This morning we take up our consideration of Paul's letter to the Colossians again. So please open your Bibles to that letter, the letter of Paul to the Colossians, chapter 2. We'll begin reading in verse 1 and we'll read through the end of the chapter. That's a change from your bulletin, but we'll read verses 1 through 23. In these verses, Paul issues three warnings to the saints in Colossia. We'll give our attention only to the first this morning in verses 8, 9, and 10. Also, before we begin, there's one change on your outline. Just one word. Second point should read grounded in divine fullness. Grounded in divine fullness. Hear now the word of God from Colossians chapter 2 beginning in verse 1. I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and build up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and on the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised in the putting off of the sinful nature, Not with the circumcision done by the hands of men, but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code with his regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us. he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or with regard to religious festival, a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come. The reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the head from whom the whole body supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews grows as God causes it to grow. Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belong to it, do you submit to its rules, do not handle, do not taste, do not touch? These are all destined to perish with use because they are based on human commandments and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Here ends the reading of God's Word this morning. According to the March 2004, this is an old statistic, so I imagine it's only worse today. March 2004 issue of the Congressional Quarterly, nearly a million people are forcibly trafficked across international borders every year, even in the United States. Forcibly trafficked. We're starting to hear about it in the news more and more, human trafficking. Now this is a shocking statistic. Mind-numbing unless it becomes heart-piercing because we know someone or we know of someone who has been made a victim. We're horrified by headlines of abductions. We're shocked by people who actually sell their children. And we're saddened to learn of those who have been recruited through deceit or trickery. The only antidote to human trafficking is preparedness. Therefore, we warn our children, don't we? Our young ones and our older ones against the perils of charming strangers and the dangers of walking alone, whether that be on the street or on the computer. We teach them the truth so they'll not be deceived and led away. And we teach them to resist and to run to those whom they can trust. We warn. We teach. And I don't believe it's ever been different. Human trafficking has been around as long as there's been sin. Every civilization has faced it. Many have embraced it. In fact, the Roman Empire embraced it. It was a major business. There are estimates as high as 50% of the population in the Roman Empire were slaves. Can you imagine? They didn't all end up there voluntarily. But it was so commonplace that when we read the Bible, we find all kinds of references to it. Usually called slavery, but I think of Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers. They just profiteered. They wanted him gone. Human trafficking. And the reason I spent a few minutes on getting this picture in our mind, it's one of those things we like to keep at arm's length, is because this is what Paul is doing in our text today, is calling to mind the vivid and horrific reality of being carried away. It's a fitting image for the spiritual danger posed by false teachers to the church at Colossae, and I would say to the church in every age. The Colossians were in danger of being carried away, not by the hands of men, but by the error they were teaching. As you remember, there were some there offering an alternative, a supplement to the apostolic gospel that they had learned, that they had received, that they had believed under their salvation. And this error threatened to draw them away from Jesus. Our all-sufficient Savior and Lord to chase after something other or something more. Either to be sure of their salvation or to make progress in the Christian life. They needed, they were being told, they needed something more. They were going to be led away. And in our text this morning, Paul gives the Colossians and he gives to us the antidote to this error. Much like we give our children the antidote to human trafficking. He starts with a warning. And he follows up with a teaching. And they are intended to prevent and counteract the damaging effects of error. wherever it may be found. And I would say to you that this is the universal antidote. It applies to every Christian in every age against every error that would lead us away from Christ. The faces will change, the language will get more modern, but the danger, the fundamental error is the same. Therefore, we would do well to listen and heed this word this morning. Paul begins with a warning. The antidote to error requires discerning vigilance. He begins in verse 8 with a command, something the saints must do. He says, see to it that no one takes you captive. And I would say to you, that's a rather tame translation of what I think is a rather strong warning. Watch out! So that you will not be carried off like plunder, ransacked, hoodwinked. Hijacked. Watch out. Paul's warning the saints, the same people, a verse before he was encouraging in their walk in Christ with all the good news of the gospel that they have been established in Christ, that they are empowered by Christ to live for Christ. And the next words out of his mouth are watch out. You have enemies. You must be vigilant, watchful, on guard. They can't uproot you and destroy you for you're rooted and built up in Christ. They can't steal your faith because it's the gift of God that was given to you, but still they will come after you. And why? Because they will come to recruit you through deception and trickery to willingly follow them away. they will do all they can to entice you to spoil the fruit that Christ intends you to bear and to frustrate your progress in the Christian life so that you'll take your eyes off of Christ to look for that something else that will help you get through. They will do so by enticing you away from complete and exclusive trust in Christ alone, not only for your salvation, but also for the fruitfulness of your life. And they'll come to you like the false teachers came to the saints of Colossae with hollow and deceptive philosophy. Good sounding words. Smiling faces. We're here to help you. And when Paul tells them to watch out for this hollow and deceptive philosophy, We must not misunderstand him to be warned against all philosophy. Philosophizing is not a sin. To love knowledge and wisdom and to use our reason to investigate and question why things are the way they are and what is and what isn't true are not wrong in and of themselves. But Paul does warn us to distinguish between philosophies. He calls us to be discerning in our vigilance. To be on guard against philosophies that are hollow and deceptive. Empty and deceiving. The saints, that's you and I, have received the gospel of Jesus Christ. Otherwise we wouldn't be saints. We've received the gospel of Jesus Christ, the reliable and powerfully transforming word of truth, the scripture says. And by true faith created in us by the Holy Spirit through that gospel, we are made able to understand and agree that everything God reveals in his word is true. Through this word, we're given the mind of Christ so that our thoughts are conformed to his thoughts. And as they are, more and more, we develop a biblical philosophy, a Christian philosophy, a Christ-centered worldview by which we reason. So, Paul's not telling us not to do that. In fact, this is the very thing we need to do. In fact, Paul describes this type of philosophy, I think, in Philippians chapter 4, where he says, brothers, whatever's true, whatever's noble, whatever's right, Whatever is pure, lovely, and admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think upon these things. Conform your mind to that which Christ would have you think on. Develop your Christian philosophy. But the Holy Spirit does more than just conform our intellect, our reason to the Word of God with that Word, which is living and active sharper than any two-edged sword, He also cuts to our hearts. And there He judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart with the law. But He also there creates a deep-rooted assurance by the Gospel that out of sheer grace, knowing that we don't deserve it at all, Earned for us by Christ that not only others, but I too have had my sins forgiven. I've been made forever right with God and have been granted salvation. Now, most of you young people and children should know those words. That's the gift of true faith. And any philosophy that denies, diminishes, or distorts this gospel of Jesus Christ and the word of God that reveals it to us is empty and hollow no matter how many elements of truth we might find sprinkled in. Every philosophy that denies, diminishes, or distorts the gospel of Jesus Christ is empty and deceptive. It may have the appearance of wisdom But as Paul points out in verse 23, it has no value. It's empty. He goes on in verse 9 to tell us that hollow and deceptive philosophy depends on human tradition. Now that's just a very quick way to say that it depends on that which stands opposed to the apostolic tradition, which we considered last time. That which Jesus Christ himself gave to his disciples. That was given to us in the scriptures. That's been handed down from generation to generation. Anything that stands opposed to this is human tradition. And that's where all this comes from. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees. You remember it in Mark chapter 7. He says, you have a fine way of setting aside the commandments of God in order to observe your own traditions. This is how empty and deceptive philosophy works. And the particular philosophy at work in Colossae depended on the elements of the world, verse 9. Now, that's not what your NIV says. That's my translation. It's very wooden without any color. The elements of the world. That's word for word. And the reason I say that is because it's one of the most debated topics in Scripture studies. What does Paul mean here? And I'd like to give you the answer, but I don't think I can be that succinct. I'm going to give you some choices and give you my opinion. The English Standard Version follows the most popular translation. Paul is saying that this philosophy depends on the elemental spirits of the world. This is a spiritual interpretation. And if this is correct, then Paul is criticizing the teachers for their preoccupation with spiritual creatures, whether that be angels or demons. They're preoccupied with spiritual creatures rather than with Christ through whom they were created. The NIV follows another popular translation that this is built on the basic principles of this world. The building blocks, if you will, the elemental principles. And the idea here is that if this is correct, then Paul is criticizing the false teachers for their preoccupation with the basic principles of religion in this world. Thinking in terms of the Old Testament types and shadows. That they were giving so much attention to them they were forgetting Christ who had already put them aside and fulfilled them. And I lean toward a third option that Paul is referring to the material elements of this world. The stuff of this world. Philo the Jew who lived at that time had this to say about the nations. He said some nations have made divinities or gods out of the four elements. Earth and water, air and fire. They were materialists. And they were so preoccupied with the material that they developed all kinds of religious attitudes about how to deal with it. And so if this view is correct, then Paul is criticizing these teachers for their preoccupation with religious rules about material things. Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. Rather that on Christ, the God-man through whom all these things are being reconciled to God. they all have merit in their arguments. I dare say one of them is the right one, but even though I can't tell you for sure which it is, I can tell you that the message is the same. Whatever the meaning and the point is clear, hollow and deceptive philosophy teaches doctrine and requires practices that don't depend on Christ. In one way or another, they teach us something other or something more than Christ alone is needed. If not for our salvation, then for how we get on in the Christian life. Whether we're preoccupied with spiritual creatures, angels and demons and all sorts of things like that, or whether we're concerned about the history that we wish we could get back to those better days, or whether we're preoccupied with the things of this life, Where are our eyes not? They're not on Christ. We read from the law this morning, or before the law, Paul says, since you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated. These false teachers wanted, one of the Colossians, as every false teacher does, wants us to look someplace other. than to Christ. Well, the antidote to error included that warning, an important warning. But it also includes a teaching in verses 9 and 10. There, Paul continues by teaching the truth. The antidote to error is grounded in divine fullness. I'm going to unpack that a little bit. Paul's purpose here is to firmly ground us in the truth against whatever errors may entice us to turn away. And he does so by taking up language from the hymn in chapter 1, verses 15 to 20. You remember that hymn. That hymn in which the supreme credentials of Christ were set before us. Why he is God and why he is to be worshipped and why he is to be trusted and why we can depend on him. All his credentials are set before us. But it's a hymn, So things aren't always directly to the point. And Paul brings that language forward and he puts a point on it. And he does this in order to clarify that these hollow and deceptive philosophies don't depend on Christ because they deny Christ. They deny who he is and what he's done. Now, 12th graders, you're no longer in catechism class, but I know you remember your last week there and we had a congregate tell us about his conversation with someone that came to his door. And you can talk and talk and talk and talk about whatever they want to talk about until you get to this question. Who is Jesus Christ and what has he done for you? And there you will, your rubber will meet the road. That's where things happen because that's where deception always hinges. So Paul wants to set forth the truth about who Jesus Christ is, what he's done for us, so that we can stand in that as these errors would have us go this way and that. A lot of you youngsters were at the Dutch Festival this year and you went to the jousting arena in the back. I watched a few of you. What's your purpose there? You're to stand your ground and don't let anyone knock you off. And in order to do that, you have to be grounded. you have to be solid. And that's what Paul's doing here. Get grounded in these truths and this hollow and deceptive philosophy will not lead you astray. The first thing that hollow and deceptive philosophy denies is the truth of Christ's divine nature. Paul affirms the truth that he alluded to in chapter 1, verse 15, where he called Christ the image, that is, the visible image of the invisible God. And he added in verse 19, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. And here in chapter 2, verse 9, Paul fleshes this out. Pun intended. When he says that in Christ all the fullness of the deity dwells, the same word, in bodily form. He makes it clear, he puts the point on it, that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. And this is the way God has made himself known to us. In the person of Jesus Christ, God Himself has come in a physical body. He has taken to Himself human flesh, and He has not and He will not ever separate those natures again. The Apostle John begins his Gospel with this declaration about Jesus Christ. You all know it, I'm sure. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the point Paul is making here, John brought home there when he said in verse 14 that the Word became flesh and He dwelled among us. That's why we confess in the Apostles' Creed and in particular the Nicene Creed that He came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin, Mary, and became man. And Paul also affirms the truth of chapter 1, verses 15 through 20, that by Him, Christ, this God-man, all things were made. Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him and for Him. And since all things were created by Him, all things belong to Him. And the necessary implications are that Christ is divine and that he has supreme authority over all things. This is undeniable. This is the truth. This is the truth that false teachers deny. Stand on this. The second thing that hollow and deceptive philosophy denies is what Christ has given us as the saints. Now Paul just introduces this here. What follows in verses 11 to 15 unpacks some of the marvel of what he's saying in just a short phrase. He says that you saints have been given fullness in Christ. Even as I contemplate all this involved in that, it's numbing. I can't get my mind around it. But we can know that it's true because the Word of God tells us that it's true. In Christ we have already, he says, been given fullness. And whatever it is, whatever it entails, it's been given to us. We didn't earn it. We didn't take it. We didn't stumble upon it. It was given to us and it was given to us in the past and it remains with us in the present and it will never be separated from us for eternity. Fullness in Christ is our present and continuing reality. It is what we are. It is who we are. In Him we have no lack. We're full. Christ is all and all we need, as we just sang. Paul links our fullness to the divine fullness of Christ, not in this text, but in Ephesians chapter 1, which touches on some similar topics. There he says, God placed all things under his feet, that's Christ's and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. We're touching on what's been called the mystical union between Christ and His church. We have been joined to Him. We are His body. He dwells in us. We are the fullness of Him. And we might gain some understanding toward this end if we consider that in the history of, in Scripture, the divine fullness of God dwelled in the temple in Israel where God dwelled among his people. That's where his people and he would meet. When Israel was judged, the Spirit of God left. And he returned in Jesus Christ our Lord. but he inhabited the body of Christ, his divine nature and his human nature. And this is how God dwelled among his people, in the flesh. And when Jesus went to glory, he said, I'll not leave you as orphans. I'll send you another. And he poured out his Spirit upon his church. And it is by his Spirit that he has given us his fullness, corporately, not only in this place, but the church around the world is indwelled by the Holy Spirit and each of us individually. Again, profound mystery. But Paul makes it clear that he dwells with us corporately. In Ephesians chapter 2 he says, In him the whole building, speaking of all God's people, everywhere, is joined together and rises up a holy temple in the Lord and in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. That is what God is doing in us. And he challenges us individually. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, he says, Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? Do you not know? We have been given fullness in Christ. And the antidote to the error of hollow and deceptive philosophy is grounded in the divine fullness of Christ which He has given to us by His Spirit. That's where we can stand. That's where we can hold our ground. He is God and there is no other. He's our Creator and there is no other. He's our Redeemer who has come in the flesh to rescue sinners like you and like me from the wrath to come and there is no other. He's the Redeemer who has given us His Spirit to work within us to will and to do that which is pleasing to Him. And there is no other. Those who would take you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy would have you forget or even deny these truths. Not necessarily with your mouths but in your heart of hearts. in order to undermine your assurance of salvation. To weaken your confidence in the promise that the Spirit of God is at work in you to conform you to the image of Christ and that you will be ready for glory despite all the troubles and trials of this life. And to weaken your resolve to live for Him. They would have you seek after something other. Something more. To bolster your assurance. To comfort you in trial. To strengthen your resolve. And no matter what they offer you, they're going to take your eyes off Christ. In John chapter 6, we find an episode when many of Jesus' disciples did turn back and they stopped following him. And Jesus turned to the twelve and says, Do you want to go away also? The moment of truth. And Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. We're standing right here. And I tell you today, saints of God, that when we know and we believe these truths, that in Christ all the fullness of the deity dwells in bodily form and that we have already received fullness in Christ by His Spirit. When we really know these things and we believe these things, where else can we be enticed to go? Nowhere. What else can we be enticed to do? Nothing. We won't be buying what false teachers are selling. We won't even be window shopping. Saints of God, you have been given the antidote to error. You've been warned. You've been taught. So as you move forward in Christ, living lives that are worthy of Him, watch out for error. And stay grounded in the truth. Let's pray. Almighty God and Father, we are so thankful that we are reminded today that you have not left us to ourselves. That though we are no longer of this world, we are still in this world and we face all kinds of trials and difficulties and enemies who would deceive us to turn us away from keeping our eyes fixed on Christ. Wherever else they would direct them, they might be good things, nice things, right things, and maybe even helpful things, but they won't be needful things, which is Christ and Him crucified. Lord, we pray that as your people we would heed this warning to keep our eyes open, to be vigilant, to be discerning. And Father, that we would know the truth of the gospel and the truth of the word of God that brings it, that we would stand firm against all comers and hold our ground to withstand the truth, to know our assurance of salvation in Christ alone and our strength and confidence and drive, Lord, to pursue a godly life in Christ alone. We pray this in His name alone. Amen.