Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high- sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
Col 2.8
Here we have a passage from Paul, a bloke what gave the world - especially the Christian world - a rather large collection of stuff that some would claim are naught but a bunch of philosophies! And this is where, if we are to try and live as Christians, that our problems begin!
Problem? What problem (I hear some ask)?
The minute we try to live as Christian we are saying that we want to live 'like Jesus' - this is the time when someone will pop up and say, 'All you need is Jesus to do that. He is God's living word. There's no need of the Bible, or of rules, or trying to be what you're not for God's Grace is sufficient and because Grace is always sufficient you just need to be free and live within it.'
And you know what? They are right!
There's no need of rules and regulations, for these merely tie you down and condemn. Yes indeedy folks: There's no need to do anything other than live in the freedom that being 'Christian' brings because, at the end of the day, 'God just wants you to happy' and doesn't it say that, 'God so loved the world that He gave His only son (nothing about things Sophia-like or female here I'm afraid) to set it free - not tell it that it is wrong (AKA condemn).'
So let's write that down:
1. There's no need to write anything down you just need Jesus and to love and be loved and live in God's Grace and be happy!
Oh! perhaps we need to scrub that out as we've just broken our first rule - which of course we shouldn't have anyway because there are no rules, regulations or philosophies (are there?).
And this is where the problems all begin, for everyone I have encountered starts off by telling me that Rule One applies and then they break it by telling me that this applies to everyone else's Rule One, not theirs! we don't need anything but Grace and we can't out sin Grace so why try to keep Paul's philosophical scribbles and rules? Be free and happy and live in the knowledge that that's enough (and buy my books, sermon videos, CD and other merchandising because 'a workmen is worthy of his wage' and of course you mustn't criticise me because you must never act against the Lord's anointed either!
This is the root of all the error in the Church today. The feeble-minded, seeking blessing that should come from the labour of their own hands, instead seek God's anointing and blessing and prosperity and health and status and positions of authority ('I want to be up the front and be applauded and feted') and power and everything that Jesus died to bring us.
But that's where it goes wrong, isn't it?
Jesus came to take on the role of Christ. To reconcile each of us, by name, to God the Father by that one atoning act of dying (in our place) upon the cross. His words, which we need to read and learn and learn to live by, are important and valid and lively - you cannot be a Christian without the Bible (Old and New Testament) and you need to look at the words written and ask yourself how you might live by them.
And this is where the error is to be found. For taking the truth and adding just a little deviation from that which Jesus calls us to be; to write off paul as 'vain philosophy' or to call Christians to live without the Bible is akin to telling Vegetarians that eating meat doesn't deny your vegetarian beliefs.
You cannot live as a Christian without love or Jesus
BUT
You cannot live as a Christian without writing things down, reading the Bible, and seeking to live by them.
The laws and written codes that stood (and continue to stand to this day) opposed to God's solution for the world's ills (Jesus), the condemnations and accusations, the powers and authorities (Col 2) have been trampled underfoot: They are a laughing stock.
And this we know because Jesus (God's living Word - Logos) lives in our hearts by faith supported by the written word (logos) and the ways in which we are shown how to respond to this amazing act of love.
It is so very simple - it isn't rocket science now, is it?
So let's turn off the TV and stop going to the Christian cabarets; let's toss the CDs, DVDs in he bin; let's stop pouring money into all the miraculous ministries (because the only miracle to be seen is the fact that you spend what you don't have to fund someone who already has more than is right or proper).
Go to your local church and celebrate being Church.
Get yourself a job and earn your living and pay your tithes and make sure that none who are without because they cannot work or because life has dealt them a bit of a blow can survive.
Read your Bible and meet with the other Christians and discuss what you have read - write what you have learned down and share it - weep with the proven, pray for the sick, rejoice with the joyful and herald in the Kingdom of Jesus, God made man, saviour, healer, redeemer, teacher and coming King.
And now I've put the world to rights I'm off to a Scottish Episcopal church service to rejoice at being Church and celebrate the fact that Jesus
HE IS RISEN :-)
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