Captive and Deceived

Captive and Deceived 

 

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:6

 

Here Paul is instructing us warning us to be on guard against deceptive ideologies.  What is interesting about this is the verse before the warning or admonition.  He wrote, "rooted and built up in him and established in the faith." It is written in the past tense. The other odd then about this is, it is intended for the established believer. He is talking to people who have heard the gospel understood and were trained in it. He is instructing believers to be on guard against erroneous philosophies.  If educated believers are warned to be on guard what chance does the rest of the world have? In a way, this explains the current condition of the world. It has embraced these false ideologies as truth. As such, has reaped the unstoppable rewards of such beliefs. 

 

The real issue is this, as Christians, we can no longer allow our leaders to deviate and supplant the word of God. The word of God cannot be intermingled with the ideologies of Man.  Our leaders have decided that the word of God is up for discussion for reinterpretation. The correlation between verse 8 and the condition of our clergy is undeniable. Many of our leaders are succumbing to the pressure from society to change or become an outcast of society. They have decided to bow to the tide of unrighteousness rather than stand alone for Christ. Why are many churches closing? Is it because the word of God is outdated and ancient without value? Or is it because we have allowed it to be water down and caused it to become something tasteless and stale?   

 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 This verse states an undeniable truth.  But it is only true if we are referring to the actual word of God and not the diluted re-engineered word of God. The problem is not that the word of God is powerless, outdated and ancient. The problem is that our leaders have decided the word of God needed a revision. Rendering the new word of God powerless, lifeless and pointless. It has become a word of confusion and disarray. Causing the world confusion. 

 

We must hold our leaders accountable. So that we do not fall victims to verse number 8. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.