One word. Beware. Beware. Let's read Colossians 2, verses
6-8. Our text will be found in verse 8 tonight. But let's read
6-8 to keep it in context. As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up
in Him, established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. Beware! Beware, lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Now in verse 4 of this chapter, we saw
another warning by Paul. And tonight we'll be looking
at the second warning of Paul in this chapter. Look at verse
4. In this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing
words. When we looked at that, Paul
warned the Colossians to beware lest they be beguiled by enticing
words of the false teachers. And beguile in the Greek means
to deceive. And to deceive with enticing
words being persuasive language. So Paul was warning the Colossians
Beware lest you be deceived by these false teachers with their
persuasive words. Persuasive words. And false teachers
today still use persuasive words. Even today. Even today. So Paul
warned them in verse 4, and this is the second warning in verse
8. And as I said, we see false teachers using these techniques
even today. So the warning's not only for
the Colossian believers, but it's also for us. And it's also for any believer
who will come after us. Then in the last two verses we
looked at Paul gave instructions to the Colossian believers in
how they are to walk daily through this life the same way that they
received Christ, which is by faith. And in the next verse, in verse
7, we looked at how the believer is rooted last week. And remember
the word there in the Greek means to cause, to take root. Then
we looked at the word built up, and that is a metaphor of a building,
a building upon a foundation. which Gospel preachers do by
preaching and teaching the Word of God and proclaiming Christ.
With Christ being the cornerstone and Christ being the foundation.
And then the word established. Established in the faith was
to make firm and establish. So by the preaching of the Gospel,
God's saints, God's elect are made firm in the Gospel of Christ. In the free grace and the Gospel
of Christ. They're taught by the Holy Spirit
of God. And that was the next thing too. Being taught. We're
taught by the Holy Spirit of God. He establishes us in the
faith by the preaching of the Gospel, by the preaching of Christ. and also by the teaching and
reading of His Word, too. He teaches us and points us.
Remember, Scripture says the Holy Spirit will never speak
of Himself. He'll always point us to Christ, always teaches
the things of Christ. And what are we taught? Well,
we're taught by God the Holy Spirit what we are. We never knew it before. We're
taught that we're sinners. in desperate need of Christ,
in desperate need of a Savior. We're taught who Christ is, the
God-man, the God-man, God incarnate in the flesh, the very one who
came to this earth, left the glories and splendors of heaven
to die upon the cross for my sins. And if you're one of his
people, for your sins. And we're taught this by the
Holy Spirit. And we're also taught where Christ is right now. He's
not waiting to come back and reign. He's reigning currently.
And then, this is the marvelous thing about gospel preaching
and about how the Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ. We're
still learning. We're still growing. We're still
being rooted and established in the faith by the preaching
of the gospel. Oh, God is so good to his people.
He's so good to his people. And then the last point of the
verse we looked at was that the believer is full of thanksgiving.
Look at the bounding therein with thanksgiving. The believer
is full of thanksgiving. Why? Because of all these marvelous
things that God has done for us. Redeemed by his precious
blood, chosen before the foundation of the world. Christ being our
propitiation, remember? Extinguishing the wrath and justice
of God for us by his own precious blood, by his death. and rising
again for our justification, for our justification, to say
that God is satisfied with His sacrifice. Oh, and it fills us
with thanksgiving. It fills us with thanksgiving.
So tonight, with those wonderful truths in mind, now notice that
Paul warned and then built up. And now we've got another warning.
Next week, we'll see another marvelous verse. For in Him dwelleth
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He builds up. He shows
us the supremacy of Christ in Him alone. So tonight we'll look
at verse 8, and we'll see how Paul is sounding the alarm, beloved. He's sounding the alarm to the
Colossian believers. After he has told them to walk
in Christ, that they're rooted in Him, that they're being established
in Him, He's now sounding the alarm against the false teachers
that have risen up within the midst of the Colossian believers.
And he has told them to walk by faith as they received Christ.
They received Him as who? The All-Sufficient One, didn't
they? The All-Sufficient One. And the false teachers are teaching
in direct contrast to that, saying, Trying to carry away the Colossians
by philosophy and vain deceit, and the traditions and rudiments
of the world. Trying to sway them from their
rest and trust in the fact that Christ is the All-Sufficient
One. By trying to add works or things that you should do, or
traditions of men, or the rudiments of the world. So Paul here is sounding an alarm. Look at the first portion of
our text. Beware lest any man spoil you.
He's warning the Colossian believers to be aware of the false teachers,
to be awake and alert to their craftiness. Because they are
crafty, beloved. Beware, lest any man spoil you. Now, lest any man spoil, the
word spoil there means to lead away as a booty. Remember the
pirates, they would go and they would take the treasure or whatever,
or people, and they called it a booty, what they took. It was
a spoil. And that's what the Greek word
defines it as, is their booty. So they take it, they take it
and they go, And it's their prize. It's their
prize. The Greek definition also speaks
of this. Now turn if you would to 1 Samuel
chapter 30. And I'll read the Greek definition
also speaks of one carrying you off as a slave. So when the false
teachers make a spoil of you, it's like they're carrying you
away as a slave. As a spoil. like a raider when they attack
a camp or a land or a city, right? They carry off captives as slaves,
and one who falls prey to a false teacher becomes his victim, becomes
his spoil. And we can see by the Greek that
Paul is not mincing words here, is he? He's saying, beware of
these false teachers. Beware of these false doctrines. Look at 1 Samuel 30, verses 1-2,
and here's an example of the raiders carrying people off. And it came to pass when David
and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites
had invaded the south and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire.
and had taken the woman captives that were therein, they slew
not any, great or small, but carried them away and went on
their way." They were their spoil. That's the exact same way that
Paul is saying about the false teachers. That they carry the
people away as a spoil. Captive. Like a slave. So this is a strong warning.
This is a strong warning. Those who are bewitched by false
teachers are taken captives by their false doctrine and led
away as they're spoiled. These false teachers claim, oh,
you can have more freedom. You can have more knowledge,
a deeper knowledge than what you know now. I remember hearing
something a long time ago. Brother Donnie Bell was at a
conference with this guy, and I don't remember his name, but
he was pretty famous. Famous preacher that had went
all over the place. And he said these very words. He said, you know, there's no
one in the USA right now that can preach the gospel. as clear
as Brother Henry Mayhem. This guy even admitted that.
He says, but we don't just preach the simplicity of the Gospel.
We get into the deeper things. My goodness. Oh, Lord, give me strength to
preach continuously the simplicity of Christ. Oh, my. My, oh my. So Paul here is warning
the Colossian believers against the false teachers. For the Colossian
believers to be aware of these impostors. To be on guard. To be aware of these impostors
who add works or tradition to the pure Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Who add anything. Remember? Just
a pinprick. If you add a pinprick to grace,
it's no longer grace. So Paul's warning them, be aware,
be on guard for these imposters who add anything to the pure
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And believers are told to stand
firm and steadfast in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
Paul proclaims to the Colossian believers here, beware. Beware. Take care and be aware. Your
enemy is upon you. These seducers of man's souls
plunder men of their souls and they take them prisoners, taking
them captive by their false teaching. 2 Timothy 3, 6 and 7 says this,
For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers' lusts,
ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth. Now they lead astray whomever they can. Man or woman, it don't
matter to them. That's like the whole thing that
I talked about before with these soul winners, they're gun-notch
guys, remember? Got another one. Making the person two-fold the
child of hell. Telling them because you prayed
a prayer, or because you walked an aisle, or because you went
to the altar, oh, now you're sane. Now you're on your way
to heaven. My goodness. Decisional regeneration. Remember we talked about that
on Sunday? That's what that is. Decisional regeneration. The
Holy Spirit's not even involved. My oh my. These false teachers are ever
learning but never coming to the knowledge of truth. Turn
if you would to 2 Peter chapter 2. They are ever learning but
never coming to the knowledge of truth. And they are the blind
leading the blind. Beloved, they make merchandise
of people's souls. They make merchandise of people's
souls. Of those they carry away, making
them their spoil. Bringing them back under bondage. Look at 2 Peter 2, verses 1-3. But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies."
Adding works to grace. Adding tradition to grace. Adding
the rudiments of the world to grace. And it's no longer grace,
is it? It's no longer grace. It's a
false gospel. even denying the Lord that bought
them and bring them upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall
follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall
they with fraying words make merchandise of you, whose judgment
now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth
not. Let's go back to our text in
Colossians. Now Paul continues in our text. He's going to point
out to the Colossian believers the three-pronged attack of the
false teachers that's currently going on in Colossus. Now not every false teacher taught
all three, but Paul's going to point out the three modes of
attack that the false teachers are waging upon the saints at
Colossus. Waging actually upon the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ is who they're waging attack on. The
gospel of our great King. And these false teachers, some
of them were using all three and some were not. But all these
attacks upon the pure gospel are still used today, just garbed
in different names. The first prong attack of the
false teachers in promoting their false teaching is this. Look
at this. Through philosophy and vain deceit. Through philosophy
and vain deceit. Our text says, again, I'll read
it, the whole thing. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. So the first
prong attack of the false teachers in promoting their false teaching
is through philosophy and vain deceit. Be on guard lest anyone
carry you away or make you a spoil by means of philosophy and vain
deceit. Let not you who have been delivered
from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of
His dear Son, which is the kingdom of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus
Christ, let you not be carried off by someone preaching false
doctrine and become enslaved once more by those false teachers
adding works to the pure Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In
Galatians, Paul pens this, Stand fast therefore in the liberty
Oh, what freedom, what liberty we have in Christ. Stand fast,
therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. We're
free, beloved. And be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. And that's what's happening with
these false teachers who are entangling the people who follow
them. Yoking them in bondage. Now studying this today, this
is not talking about the Greek philosophy which was popular
in that day, but Hendrickson points this out in his commentary
on Colossians. I thought this was really interesting. He says, bought under bondage
by someone else's philosophy, as Josephus has shown, any elaborate
system of thought and or moral discipline was in those days
called philosophy. So any system of thought or moral
discipline was called philosophy. Our term moral philosophy, we've
heard that, we've all heard that. When the scientific aspect is
not stressed, that's what moral philosophy is. Thus he states,
continuing in the quote, for there are three forms of philosophy
among the Jews. Now I never knew this until I
read this today, that they considered it philosophy. And Josephus is
a Hebrew historian. from the time of our Lord. He
writes this, For there are three forms of philosophy among the
Jews. The followers of the first school are called the Pharisees.
Of the second, the Sadducees. And the third, the Essenes. Paul
is warning Paul is warning against the kind of philosophy which
amounts to nothing more than empty deceit, Williamson goes
on to say. As it is empty, futile, and it's
deceptive as it promises big things to those who obey its
ordinances, but it cannot redeem on its promises, end quote. So
they promised all these things, a deeper knowledge, but they
could never come through with it. a secret knowledge that only,
of course, they could impart. Well, the Holy Spirit teaches
His people. He teaches us through His Word. So the false teachers use philosophy
that is human reasoning, human logic added to the finished work
of Christ. And of course, them being the
false teachers that they are, only they can impart this human
reason. Only they can impart this human
logic. It's lies, beloved. It's absolute
lies. Because Christ said it's finished
and it's perfect. There's nothing to be added to
it. So Paul's exposing these false teachers. He's exposing
these false teachers. Now, beloved of God, no matter
what our natural reasoning might be, no matter what it might be,
no matter how smart we think we are in our own reasoning, the Word of God must have the
final say. This book right here must have the final say. In all things. In all things. It must have the final say. See,
man thinks he's pretty smart. Gets a little learning. Gets
a little puffed up. That book lays us low. Lays us low. Lays us low. Oh my. As Pastor Henry Mahan said, there
is nothing wrong with true philosophy, but the Word of God is never
to be subject to human reasoning. See, we don't subject the Scriptures
to human reasoning. We're subject to this book and
whatever it says. But the Word of God is never
to be subject to human reasoning and human philosophy. It is never
to be introduced into worship in service of God." So Brother
Henry says human philosophy and human reasoning should never
enter into our worship even. The Word of God tells us how
we're to worship. Scripture says this, For what
if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? God forbid, yea, let God be true,
but every man a liar. As it is written, that thou mightest
be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou
art judged. Now false teachers will also,
along with philosophy, use vain deceit. Look at our text. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit. Paul here, before us, has condemned
all false doctrine which come forth from man's head, from man's
reasoning. Anything that adds to Christ's
work, Paul condemns it. He condemns it. No matter how
persuasive the false teacher is, no matter how persuasive
the false teaching is, they are a direct attack, beloved. upon
the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul recognizes this. And by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit of God, he pens these. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit. Beware. Beware. And the false teachers deceive
people with empty words that have nothing to do with the salvation
of God's elect. They use doctrine that is completely
foreign to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Going against
truths that are clearly set forth in the Holy Scriptures. They say things like this, join
our church and God will save you. Well, we reply, salvation
is of the Lord, not in the church. Or they say like this, I heard
this one recently, only those who speak in tongues are saved.
We reply, all that we need is in Christ. He's our all in all. I don't need nothing else. I
don't want nothing else. Or they promote unbiblical lies
such as baptism or regeneration, which says that you must be baptized
to be saved. There's a whole denomination
out there, Church of Christ. That's what they believe. False
teachers, beloved. False gospel. People say, well,
you shouldn't say that. Well, why not? They're lying. They're damning
man's souls to hell that have fallen on them. They're making spoil and merchandise
out of man's souls. We should speak out. especially
the preachers. We must, we can't be silent.
Necessity is laid upon me to preach the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So they promote unbiblical lies
such as baptism or regeneration, saying, you must be baptized
to be saved. And we reply that Christ alone
can save. And nothing we do can save us. It must be all the work of the
Lord Jesus Christ And it must be Him alone. And we know it's
truth, don't we? Because He cried in the Scriptures.
It is finished. It's finished. That means there's
nothing to do. And then Scriptures tell us to
look to Him and be saved. There's life in the look. And they promote also other false
teachings like this saying, Jesus died for everyone. How many times
have we heard that? That lie. Do you know I looked
at John 3.16 in the Greek this week? I found an inner linear
that has, and I don't read Greek, but it's all right there for
you. Do you know it says the believing ones? In John 3.16. Blew me away. My friend had told me it
said that, and so I wanted to see it, and there it was. My goodness. So they promote
this lie by making statements like Jesus died for all of Adam's
race. And God gives everyone a free
will, supposedly. A free will. Even though the
scriptures plainly declare that man is dead in trespasses and
sins, these false promoters of lies say, but man has a free
will. And it's up to you. making merchandise of people's
souls. And they say it's up to you to
accept him or reject him. But the Bible says there's none
that seek it after God, beloved. It says there's none righteous.
So, you see, we take Scripture and we say, no, that's a lie.
Salvation's of the Lord. God makes His people willing.
And we flee to Christ. We flee to Him. Here are some questions for those
who promote these lies. And they'll never answer these,
but here are some questions for them that promote these lies
that we've looked at there. And there's way more. That's
just a little sample. But here's some questions. And
questions that we can pose to folks if they ever say that stuff
to us. Here's some questions. What then was the purpose of
the sufferings of Jesus Christ if we could save ourselves? Why
did he suffer? If we can save ourselves, if
we can make a decision and save ourselves, why did he suffer? Another question is this. What
then is the purpose of the shedding of his blood if you can save
yourself? What's the purpose? Another question
is this. What's the purpose of his sacrificial
life and his sacrificial death? if salvation is in the sinner's
hands? Well, beloved, we know that he
lived and died in our own place. We know that his life was a substitutionary
life, and his death is a substitutionary death. We know that his blood
is effectual, that it cleanses us from all our sins. Do you
see the stupidity? I'm sorry to use that word, but
the stupidity of people saying that it's all up to you? It's
contrary to Scripture, beloved. It's not what the Scriptures
declare. The Scriptures declare we're dead, and we can't save
ourselves, and God makes us willing, and we flee to Christ. And these false teachers speak
with vain deceit. And it makes the cross of Jesus
Christ absolutely meaningless. See? See what they say? It makes
the cross of Christ meaningless. Turn if you would to 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians, chapter 1. We'll
see why Paul, oh my, Paul says this, why was he sent? Look at
this, 1 Corinthians 1, 17 and 18. Look at this. For Christ
sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Paul sent
to preach the gospel. We saw what that is, didn't we?
On Sunday. He's called and sent of God to
preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. is death, burial,
resurrection, to tell the truth about God, to tell the truth
about man, to tell the truth about salvation, to tell the
truth about who Jesus Christ really is. Not with words of, or not with
wisdom of words. Look at this. Lest the cross
of Christ should be made of none effect. These people saying that,
these people saying, well, it's your decision, it's, you know,
you got a free will. They're making the cross of none
effect, beloved. Because the cross is where I
was redeemed. By my mighty savior, who died
for my sins. My sins was placed upon him,
and he bore them all. And his righteousness is imputed
to me. My sins is imputed to him, and his righteousness is
imputed to me. My goodness. This is wonderful
news for sinners. Because we know we could never
save ourselves. So we say away with this vain
deceit that these men promote. Away with it. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it
is the power of God. Let's look at the next point
in our text. The second prong of the attack
that false teachers use in promoting their false teachings. Look at
this. After the traditions of men. So Paul is narrowing down. what kind of philosophy he is
reproving here in our text. He's narrowing it right down
to what kind of philosophy he's reproving. He convicts it of
vanity or vain deceit on a two-fold account because it is not according
to Christ, as our text finishes with. And the basis of it is
human reasoning and traditions. Vain deceit and traditions. are
used to explain things. And it's based upon the elements
of the world. Paul places Christ in direct
opposition to the false teachers. In direct opposition to what
they're teaching. In direct opposition to the tradition
of men. Setting forth that whatever is
hatched in a man's brain is not in accordance with Christ. Men
think up all these things and they're not even biblical. They're not in accordance with
Christ who has been appointed by his father as our soul teacher,
as our soul redeemer, as our soul savior. He's our mighty
God. The Lord Jesus Christ, beloved,
is an all-sufficient Savior, as opposed to what the false
teachers were adding. They're adding to the work of
Christ man's traditions, and after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ. Look at our text again. Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the traditions of man, after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ. What are some of these traditions?
Brother Henry Mahan says, these are practices and rites in the
church without the authority of the written word. Having no
warrant but custom in human tradition. For instance, infant baptism.
It's not even scriptural. A mass that the Catholics...
You know, I've been reading a book on Catholicism. They literally
believe that they pull down Christ from His throne in heaven and
He becomes wafer My goodness. And they also believe
that the mass is propitiatory so that it's redemptive as well. Beloved, there was only one redemption.
Only one that was accomplished, and that was accomplished at
Calvary's cross. And no man has the power to pull
down the King of Glory from heaven, but they believe him. Do you see? Traditions of man. Purgatory. There is no such thing
as purgatory. It's not even in the scriptures.
It's a tradition of man. It was all about this, beloved. All about money. the indulgences,
prayers for the dead, and it just goes on and on and on. Brother Charlie, you and I are
saved. Praise be to God. My goodness. The traditions of
men. The traditions of men. And then,
this could also be considered the traditions of men, either
of the Gentiles who had their traditions in religion, or of
the Jews called the tradition of the elders and of the fathers.
which the Pharisees were very fond of, and by which they transgressed
the commandment of God, which the apostle was bought up in,
and he was zealous, Paul was zealous before of all this, but
now was delivered from that darkness, and he rightly condemned those
traditions as idle, trivial, wicked, and evil. Making merchandise of man's souls. And you see, natural man wants
anything but God. Remember that. And give glory
to God that if he's revealed the gospel to you, give him all
the glory and honor and praise that he didn't leave you where
we were. Because we were all there at
one time. I know all of us. Oh, what a great God. What mercy
he has for his people. One more comment on the text
of After the Tradition of Men. This term is especially appropriate
to the Judeo-Gnostic teaching in Colossus, which depended for
their authority not on ancient writings but on tradition. So
the Gnostics depended upon tradition rather than ancient writings,
rather than the scriptures. They relied upon the traditions
of men rather than the scriptures. Thus they supposed that the secret
knowledge that they had they could only impart. They were
the only ones who could give it because they'd been given
this supposed secret knowledge. Lies, lies, lies. And Beloved is still going on
today. It still goes on today, but praise be to God. He has
preserved His Word. Turn, if you would, to Acts chapter
17. Praise be to God. He has preserved
His Word and His Gospel. And we believers are to be like
the Bereans, beloved. We are to be like the Bereans.
We are to be like them. We search the Scriptures to see
if what the preacher is teaching us is so, don't we? Remember
I said, don't take my word on it. Search the Scriptures. Search
the Scriptures. Every grace preacher will tell
you that. Look at Acts 17, verses 10-12. And the brethren immediately
sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who, coming thither,
went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than
those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether
those things were so. Now remember, This is the apostle
Paul preaching. And they're searching the scriptures.
Is that so? And it's Paul teaching. But they were noble. They searched
the scriptures. And look what it said. Therefore,
many of them believed. They were granted faith to believe.
They searched the scriptures. They were granted faith to believe.
They were taught by God, the Holy Spirit. Also of the honorable
woman, which were Greeks, and of a man, not a few. This is
how we're to be, beloved. We're to search the scriptures
to see if it's so. To see if it's so. Let's go back
to our text. It says, after the rudiments
of the world. After the rudiments of the world.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and
not after Christ. So our text here also states
that the false teachers used the rudiments of the world in
their teaching, mixing works and grace, which is no longer
grace. They had joined the rudiments
of the world, that is to say, ceremonies of the law, with the
Gospel. They tried to marry The ceremonies
of the law and the gospel. Well, grace and works don't mix.
They're like oil and water. They don't mix. Many of God's preachers and commentators
believe that the rudiments of the world have to do with those
old Jewish ceremonies. The old ceremonies that were
imposed upon the Israelites under the Mosaic economy. Remember
the false teachers were trying to get some of the converts in
Galatia, in Colossus, they're trying to get them to do some
of these old ceremonies. Now, these were the oracles of
God, and God gave these. We don't deny that. Circumcision,
animal sacrifices, holy days, abstaining from different kinds
of foods, and those things that made a clear distinction between
the Israel of God and all the other nations around them. But, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
has fulfilled all those types and pictures. All those pictures and types
and shadows that were taught under the old covenant. All of
them. Under the old covenant of works,
Christ has fulfilled them all. He's all sufficient. Do you see
how Paul's teaching is in direct opposition to the false teachers?
who are saying, you've got to do these things, you've got to
do these traditions, you've got to do all this, the rudiments of the
world, and direct opposition, Paul says, no, Christ is all
sufficient. Christ. As you receive Him, so
walk ye in. Oh, it's marvelous. So he's giving
a warning, but we see that he ends it pointing
them to Christ again. We are to beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision which
worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have
no confidence in the flesh. Philippians 2-3 The believer
in Christ has absolutely no confidence in this flesh. None. None. Can't save myself. I must,
what Spurgeon says, sink or swim, I'll cling to Him. My goodness. So these false teachers were
put in confidence in the flesh, and in the things that had been
done in the past, in the traditions of the fathers, which were but
types and shadows and pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God, any attempt
to put God's children back under the law of Moses, comes from
self-righteous religionists who would try to spoil us, like the
Scripture said earlier. Try to make us a spoil. Who would try to lead us away
from Christ, Jesus our Lord, who is our all-sufficient Savior. We don't need anyone else but
Christ. who would rob us of our joy in
worshiping Him in spirit and truth. So Paul is sounding out
a warning, beware of them. Beware of them. Why are we to
beware of them? Well, the answer is in the last
portion of our text, and not after Christ. Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Not after Christ. They are false religionists.
Turn, if you would, to 2 Timothy 3. They are false religionists
who have a form of godliness, but they deny His sovereign power,
beloved. They deny His sovereign power.
2 Timothy 3, verses 1-5. This know also that in the last
days perilous times shall come. And we've been in the last days
since Paul's days. For men shall be lovers of their
own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truth-breakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that
are good. Traitors, heady, high-minded,
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form
of godliness. So they have a form of godliness.
Oh, they tell you to do all these things. They try to yoke you
with all these things they can't even do themselves. Just like
the Pharisees. Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof. From such, turn away. Beware. Turn away. We are warned there to turn away
from these false teachers. Similar to what Paul says in
our text of beware, beware. And our Lord warned us of those
Paul speaks of in Matthew 7.15. I'll read that. It says this,
Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are raving wolves. That's our Master's words. Turn, if you would, to 2 Peter
and we'll close with this. We are to be aware and on watch,
being steadfast in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look
at 2 Peter 3, verses 17-18. Oh, beloved, we are to be aware,
be on watch, steadfast in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,
grounded and settled in Him. rooted in Christ. Look at 2 Peter
3, 17-18. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing
that ye know these things before, beware, lest ye also, being led
away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness,
but grow in grace. And in the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. And oh, that we would grow
in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. That the
Holy Spirit would teach us. Teach us. That He would make
it so by the preaching of the Gospel that we would grow in
the grace and knowledge and truth of our Lord and Savior. And that
we would grow in the knowledge of the free and sovereign grace
of our God in Christ. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
Gracious Heavenly Father, we are thankful. Thankful for the
warning that we saw tonight to beware of false teachers. Beware
of those who come using vain deceit and philosophy and traditions
of men and the rudiments of the world and trying to yoke your
people, trying to yoke believers back under the law. Oh, Lord
God, guard us. Gird up our minds and gird up
our hearts that we might have our eyes and our hearts focused
upon Thee, Lord Jesus. We love You and praise You. We
give You all the glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.