View
13
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Gnosticism
• From gnosis, “to know.” They declared
themselves to be “in the know.” Gnosticism
taught that salvation could be obtained
through knowledge instead of faith. This
“knowledge” however, could only be gained
by those who had been initiated into the
mysteries of the Gnostic system.
• Agnostic – No knowledge! Latin =
ignoramus
• Gnosticism taught that all matter is
inherently evil and only the spiritual or
nonmaterial is good. This led to denying the
doctrines of Creation and the Incarnation -
Since Jesus was a man and had a body
made up of matter, he had to be inherently
evil (so they believed).
• Gnosticism was a hodgepodge of a lot of
philosophical beliefs. It had legalistic
Judaism mixed in, it had Christianity mixed
in, philosophy mixed in, astrology mixed in
and the worship of angels as mediators of
God.
• Some gentiles were also promoting a form
of mysticism that viewed Jesus as a Higher
Power but not God.
7 Churches of Asia (Revelation)
Acts 198 And he went into the synagogue and
spoke boldly for three months,
reasoning and persuading concerning
the things of the kingdom of God.
9 But when some were hardened and
did not believe, but spoke evil of the
Way before the multitude, he departed
from them and withdrew the disciples,
reasoning daily in the school of
Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two
years, so that all who dwelt in Asia
heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both
Jews and Greeks. NKJV
Colossians 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the
will of God, and Timothy our brother,…
NKJV
Acts 242 And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers.
NKJV
The Old Testament is the New
Testament concealed.
The New Testament is the Old
Testament Revealed!
Colossians 12 To the saints and faithful brethren in
Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to
you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
NKJV
You see, if we have a new world, we will need a
new church. We wont need a new religion per
se, but a new framework for our theology. Not a
new Spirit, but a new spirituality. Not a new
Christ, but a new Christian. Not a new
denomination, but a new kind of church in
every denomination.
Brian McLaren
In a post-Christian world, pluralism is the
norm. Buddhism, Wicca, Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism, or an eclectic blend-it’s all part of
the soil…The basis for learning has shifted
from logical and rational to the realm of
experience and the mystical.
Dan Kimball
Colossians 13 We give thanks to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you,…
NKJV
Colossians 14 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 in the word of the truth of the
gospel(evangelion),…
NKJV
1Thessalonians 15 For our gospel did not come to you in
word only, but also in power, and in the
Holy Spirit…
NKJV
Romans 116 For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation for everyone who believes, for
the Jew first and also for the Greek.
NKJV
1Corinthians 912 If others are partakers of this right
over you, are we not even more?
Nevertheless we have not used this
right, but endure all things lest we
hinder the gospel of Christ.
NKJV
Colossians 16 which 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;
NKJV
Colossians 123 if indeed you continue in the faith,
grounded and steadfast, and are not
moved away from the hope of the
gospel which you heard, which was
preached to every creature under
heaven, of which I, Paul, became a
minister. NKJV
The Christian share of the U.S. population is
declining, while the number of U.S. adults who
do not identify with any organized religion is
growing, according to an extensive new survey
by the Pew Research Center….While the drop
in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced
among young adults, it is occurring among
Americans of all ages…
The Pew Research Center finds that the
percentage of adults (ages 18 and older) who
describe themselves as Christians has dropped
by nearly eight percentage points in just seven
years…Over the same period, the percentage
of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated –
describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or
“nothing in particular” – has jumped more than
six points…
The Pew Research Center
Colossians 17 as you also learned from Epaphras,
our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful
minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who
also declared to us your love in the
Spirit.
NKJV
Colossians 19 For this reason 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(epignosis) of His
will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; NKJV
We believe in prayer but we do not pray very
much. We subscribe to the idea of prayer but
when we announce a prayer meeting a
minimum number of people come. We believe
in prayer if an emergency lands into our lives.
Otherwise, we show little interest in prayer. We
are eloquent in prayer if it involves our family or
our person. If it involves someone else we are
quite casual about prayer.
Grant Richison
John 450 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and
departed. 51 While he was still on the way,
his servants met him with the news that his
boy was living.
NIV
Colossians 110 that you may walk worthy of the
Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in
every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God;
NKJV
Ephesians 517 Therefore do not be unwise, but
understand what the will of the Lord is.
NKJV
Colossians 111 strengthened with all
might(dynamis), according to His
glorious power, for all patience and
longsuffering with joy;
NKJV
Colossians 112 giving thanks to the Father who has
qualified us to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in the light.
NKJV
Colossians 113 He has delivered us from the power
of darkness and conveyed us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in
whom we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins.
NKJV
The church today desperately needs the
message of Colossians. We live in a day when
religious toleration is interpreted to mean “one
religion is just as good as another.” Some
people try to take the best from various
religious systems and manufacture their own
private religion. To many people, Jesus Christ
is only one of several great religious teachers,
with no more authority than they. He may be
prominent, but He is definitely not preeminent.
This is an age of “syncretism.” People are
trying to harmonize and unite many different
schools of thought and come up with a superior
religion. Our evangelical churches are in
danger of diluting the faith in their loving
attempt to understand the beliefs of others.
Mysticism, legalism, Eastern religions,
asceticism, and man-made philosophies are
secretly creeping into churches.
They are not denying Christ, but they are
dethroning Him and robbing Him of His rightful
place of preeminence. As we study this exciting
letter, we must heed Paul’s warnings: “Lest any
man should beguile you” (Col. 2:4), “Lest any
man spoil you” (Col. 2:8), “Let no man therefore
judge you!” (Col. 2:16) Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p.
105). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Recommended