Here is a list of four things that are dangerous to us in this life. Often we are looking for deeper revelation, trying to figure out why things aren't working for us. But, most of the time the answers are simple. This verse deals with our foundations in life. If our foundation is faulty, nothing is going to work as it should. Read these four warnings of Colossians chapter 2 verse 8 and check the basic foundation of your life.
Colossians 2;8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, according to the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
This verse is saying that whatever we follow for a guide in life that is not after Christ is dangerous! Here is a list of four things that can and will harm your relationship with God. Beware lest you are spoiled through (1) philosophy (2) vain deceit (3) traditions of men (4) living by the elements of this world When someone says to beware, that means there is danger. We are living in a time when men and woman in leadership are using philosophies, vain deceit, traditions of men and the basic elements of this world to instill fear in the heart of people to turn them away from the teachings of Christ Jesus and often for the purpose of greed and gain.
First, the philosophies of this world are often dangerous. Philosophy is defined as a set of ideas about how to do something or how to live. Paul is saying beware because philosophies can spoil you. Whole societies have followed after philosophies that ruled their governments that did more harm than they did good. Many school systems, businesses, agencies and churches have followed after philosophies that go against the Word of God and these end up causing much damage to society There are people in prison today that followed after their own twisted philosophies and ideas of 'living' that proved to be dangerous to society. Beware, lest you find yourself following a philosophy in life that goes against the way that Christ Jesus taught us to live. Any philosophy that contradicts the teachings of Christ Jesus will be harmful to you. All through out history, governments have risen and governments have fallen each with their own 'modern' philosophy for their age. But, the Word of God endures forever!
Also beware of vain deceit. Vain here means producing no results, useless. Deceit means the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth. There are those today that will deceive you on purpose just to push through their own agendas. This happens from the very top of our societies, to the very poorest of our homes. People who will lie, twist the truth, promise you just what you want to hear, just to get you to do what they want you to do. Beware lest people spoil you through vain deceit. If someone ask you to do something that violates God's Word and tells you it will produce good results in the end, they are just deceiving you into getting their own agenda through,. Beware lest any man spoil you through vain deceit.
Third, beware of the traditions of men. Not all traditions are Godly. Whatever traditions are made both inside and outside of the church or your religious experience that does not agree with the teachings of Christ are a danger to you and to society. Sometimes we can find ourselves associated with churches, clubs, political parties, that we inherited participation in because of the traditions handed down to us by our families. There comes a time when our churches, clubs, political parties and associations have changed philosophies and no longer follow the teachings of Christ. Sometimes you have to put away the traditions of men to follow Christ. If we honor the traditions of our family above the teachings of Christ we are in danger, so beware!
Fourth we are warned not to live according to the elements of this world. In each generation, society and governments have politically correct ways of doing things. Beware that in trying to be politically correct for YOUR GENERATION that you do not violate the teachings of Christ trying to 'fit in' to your culture. In each generation there are pressures to conform to the world that violates the teachings of Christ. Is it better to offend God, or to offend men. If you have to chose between offending God and offending man, it is better to offend man. Beware, that you do not try to conform to this world and thereby spoil your relationship with Christ.
When we use the philosophies of this world, the foundation of our life is faulty. When we believe the vain deceit or our generation that goes against the teachings of Christ we have a faulty foundation. If we cleave to the traditions handed down to us by organizations, even though those organizations do not agree with the teachings of Christ, we are built upon the wrong foundation. Once we live by the basic elements of the age we have a foundation that is messed up. Any foundation in our life that is not based on the teachings of Christ Jesus is a faulty foundation. I challenge you to take inventory of your life and eliminate all that is not built on the foundation of Jesus. For we are given this warning in 1 Cor. 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay, than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
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