Word by Mail

COL 02 – The Truth of the Gospel - Col 1:3-14 Difficult message last week - dealing with a movementthat’s gaining ground in the Christian church today The movement is called “The Emerging Church” Last week we began looking at the similaritiesbetween this latest “new” movement& the heresy that Paul wrote to the Colossians about & I tried to make it very clear - we weren’t attackingany particular person or particular church but instead – I am trying to show how the enemy “subtly” sowsfalse teaching into the church He was doing it in 60 AD (when Col was written)& he’s still doing it today & he will continue to do it –as long (& as much) as we will let him COL was written to refute a false teachingthat was beginning to gain ground in the church in 60AD & we really need to use COL to make our decisions aboutthe Emerging Church movement - gaining ground today  To begin withIt’s extremely important that we establish THE CRITERIA
that would cause us to have any concern - - - & the Criteria we must use is the same Criteria Paul used in Col & that SOLE CRITERIA is#1 - the absolute Supremacy of Jesus Christ - above ALL else#2 – the absolute Centrality of Jesus Christ – in the gospel msg Jesus Christ is SUPREME above all creationJesus Christ is CENTRAL to God’s entire plan of salvation There is No “Other Way” to God There is No “Spiritual Enlightenment” that comes from God –that does NOT place Jesus Christ at it’s absolute CENTER These are the Supreme Truths the Errant Teachers were attackingin the church at Colosse in 60 AD & these are the Supreme Truths – that are being “Subtly Attacked”by the teaching of some in The Emerging Church today  Now - It’s critical we don’t fall into the mistakes of church history This is NOT a Cultural or Generational changeas some are trying to describe it Cultural & Generational changes are GOOD . . . as long as Jesus Christ remains SUPREME above all –& absolutely CENTRAL to all doctrine & approach to God  The criteria for concern is NOT Cultural & Generational changes The criteria for concern is when these central truths about Jesus Christbegin to be subtly attacked or changed & so – it’s my desire – to address these concerns todaythe same way the Apostle Paul addressed a similar concern . . . By clearly showing the absolute SUPREMACY –& the absolute CENTRALITY of Jesus Christ in scripture & I pray we can stay much more focusedon theses Central Truths of Who Jesus Christ is . . . than any “finger pointing” or “being critical”of any other minister or church We want to use the same approach they used to useto train Federal Reserve Bank Tellers When training these tellers to be able to spot a counterfeit billThey never actually had them look at any counterfeit bills instead – they made them so intimately familiar with the Real Thingthat when they saw a counterfeit – they could sense it immediately That’s my prayer for us - & for our study in Colossians   Last wk – after comparing the “Errant Teaching” of the Gnosticsw/ some of the concerns of The Emerging Church . . . we just barely got to read a few Vs’s of Ch 1So I’d like to go back to V.3 to review just a bit Col 1:3-53 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;
5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before [here’s our title] in the word of
the truth of the gospel, Paul starts w/ the 3 great Pillars of the faith He saysYou have FAITH in Christ JesusYou have LOVE for all the saintsBECAUSE OF the HOPE which is laid up for you in heaven ALL of which comes from you Hearing “The Truth of the Gospel” The only eternal, guaranteed hope 4 man is in The Truth of the Gospel
(Gospel = the Good News about Jesus Christ) If there were any other wayfor God to give us this eternal hope - He would have . . .in order to spare Jesus Christ from taking on the sin of the World but there was no other way – Not then, & Not now The Gospel Message is the Truth from God about the only way
sinful man can be redeemed to a Holy God for eternity  & in V.6 Paul begins to give us the crucial truthsabout The Truth of the Gospel . . . & he says;1) It is both Individual & Unlimited2) It brings forth Fruit wherever it is received Col 1:66 which [the truth of the gospel] has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; The truth of the Gospel is for YOU individually& it is also Unlimited for all the world In Jn 3:16 – when God says “that WHOSOEVER believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life” that word WHOSOEVER means “Each, Every, Any, or All” & Rev 14:6 says “The Truth of the Gospel”is for every nation, tribe, tongue, & people (the whole world) The Truth of the Gospel is so Individual – it’s for YOU specifically& it’s so Unlimited – it’s for the entire world & there is one thing it does – where ever it is received . . .It brings forth FRUIT !! The Truth of the Gospel changes lives & Paul reminds the Colossians – their lives have been changedsince the day [they] heard and knew the grace of God in truth The Truth of the Gospel had been proven by their own changed lives Then – in V.7-8 Paul mentions Epaphras Who was probably the Pastor at Colosse& was probably the one who brought the gospel to Colosse & Epaphras went to Rome himself (an incredible journey)to bring his concerns about the false teachings to Paul Col 1:7-87 as you also learned from Epaphras [reminding them of their hearing of the gospel] , our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf [brought the gospel to them],
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. [he updated Paul] So - after hearing from Epaphras about the false teaching -Paul was deeply concerned & he did the only 2 things he was able to do for this church in dangerHe wrote them this letter - & He prayed for them . . . Col 1:99 For this reason [the reports given about them] we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Paul begins his prayer (& his defense of the Truth of the Gospel)by praying that the believers would be . . . filled with the knowledge of God’s willin all wisdom and spiritual understanding The Gnostics claimed special knowledge (as do some teachers today)
a superior knowledge that could only be learned from them & In Fact - Every False Teaching– that has come into the churchhas started w/ a “Special Knowledge” NOT found in the God’s Word Knowledge that comes from outside of God’s Wordis knowledge that comes from outside of God & so here Paul kind of uses a “play on words” - & says
“we pray that you may be filled with THE KNOWLEDGE” The GK word here for knowledge = epignosis= “Complete knowledge, Divine knowledge”
Instead of man-made “special knowledge” -
Paul prays we would have Complete, Divine knowledge Knowledge of God’s Will – in ALL Wisdom & Spiritual Understanding “Wisdom” means that we would know WHAT to do “Spiritual Understanding” actually means that we would knowhow TO APPLY - the Wisdom God gives us Because in the Truth of the Gospel“Special Knowledge” - is NOT the Goal But Complete Knowledge of God’s Will –& how to APPLY God’s Wisdom to our lives – Is the Goal Which is exactly what the next Vs says . . . Col 1:10 (A)10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, . . . The purpose of Knowing God’s Will (more & more completely)Is that we may “Walk Worthy” of the Lord (order our lives) & so often – those who are offering “Special Knowledge” in the church Are far more concerned with our “Experience”than with our Personal Relationship (Your Walk) w/ Jesus Christ Which is one of the Major Concerns about the Emerging Church So often – NEW Teachings - Appeal to “Pleasing our Flesh”Rather than “fully pleasing Him” – as V.10 says here (again) Col 1:10 (all)10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; The word “and” - is probably better translated “through” or “as you”
increase in the knowledge of God So – we know we are increasing in the TRUE Knowledge of God’s Willif we are “Walking Worthy” in our relationship w/ Jesus Christif we are “Fully Pleasing Him” - &if we are “Being Fruitful” in every good work True knowledge of God’s Will causes us to grow in these 3 areas So - If anyone is claiming a NEW or SPECIAL Knowledgeor Approach to God – You can put it thru this Litmus test . . . Does it Change our lives so that weWalk Worthy in our Relationship w/ the LordPlease the Lord, &Produce Fruit in every good work ?? Or does it appeal to some part of our own lives or culture . . .Or worse - does it actually appeal to some part of our own flesh ALMOST ALWAYS - “special knowledge” that comes outsidethe Truth of the Gospel – actually caters to some area of our flesh  Paul contniues his petitions for usby praying we would be strengthened by God’s power Col 1:1111 [we pray you would be] strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; Paul prays for believers in the Battle He knows the church at Colosse is under atttack& he knows who is ultimately behind that attack So he prays the believers would be strengthened with all might –not their own might – not their own strength . . . BUT – according to HIS glorious power . . . One of the biggest appeals of Errant Teachingis it implys we have Strength w/in ourselveswe have Divine Power w/in ourselves & this is also a Huge Concern about the Emerging Church Most False Teachings claim that man can attain some heightened
spiritual level on his own . . . That he has a spiritual power within him that can be tapped intoto gain a greater spiritual knowledge (New Age & Emerging Church) NO CHANCE !! The Life Changing Truth of the Gospelcan only be brought about by God’s Power We cannot conquer the effects of sin on our ownWe cannot conquer death on our ownWe cannot reach God on our own ONLY God’s power can do these things on our behalf & ONLY God’s power can strengthen us with all might,to stand for the Truth of the Gospelwith all patience, & longsuffering, & joy This is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us –Strengthened w/ God’s Power - For Patience, Longsuffering & Joy There is no “Secret (or Special) Knowledge”that can give this Strength & Power to us GOD GIVES IT TO US – thru the Gospel of Jesus Christ  The Truth of the Gospel blasts away all MAN-MADE attemptsto try to reach God So – let’s close by reviewing the incredible, eternal, life changingTruth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ It’s right here in the next Vs’s – as Paul continues to Pray Col 1:1212 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. It is God who has qualified usWe can’t qualify ourselves – we can’t get there from here God has qualified usthru The Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . He has Qualified us to be;partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light What does that mean ??to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints . . . Heb 1:14 = we are “heirs of salvation”Titus 3:7 = we are “heirs of eternal life”Gal 3:29 = we are “heirs to the promises made to Abraham”1Cor 15 = we are “heirs of an immortal heavenly body”1Pet 3:7 = we are “heirs of the grace of life”Rom 8:17 = we are “joint heirs with Christ”& Eph 1:14 = The Holy Spirit is the Guarantee of our inheritanceuntil that day when we will receive it THAT’S what it means to bepartakers of the inheritance of the saints WHY would anyone want to make up their own way to Godor their own Spiritual Experience The one God has for us is more than we could ever think or imagine& it comes Solely thru the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ  & that’s not all – it just keeps getting better & better & better Col 1:1313 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, HE has delivered us – HE has conveyed us !! Thru the Truth of the Gospel – God hasdelivered us from the power of darkness Notice - there is an Active Power of Darknessthat enslaves men & women& stands in constant opposition to the Light of God Kenneth Wuest : The phrase refers to the tyrannical rule of Satan and his demons over the unsaved. It is God – thru the truth of the Gospel of Jesus ChristWho delivers us from this “Power of Darkness” & HOW does He do it ?? – the rest of V.13 tells us (again) Col 1:1313 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, He delivers us from darkness - by “conveying” (transferring) us –into the Kingdom of the Son of his love” We have been Conveyed (Transferred)By God’s Grace - & Thru our Faith in Christ . . . OUT of the Power of Darkness& INTO the Kingdom of the Son of His love & we are conveyed into the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ –because of one thing - & one thing only . . . The REDEMPTION we have IN the Person of Jesus Christ !! Col 1:1414 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. We are conveyed into this Eternal Kingdomsolely because we are IN CHRIST & being found IN CHRIST – we have redemption thru His blood,the forgiveness of sins . . . which is the ONLY WAYwe can ever be in the presence of the perfectly Holy God There is no higher spirituality – higher spiritual knowledge –or higher anything that can overcomethe separation that our sin has caused between us & God ONLY by the Redemption thru the Blood of Jesus Christ,Which gives us the Forgiveness of Sins Redemption (Easton’s Bible Dictionary) = To purchase back something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom 1) You were lost in your sins2) God bought you backby the payment of the Ransom of the Blood of Jesus Christ3) You now can be a son/daughter of God & Joint Heir of Jesus Christ There is NO Higher – Special – or New – Knowledge,that could ever be better than that & THAT – is the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL   We just read ;12 [it is God] who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14 [&] in [Jesus Christ] we have redemption - through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. This is the most incredible truth of the Bible –it is The Truth of The Gospel But you must still Receive it BY FAITH ! You must Repent of your sinAsk God to Forgive you of your sinAsk Jesus Christ to by your Savior & Lord If you have not done that – NOW is the best possible time . . .