Colossians

Was written by Paul to reveal the Mystery of God which is Christ living in us as His Body and his temple. Yet there was a competing false teaching during Paul ministry called « Gnostism »

This was based on mysteries and secret knowledge of the initiates. It as Pagan religion,  myths and lies which were used to control people. Their pseudo mysteries enticed and decieved people. Every one loves a good mystery and that is the danger

But Colossian showed that the Mystery is Revealed so there is no longer any mystery. We are COMPLETER in HIm and He lives in each of us by the gift of His spirit!  We have it all yet like Adam in paradise we are tempted to have something we lack called « Wisdom » or in the Greek « Gnosis » and it is how we lose are true life for a shiny new counterfeit

Col 1:26

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The original tempation the serpent gave was supposed to be wisdom. And the Serpents kind of wisdom puffs up the pride like nothing else!

Gen 3:5

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

It was wisdom the Serpent offered although it was foolish to leave God to pursue wisdom. It is foolishness wrapped in wisdom.  Error appearing as the Light.

Same as it was in the time in Colosse, where there were all these snake cults offering wisdom for only the intitiated ones. And so the serpent seduces us with science, false science today. Nothing new. Big equations on Einsteins blackboards that are for us common folk mysteries of the initiates.

Col 2 :18 Paul warned the believers of falling for this  religion that is used to disqualify us who have been qualified in Christ

Col 2:18

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

These kind of people would look down on us from their ivory towers and tell us we need their wisdom. We are not to let them umpire us and calls us out. Not us who are complete in Christ!

The would try to convince us we are not good enough to be in Christ and say we are « OUT » Outside of Christ. Until we obey their false traditions and regulations, that have all been taken care of by Our loving Lord.

Thank God we can be secure and  be safe in Christ, His Body. We are called into Christ and we can be thankful because the peace Christ gave us with Him and God is bu grace.  The only umpire, the only judge is God and He is the only voice that we need to listen to! And HE cried out “Safe” not “out”

Why am I using baseball terms here. I will tell you. The two word that explain what our enemy’s servant say and what Our Lords servants say use ‘ UMPIRE”  TERMS.

In the verse 3:15  “Rule” is βραβεύω brabeuō means

1. to be a βραβεύς or umpire (see βραβεῖον).

2. to decide, determine.

3. to direct, control, rule

So peace says YOU ARE SAFE! Not was or will be but you are safe in the Body of Christ.

And this was given assurance as an antidote to the religious holier than thou gang.

Here in  verse 3:15 this same word appears but  with  “kata”which gives it a down ward judgemental air.  it is in a downward manner.   καταβραβεύω katabrabeuōe

I.             to decide as umpire against someone

II.           to defraud or beguile of the prize of victory

III.          metaph. to deprive of salvation\

SO Do not listen to these creeps that say “YOU’RE OUT!”

Col 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule (brabeuō) in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Col 2:18 KJV

Let no man beguile ( katabrabeuōe ) you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,.

Lets meditate a little on what these verses to the Colossians  are really telling us to do

Col 2:18 NKJV

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not[fn] seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Col 2 :18 FSV « Let no one disqualify you, let that one who is delighting in self abasement and religous ritual for angels, which he has seen after being initiated, being vainly proud of his fleshly mind »

That is as close to the interlinear literal translation I could put into words.

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/colossians/2-18.htm

Col 2:18

Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels,[fn] saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,

The enemy uses religion to condemn those who are not condemned, to say you are lacking something when we are Compete in Christ. The religious judge you when you are made just by God. Sort of like in the Paradise the Serpent telling you, you were lacking something, like this wisdom I got to sell you.

Col 2:18

Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

To understand Colossians we should learn a little history of that region in Asia Minor in Paul’s time.  And how these same spirits have played with history to keep His story quiet! The same ideas are still alive and well amongst the most holier than thou and super spiritual Christians>

False humility is an evil trick that does not impress God. It is not really being humble to God at all!  But true Humility flows as a fruit of the spirit, from the Vine, the Head, Our Christ!

There is true humility and that flows from Christ! Motivated by love.  But these people were using “humbler than thou” out of pride.  They  use their guilt to control  and spiritually abuse. Making slaves of freemen who are already in the Body of Christ. We must hold fast to the head Christ!

But the gnostic teachers were strong in the Greek philosophical culture! Paul was always warning against Jewish influenced by Gnostic Platonic myths. Why? It was the enemies calculated method to subtility steer the church into a shipwreck.

For an example of how the Greek Platonic philosophy entered the Jewish world we have to remember the history.  The Persians fell to Alexander the Great and then the Mideast was influenced by the Neo platonic philosophers and even the Greek language.  These pagan ideas of pantheons and myths replaced good holy spirit inspired writing from Moses to David. It mixed and corrupted the “tradition of the elders” which Jesus had to confront Himself in the Pharisees.

The idea of the Immortal soul was introduced not by new revelation from God but by the Greek, Persian, Egyptians pagan myths.

The idea of the  soul, the Chai Nephesh, was taught by Moses as being “A living soul” But when the life of “chai” is  no longer with the Nephesh and it stops moving it is dead. Dead and the body returns to dust. Waiting resurrection on that last day.

Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10:

For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Ecclesiastes 3:20:

All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

Genesis 3:19:

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Psalms 146:4:

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

I Corinthians 15:52:

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We look forward to Ressurection and restoration, not heaven and hell!

It was not the Scripture given to the Jews that taught that we all have an immortal spark called the soul.  That came from the school of Plato and continued to be taught. Even when the holy inspired scripture of Moses and David taught that when you stop moving and die your soul is no more.You soul is gone when you heart stops.

But one thing the all the  pagans had in common was the beleif of this myth of an eteranl soul. A soul that goes into the underworld to be judged.  They confused soul which dies with the gift of Gods own « soul » that does not. His « soul » is the only immortal one and His holy spirit is Eternal life.

I Tim 6 :16 « He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. »

   The Pagans religons, such as the Romans, the Greek, Egyptians, the Persians, the Babylonians and all the mankind without revelation live in  darkeness. Without knowing God they  all believe in an after- life for this soul. The Bible said it ends in the grave, until the day the Ressurection comes and He Will raise every man! But they all believe at the time of death,  an angel, or demon, or hounds of hell, or a psychopomp will take you to the otherworld. That could be across the river styx, or center of the earth where the sun goes to bed (Egyptian), or some other cool myth. But God never taught this nonsense. He taught ressurection of the body. 1 Cor 15 :52

Even in Colosse there was a big influence from  Greek Gnostic myth.   They were still looking for ways to get to God buy mounting into the heavens with drugs, fasts, trances, self mutilation. But God never lest his creation, His heaven and earth are still his. It was man that left Him remember?

We still are entranced to reach for the stars. Space the final frontier and if physical travel is to difficult today we believe in astral projection.. blah blah blah

« The Colossians were always looking for ways to get to heaven and grab a piece of God for themselves »  This is the desire of all men to escape death.

There is a word used here that is not understood out of the context of the Ancient Greek culture.

The word here is translated « intruding into » and is the word in the original « embateuon «

And this word is totally changed by the word in greek « Me » meaning  « not ».  He either was seeing things because he was intitiated » or he did not see things as he was intruding in the spiritual field. But if demons are giving revelation in secret oracles and chambers they are lies. So whether the initiate could see things that were false lies. Or not see any thing true. It carries the same logical meaning. 

With the word « me » or « no’  in place some translated the phrase  « intruding into those things which he has not[fn] seen »  and with the « not » as  « going into curious and subtile speculation about things which he has seen in visions granted him; » Either way they were being decieved by false revelation in the gnostic belief system.

In the those times in the Greek Empire. They believed in : »entering the inner sanctuary after receiving the  mysteries » This was rampant in all their religion and temples. There were always priests who where initiated into the mysteries they used to keep the people in control.   What a close counterfeit the enemy designed to imitate the only true mystery which is no more a mystery!  Christ lives in all of us in Christ. Now it is revealed. We are the temple the He built!

But the religious love to keep their mysteries concealed so they can have their power over the initiates.  That is how all the secret societies and the hierarchies of Satan work. By  deceptions and heirarchies of the more intellegent abusing those underthem,

Col 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.

Col 2:9

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Col 2:10

and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

The revelation Paul was giving the Colossians was directed to oppose the lies of the gnostic Greek philoosphies.

Christ here is the temple and the sanctuary where God lives. Now we are complete in Him, which is set in contrast to the empty deceit of their philosophy.

This warning comes because if you do not rest in being Complete in Christ you can get sucked into all kinds of religious nonsense trying to find God while you are already found by Him!!

This verse said BEWARE. Of what?  Being made into slaves for the enemy and carried away from your call and purpose! Distractions of  rituals and religion.  But you are already seated in Christ!

No need to let that happen

No need to look to be initiated. Take new courses to get the right formula for the spirit to go to work. No need You are Complete in HIM!  No need to fast and light the candles to get into the inner sanctum. No need to scrub yourself clean and take of your shoes at the door.  No need to fast and beat your body to a pulp!  You are already in Dad’s living room playing with Big brother.  You are home where you are in Christ!

Why did  Adam and Eve, listen to the Serpent’s wisdom, when they had it all already?  We  have it made right where you are today in Christ because of His works! GRACE!

We can stay free from any one enslaving us by « being rooted and built up in Christ »  Ole Devil we do not need any of your stupid wisdom! No more religion! No more super spiritual tricks

« the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and[fn] of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. «  AS Paul explained to the COlossians in ch 2 :3-4.

We are not to let anyone, remove us from Holding on to the Head. Because our head is Christ. And all is build all grows all is guided all is nutured by the head as Christ.

Let no one cheat you or disqualify you who where Qualified in Christ. Mad complete and all sin nailed to the cross.  Read Col 2 : 10-15 again please

We are to hang on to the Vine for dear life.  He is the head of the body.

But those who are religious and judging us are not holding onto the head. Thay need to attach again to the life of Christ. Forget the secret  false mysteries.

They are gropping in the dark but we who communicate regularly with Jesus as our Head are able to be nourished and cared for, our every need satisfied. And  so we grow in the Son.  But to let go and go back to dead religion and works is a dead end.

Col 2:19

and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Paul addresses this letter to the Colossians. One author said that this letter may have been for the « unbelieving Jews » or «  for the converted Greeks. He also said that the latter is probably the case and these were not « genuine » Christians since « they were not holding the head »

I do not agree with that since Colossians was adressed to

Col 1:2

To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

But Paul was warning the beloved brothers and sisters in Christ not to lose their priveledges and joy for religion.

They may have believed but were being deceived of their birthrights as born a gain.

It was to these same believers that Paul said to  « Beware  lest any man steal you away » in Colossians 2 :8

Once a believer places his faith in the Faith of  Christ he is saved. No matter what he does if he truly cried out to receive Christ as Lord he was sealed. And placed into the Kingdom of God. But he must continue to hold on to the head so that he grow in Chris if he is going to mature and grow.. 

One of the best methods of discouragement is religion that judges you every move but not your heart. God knows you heart if you are His. 

He will never let you go out of his  grip.  But we can cut our self off of the vine and leave the house of Christ if we are discouraged and not built up.

If we are at risk to fall from grace by following  man’s traditions and deception of religion into the dead end of works. .

Eph 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Eph 4:15

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Eph 4:16

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

We need to hear the truth spoken in love to us. We need true teachers and pastors that will remind us we have been made complete in Christ and we need look nowhere esle but to Him for all our completeness.  We need leaders that will seperate mans religion and false ritual from the the truth of Christs work, Leaders that can discern error from God’s Truth.

Tapeinophrosynē  ταπεινοφροσύνη  or humility is a beautiful thing when it is true

When the humility is not used to guilt or condemn others by judging them « further from God by their action or non action »  That is false religious humiliy

The humility of Christ was to lift other’s need over his own because He loved us.

Paul has this kind of humility as he served others placing his needs after. HIs love for others made him a servant of love.

Act 20:19

serving the Lord with all lowliness, and tears, and temptations, which happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

Eph 4:2

with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love;

True humility goes with mildness, an easiness with people and in patience we love them

These are supernatural qualities that no religious person can drum up by their inititiation rituals or confering with angels, saints, dead and familiar spirit demons. No way

But Christ gives us Himself by the spirit. He is the vine and the fruit of His spirit first flows into us providing love, then the patience to deal with situations and be humble to others. Making them first instead of being selfish. We can then have his ability to be flexible and mild to serve them best in love.

This is what it means to be part of the Vine. To hold on to the head who is Christ and let Him fill you with His spirit.

But the  religious and those so humble and proud to be self righteous be cause division and strife. But the real humility brings union and peace among men not fights.

Phl 2:3

let nothing be in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves;

This was the Humilty the Chirst showed us by His example. He was willing to even give up His own life for us.

Phl 2:8

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

And without this selfless humility He would not have been rewarded by God

His  perfect trust in His father allowed him to humble Himself in Joy. Know that God is never going to change, lie are fail his promise!

So we too need to Hold on to the head which is Christ, We need to look nowhere else but Chirst

We need to fellowship with Him and the Father by communication.  IN prayers of understanding and by the spirit. Revelations. And scriptural study. Seeking and listening to their voice.

Not running to any substitutes but always seeking Christ the head of the body which is the Temple and the only Mystery. The mystery that no longer is and is not used to abuse initiates. This Mystery is shouted from the roof tops now

Col 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

And these are the preachers we listen too. The ones that reveal and spill the beans about Christ.

Col 1:28

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus

Love thinks of others first.  Hold on to the Head if you are in the Body of Christ and never let Him Go.

We are risen so we need to keep this in mind as we seek Him and not rituals and rules made on earth. We are risen and removed from all that and placed into His Kingdom not by our works but the work Christ has accomplished because of His love for us,

Col 2:21

(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Col 2:22

Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Col 2:23 

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

 Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.