Watch Out For The Wise Guys Series

Watch out for the wise guys Col. 2:8-10

A college student was in a philosophy class which had a discussion about God’s existence. The professor presented the following logic: "Has anyone in this class heard God?" Nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class touched God?" Again, nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class seen God?" When nobody spoke for the third time, he simply stated, "Then there is no God."

One student thought for a second, and then asked for permission to reply. Curious to hear this bold student’s response, the professor granted it, and the student stood up and asked the following questions of his classmates:

"Has anyone in this class heard our professor’s brain?" Silence. "Has anyone in this class touched our professor’s brain?" Absolute silence.

"Has anyone in this class seen our professor’s brain?" When nobody in the class dared to speak, the student concluded, "Then, according to our professor’s logic, it must be true that our professor has no brain!"

(...He got an "A" in the class.)

Col. 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.

Paul wrote these words as a warning against the false teaching of the Gnostics…a group who claimed a superior wisdom….a wisdom that even denied the deity of Jesus.

I believe that Paul makes two valid points in these verses before us today.

First, Man’s wisdom is deficient

Paul warned of the danger of a hollow or empty philosophy in verse 8….an empty way of thinking and looking at things…a way that is without merit.

“Watch out for hollow and deceptive philosophy”.

“Don’t let them take you captive!”

Watch out for worldly wise guys!

There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our minds…. a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and thus confirms our faith in him.

But there is also a philosophy that is vain and deceitful….one that tickles our ears, but hinders our faith….a philosophy that is just a curious speculation that seeks to turn us from following Christ

The particular false philosophy at Colosse was “hollow” “deceptive,” and based on “human tradition”... rather than on Jesus.

Verse 8 goes on to say that it was a philosophy that depended on “the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

It had gotten away from the basic ABC’s.

We must never try to build our Christian lives on some worldly system..

Our base is not some philosophy or worldly system; our base is Christ.

In 2 Cor. 10:5….Paul described a true Christian philosophy…..

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

There are those who seek to lead us astray with their empty philosophy.

To those, Paul says “beware…look out….stop, look, and listen…watch out for self-proclaimed wise guys….don’t let them lead you astray.”

If you studied the history of philosophy beginning with Plato and coming down to more recent times you would find that none of them have a high view of the inspiration of Scripture.

They were looking for answers to the problems of life, but such answers are not found in man’s philosophy.

2 Tim. 3:7 says that in the last days there will be those who are

always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

A true philosopher is a seeker after truth, but truth is not found in human wisdom.

Christ is the answer,… the answer to philosophy.

1 Cor. 1:30 says that Jesus

………… has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

J. Vernon McGee said that false philosophy is like a blind man looking in a dark room for a black cat that isn’t there.

In other words, there is no real hope in false philosophy.

We are warned to beware of such false teachers.

Matthew 7:16-20

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

If not careful, we can be deceived so that we will be carried away by the errors of evil men.

2 Peter 3:17 says…….

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.