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. ~ Colossians 2:8 (NIV)
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Wow, this verse makes me think that Paul was able to see into the future -- to see the 20th and 21st century, where and when we're living, huh?
Spirituality is the new "black" in terms of religiosity. It seems that everyone is spiritual. And if we lived 100 years ago, I think people who claimed spirituality would have been more likely to have been grounded in some form of evangelical Christianity (notwithstanding the cults that arose out of the late 1800's in America.) But today, we are more like the Greeks of old, a society that embraces all spiritual thoughts and ideas, often meshing pieces and parts of various religions and coming up with some strange sort of tossed religious salad! And so many don't seem to even know to ask the question that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus: "What is truth?" They just accept it all as truth.
Well, the truth of the matter is that there is only one truth -- Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the Author and Perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). And just as Paul asked the Colossians to make sure they weren't allowing false thoughts and ideas come into play but staying true to the Truth, he calls us to the same today.
But I have to ask you this: How do you know if a lie is a lie, if you aren't clear about what the truth is? If you have no clear reference, wouldn't it be easy enough to be swayed away? If a bottle says poison on the label, but you haven't educated yourself to know what the word poison is, wouldn't it be pretty easy to harm yourself with it? People, we need to be in God's Word if we're going to be savvy to the world's false teachings! The devil is very busy making his lies attractive and compelling, making them sound so good and wholesome, that we can be deceived, if we aren't on the solid ground of the Word of God.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. ~ 1 John 4:1-3 (NIV)
A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. ~ Proverbs 17:24 (NIV)
If some of the thoughts and ideas of Jesus, yourself and the world that you've been embracing or pondering go against God's word, you need to trash 'em -- they're lies, plain and simple. And as God's word says, they can hold you captive. But the only captive you want to be is a captive of Christ. His chains of love and truth are worth clinging to, not running from.
Read for yourself what God has to say in the Bible about His Son, Jesus . . . and stick to the truth, the whole truth, and nothin' but the truth, so help you, God!
Love,
Joelene
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