the Road to Damascus. 1 Corinthians 9:1 "Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?" Paul witnessed Christ after his resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:7–8 "Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, " "and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
REAL LIVE PEOPLE were the witnesses of the resurrection. It was not a myth started generations later.
The Gospel is MAINTAINED through people
Our devotion is to CHRIST
But PEOPLE encourage us
Epaphras was “always wrestling for you in prayer” (Col 4:12)
People REMIND us of our connection to Christ
God never intended for us to live out the Christian faith in ISOLATION.
The Gospel is STILL PASSED ON THROUGH PEOPLE.
People believe in the Gospel when they hear it from a TRUSTED WITNESS.
We must be involved in the lives of people.
During the reign of Oliver Cromwell, there was a shortage of currency in the British Empire. Representatives carefully searched the nation in hopes of finding silver to meet the emergency. After one month, the committee returned with its report. “We have searched the empire in vain seeking to find silver. To our dismay, we found none anywhere except in the cathedrals where the statues of the saints are made of choice silver.
To this, Oliver Cromwell eloquently answered, “Let’s melt down the saints and put them into circulation.”
We need to be in circulation!
Conclusion
Are you willing to EVALUATE the areas in your life where you have been swayed by ideas you have received that are in CONTRAST with CHRIST?
Are you READY to repent of the philosophies that are contrary to CHRIST?
Will you COMMIT to LEARN MORE about CHRIST so that you will not be persuaded by something counterfeit?
