Colossians Part One Dive

DON’T BE A COCKTAIL CHRISTIAN

Some Christians like to mix their drinks when it comes to their beliefs. Some like a little bit of Bible with some motivational new age teaching, add a bit of philosophy and top it off with the latest mystic movie. It is what they believe, it defines their life and they believe it is truth.

As we read Colossians, we find Paul addressing false teachers that are what I like to call ‘Cocktail Christians' – they have taken the scriptures, Paul’s teaching, added a little bit of Greek philosophy, a shake of mysticism, a dash of Jewish tradition, shaken it all together like Tom Cruise in Cocktail and served it up to the church. This was an early form of Gnosticism, which we’ll go through in more detail in the Deep Dive. The scary thing is that this blending of beliefs still happens today! As you read Colossians, I want you to hear the heart of Paul; keep the truth, don’t mix your beliefs. I love that you are reading your Bible, this is the first antidote to Cocktail Christianity

THE FIGHT FOR TRUTH

Now, the 1st Century was where the dogma of our current beliefs was developing. Paul was fighting for the Jewish traditions like circumcision and festivals to be removed, he was preaching that our faith is based purely on grace and faith in Jesus Christ alone. He was fighting against the worship of angels, saying that you don’t have to add any other gods or works to the mix, all power and authority is found in one name: Jesus. As you read Colossians, you can hear that Paul was in a fight for truth. Paul was in a fight for sound doctrine, for the truth of the gospel and the dogma that we stand so boldly on today.

In the 1st Century, there were so many different options of what to believe: thousands of gods, beliefs, philosophical streams, mysticism, schools of thoughts and teachings. The people had lots of options, so they mixed it up a little bit; you could be Christian with a Jewish twist, add the beliefs of Greek philosophy to help you to be wise, and pray to the different gods. It was a ‘covering your bets’ type of religion: choose the god that best suits your needs that week, rather than loyalty to one belief system. Cocktail living!

So, when Jesus came along and said, ‘I am the way, truth and the life’, they freaked out, thinking “That is so limited! You’re my only option for truth?!”.

JESUS IS SUPREME

Phil. 2:9-11 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at that the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the God the Father.
[italics added]

Paul fought passionately for the integrity of our monotheistic beliefs. As you read Colossians, highlight the parts where Paul is emphasizing the authority of Jesus alone.

C 1:15-17 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…

Keep highlighting these as you read Colossians – check out Chapters 2:10, 2:15, 3:1.

This is the only the beginning of the audacity of Paul’s teaching in the letter of Colossians. This was revolutionary for the people; they had heard these false teachers that were in the church, adding all sorts of things to the message of the gospel and for Paul to say that Jesus is the only way was shocking! He states that Jesus has supremacy (Chapter 1:18): meaning the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or status. Christ is above everything, He is all you need.

C 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians is a revolutionary letter from a very passionate Paul, fiercely guarding the truth of Jesus to a church that is being led astray. I love this! It is our call as Christians to keep up the fight, to ensure that Paul’s efforts are not unravelled, that the infallibility of the Word of God is preserved 2,000 beyond Paul’s life, and onward. This is the truth. Stand in it!

recommended

The Message of Isaiah

Colossians part one

Ecclesiastes part two