Colossians - Chapter 2 Review
Colossians · Bob Eckel · Jun 30, 2019
Colossians (2019), No. 19
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49261915223258

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

We're going to do something a little bit different. Now, your handout is complete. I don't want you to look ahead because the slides are sequenced here. But what we're going to do is we're going to read various sections of Chapter 2. And we're going to dwell on two categories that I'm calling the shady deal and the done deal. So that's the way we're going to look at the Book of Cautions, at least Chapter 2, in terms of reviewing this.

So Roger, read 1 through 3 and read it loudly, please. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, for those who are at Laodicea, for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, attained to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself. in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So how would you look at verses 1 through 3?

Is this mostly a positive message here or is this mostly a negative message? And we're going to look at this contrast through each section of chapter 2. Mostly positive or mostly negative? Yes, Tom. It's hard to judge. It sounds like 50-50. Tom says 50-50. One for positive and one for neutral. Any one on the negative side? How many say positive? We have a lot of non-voters. People don't like to be observed for their commitment to any position.

So, on the left side are the shady deals, conflicts of brewing, here, there, in Laodicea, and perhaps in Colossae, that's really what Paul's writing about. But I feel very strongly in those who voted in favor of a done deal, meaning this is the completed act, and we're going to talk about that throughout today's review. We see, you know, verbs are ultimately pronouncements of encouragement, assurance, understanding, and knowledge. So this, the done deal seems to be prevailing here, right? Read it again. Roger, please. Okay. For I want you to know how great is the struggle. Okay, pause. Struggle. Okay. There's something going on here. Okay. Yeah, go ahead.

I have on your behalf, for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. How about that for positional truth, huh? So despite all these struggles or conflicts that are potentially surrounding them, Laodicea and perhaps beyond, Paul is concerned that they haven't seen his face, but he doesn't need to have his face there, he's got a message that is really a done deal based on who we are in Christ Jesus. Look at that, the encouragement, the assurance, the knowledge, the wisdom, all that really part of really what Paul is addressing to the Church of Colossians. Anyone want to kind of add any embellishments to this first part of Colossians 2?

Everybody okay? Yes, Donna? So, I mean, I can see the negative part. I mean, you know, Paul's struggling. He's worried about him and that kind of stuff. But, you know, when he says all the good stuff that he wants them to know about, That's the part I think is positive. There's all these goodies that you just need to realize that can be yours. So that's where I was going. All those goodies, is that positional truth only? I don't think so. No, this is... He wants it to result in another condition too.

He wants them to realize that Christ is the focus. As he points in verse 2 there, it's Christ himself. It's a person of Christ that's We could wrap that all into the first three verses, but we've got a number to follow here. There are six separate categories here that I've divided Colossians 2 into. Regan, please, 4-6. that he's not sure of their position? Not clear, but I think the conflict really relates to all the things that follow. We're going to get into that, so just be patient. In Laodicea we don't have details there, but remember what did John say about the church at Laodicea?

Neither cold nor hot. So what would one do because they're neither cold nor hot? You've got to spit smell. Yeah, call it emesis. Or milk toast. That's what I would call it. Milk toast. Lukewarm, right? Anybody like coffee lukewarm? Regan, you going to say something? No, nothing.

Remember when we started off, this agnostic thing is kind of under the hood. under the hood specifically but alluded to in many places that the Gnostics have come in and just like the problem with the Galatians people have come in and stirred people up and got them off in the wrong track so I think that's the struggle is you were on the right track but now you're going off in a direction that isn't healthy. Well that's why I promised to Pat we're going to get to this in subsequent verses in terms of the false theology and wrong teaching that they're going to be exposed to. 4-7 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joining and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

All right, let's kind of weigh this one in. Mostly negative. Mostly positive, or is Tom going to take this neutral position? It looks like he's leaning the dice to the double side on the up beat. All right, good. So let's look at... I think that means positive. I'm glad you could make some statement of conclusion. Deceit by words. How do we relate to deceit by words? And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Alright, so deceit by words.

The wrong leadings, and back to what Roger said, this gnostic underpinning of the society in which they were living. But on the right, we see her position, we see steadfastness, we see identification and faith. Now how do we see position here? steadfastness and they are toughing it out and waiting for a little more encouragement from Paul and he's giving it to them. Alright.

Well that phrase in him shows up a couple of times in 5. In Christ in 5, right? In him, walking in him. Right, in him. Then you pick up Cross Falls of Pisces. Well, that's what led me to identification here. I mean, the identifications in him. And by the way, this walk that we're all about here is really identification, is it not?

Margaret and I just talked about that last night in terms of how lives seem to be transformed by seeing the work of the Spirit in this new creation we are in Christ Jesus. That's a work of God in us. And how does that occur? It occurs by faith. Verse 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. Notice faith is relevant here. If we don't live by faith all this biblical stuff is worthless to us other than just facts. As ye have been taught abounding with thanksgiving. So the identification is substantiated in verse 7. And by faith is how this walk occurs. So walk in him. Your conduct is to reflect your position. So conduct is in there too. Hey, other thoughts on four through seven?

I've just observed that apparently it was Epaphras that taught these believers, not Paul. And in light of that, here's Epaphras who is now with Paul in Rome, in chains, telling him about them and how much he rejoices in what he's heard about them. That's certainly positive all the way through this. That's his foundation for the warnings. The thing we all like much about Paul is that this is all incredibly applicable to the age in which we live, right?

This isn't the history of the book of Ezra. I mean I've been critical of the book of Ezra, I just finished it. But nevertheless, I mean this is really applicable stuff. It helps me to think of him in prison rejoicing over what he's hearing from their practice, you know? And in conjunction with that he goes to Ephesians and fights that he's going to send back to them. And so there's an awful lot in his mind when he's writing this epistle, I think. So just to build on that comment, what's a church? Hungry Heart today is about what a church is or is not. So if you haven't looked at it, take a look at it. But what's a church? This is the church at Colossae, right?

It's the body. The body, okay. so what you're relating to is really a papyrus and the body that ultimately is good yes it's sort of even then all of this fits together okay all right Roy since you're being vocal here let's have you read eight through ten loudly please beware of those 80 minutes what are you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godly bodily, and you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power. Alright, how many mostly negative or shady side here? The need is definitely shady. First part shady, neutral here, balance between the two, mostly positive. Paul is lifting us up despite the issues. Let's continue here.

Vain deceit is really in verse 8 predominantly world philosophy, we are all exposed to that. Vain empty deceit, people misleading us. through emptiness or lack of Christian or spiritual value and worldly philosophy day in day out in every path of life, worldly philosophy.

And on the done deal side is we're complete in Christ. What does it mean to be complete? Does it mean we've done all the good things we need to? No, hardly. Our position is complete. Our position is complete. We haven't seen him face to face yet. And being complete in Christ relates to verse 9, for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

So if we are complete in Him we have all the fullness of God. We don't have every last thought and knowledge that we will one day have, but yet before God we are fully righteous. Complete is being righteous. For he hath made him who knew no sin, he made sin for us that we might be declared or made righteous in him.

So the completeness really reflects positional truth. and ultimately what we covered in the verse before relate to the enactment of that positional truth into our action. And notice, what do you think it means when it says that, and ye are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power. What do you make of him being head of all this? Is that clear today that Christ is the head of all principality and power? We pray for our leaders, right? We're commanded to do that in Romans and I think elsewhere. I forget where else, maybe Hebrews.

What do you make of that? He's head of all principalities in power. Nobody's making anything of this. I would say that today, I think many churches are infiltrated with worldly philosophies. That's what I would say. So how does that relate to this? Well, it waters it down. I mean, so I think Christianity in general maybe doesn't really believe that. That doesn't mean it's not true. What is your source? Yeah. Well, remember, verse 8 says worldly philosophy. Is he in charge of all that too? Yeah. Okay, and in what capacity? He's allowing all that. Alright, there we go, I like that term. He's allowing it. Why? That the trail of your face may lead you to the glory of God. Alright, I think Tom's moving in the direction that I'm thinking a bit about. What would God's perfect will be? In terms of everything from here to Bangalore, Bangalore, wherever.

He tells us individually about, he's not one that any should perish, all should come to repentance. So individually, for all of mankind, that's his general view. He's not one that any should perish. As far as the world systems, he's already, we already know from past events that happen, the prince in power of the air is in control of the world system. The world is under his this domain.

OK, but when we're thinking of Christ being in fact, you know, head of all principality and power, how do we interpret that? Caroline, and then Roy. I don't know if I'm answering the question or not, but I thought, I mean, he is, whether we accept it or not, but we want to do what we want to do. So we want to go down these rabbit trails and these rabbit trails and you know, not we Christians, but we the world. So we don't want to acknowledge, we don't want to recognize that he's the head of everything. But he is, whether we believe it or not. Alright, I like that theme a little bit. Roy, do you want to build on that a little bit?

Yeah, the warning here is that you might be, you know, drawn away to human reasoning versus the statement of a fact And that from God's perspective, Christ is, there's no intermediator between us and God. Christ himself is God. And that we have free access to him as the head of us as well as everything else. And that was the error that they were being exposed to was that you can't go to God. Let's put this in the perspective of eternity. from the various you know, beliefs of the beginning and the end.

Remember, eternity has no timeline to it. We don't understand that much here, at least I don't. But nevertheless, the eternal Godhead, really, is he in his right hand, his son, not in control of this whole eternal sphere we live in, in what is this, June the 30th, 2019? I mean, it's one day in eternity which has no meaning. is meaning in terms of circumstances, but it doesn't have meaning in terms of eternity in that timeline.

So being head of all principalities and powers, he will ultimately rule this kingdom with a new heaven and new earth, right? The promises are there. So that makes me take a step back. He's in control of all this. And even though we've got a world system all around us, he knows his perfect timing for the rapture and ultimately the tribulation and the millennial reign to follow. Mara? To me, if you just had this sentence and that's all you had, you wouldn't have a whole lot.

What you have, what I think a lot of us unconsciously rely on, is what the testimony from the Old Testament of God's act, what God did all through the Old Testament. And that's what gives you assurance that He is It controls things and does move people. And he was one of the rulers and everything else. But if he didn't have the Old Testament, to have the history of it, he'd be really alive.

Just because how sad it gets when it is. To answer your question, is God's goal that he be glorified? That's what Tom said, absolutely. And you know what was just said about the Old Testament, and remember the whole word of God is for us, but it's not about us. We're church age people. We live under the tent of grace, not of law. And God's law was perfectly righteous, was it not? That's not how we live today and that's going to come up here in subsequent verses.

Other thoughts of 7-10 or I mean 8-10? All right, Margaret, 11-15 please. And also you're circumcised with a circumcision made without hands. in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, plotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Alright, we're bringing up principalities and powers again here. So let's go ahead and see what we think here. So on the shady deal side, we're uncircumcised and dead in trespasses and sins. That's pretty negative, according to Jewish tradition. I mean, just exactly what Jesus said. So ultimately, this makes us unworthy. But on the done deal side, we've got the cross. We've got circumcision as Christ himself has circumcised us with mechanisms that are not due to hands.

Sin and sins forgiven, that's a pretty good deal. And made alive, boy can you imagine that? And principalities disarmed. So in a sense we can reflect back on this head of all principalities from his perspective for the body, the church, these principalities of the world system have been disarmed and made All right, your thoughts here. Shady deal side wins here and done deal side wins. Okay, so I'm hearing no comment from 90% of you but we're going to suggest that the done deal side really wins. So let's think about this a little bit. Buried with him, right? Back to good old Romans 6, buried with him with baptism unto death and then what?

Risen with him in newness of life, being made alive. So again, the theme of Paul is so neat to see it come up in different ways in different epistles. And in Ephesians too he deals with the same kind of concept. And the cross is the source of all this. And by the way, in today's Hungry Heart it talks about the church. If the church is not founded on the cross, and the cross is the backbone and sole lifeblood of the church, the church is faulty and flawed.

I mean, it's just so critically important. So, lots of applications here. Let's hear some thoughts about these five verses. What stands out to each and every one of you? Well since I taught a part of these things, the whole concept about being nailed to the cross and how our debts are nailed there too. And the whole concept of Christ from other places taking us to the cross and then nailing our debts to the cross too.

The word picture is just amazing about the intimacy that we have with our Savior and how that his His charges, which was false, he was the king of the Jews, truly, but the Jews didn't want that charge to be put up there. He says he's the king of the Jews. But our deaths were there too, which is pretty amazing. And we were there with him. So there's all kinds of just amazing thoughts there, amazing pictures.

Okay, in terms of verses 12 and 13, let's read those again. Buried with him in baptism, by which also you're risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God. By the way, the faith that we have, that we're co-risen with Christ, I'm going to come back to that in a second, keep that thought in mind, who has raised him from the dead, and you being dead in your sins. So my question, I put here, sin and sins forgiven.

Is that important? It says we're dead in trespasses and sin. Why do you make it that? Well, I think it's talking about the sin nature, as well as the sins that we commit every day. Right, I think so too. Is this important? Sure. And how does it relate to our walk? Well, because we don't, and sadly, all of us, we don't reckon ourselves to be dead to those things.

Okay, Romans 6.11, right? Yeah, we really don't. You know, I think, and that's part of That's why a lot of times there's such unrest, because if you don't reckon who you are, and we're told it over and over again, as you pointed out almost in every epistle, we're told who we are, what our position is, and what's been done for us. But we don't, by faith, we need to reckon that.

And why is that so important in terms of a day-to-day walk? When I came to at least have a glimpse of the understanding of what this whole identification truth was all about, it takes the pressure off, doesn't it? It's like this cloud that's about you, pleasing God for every thought and every deed. If we're made righteous, we should walk in righteousness. And Paul says very clearly, should we continue in sin that grace may abound?

God forbid, no. But the new life takes you down a very different path. You got a Y on the road, you can't take both. I mean, if we're fully righteous, then this path is not by choice, it's by God's will and our faith responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

And by the way, you know, I think a lot of Christians think that, well, if I keep, I'm continuing to do these sinful things that I don't want to do. And it's sort of what Paul had talked about. I think what Christians have to realize is it takes a lifetime to grow in all of that.

And it doesn't happen right away. So people get frustrated when they go, you know, I'm continuing to do these things that I used to do before I was a believer. But where do you think the defect is there in terms of the understanding of the believer? Not understanding their position. Well, that's true, but what about this sin nature? How do they deal with that? It's always there, isn't it? It's never going to change. So we're not polishing up the old man here for the flesh. We're living a new life led by faith.

Yes, Roy? I wonder, when we look at this passage, it says buried with him. It doesn't say crucified with him, it says buried with him. Well, you got to get to the grave somehow, right? Go ahead. I understand that, but in the burial of our Lord Jesus Christ and His body was buried, our sins went with Him. They were removed by His blood. They were forgiven by His blood, but they were removed by that burial and left there as far as the penalty was concerned. And when we were raised, we were raised forgiven. That's sort of the encompassing here. We assume that there's a fiction in this work. and therefore is a complete work of forgiveness.

Right, but to build on that we are crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live. So that cross is central and the sins being buried is one thing but the sin nature before God being done away with in terms of his view of us is really very special so it's both. We don't talk about it much but you know the scriptures give us a vision from God's perspective that we have a spirit that has been made alive. That's the circumcision here. We have been put to death as far as the relation of the soul being in charge and made alive in the sense that the spirit is now alive and in control. So we have this relationship with God by our spirits being in agreement with the Holy Spirit whom he gave us.

Let's reflect on the question I posed a minute or two ago, this whole issue of the sin nature and the flesh and all that it's about, not being buffed up before God. I think when you put that theologically into the correct perspective This nature never changes, it just gets revealed more so what it really is. As the spirit works in us, that old nature gets shown increasingly what it is, and that's not who we are. So I think that helps me a little bit, understanding this same nature is never going to improve. When deeds go awry or thoughts go awry, back to the cross, forgive me, I march on in the control of the spirit. I think that's another thing, the idea that over time, getting your sins put behind you is working hard on not allowing your sins. The more you try to work on your sins, the more evident they become. It's one of those things that perpetuates. So we need to see ourselves crucified, buried and risen alive unto God. Alright, 16-19. Sue Allen, could you read 16-19 please?

Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a nobleman or a Sabbath day. These things are a mere shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, complaining without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with the growth of just one God. Okay, thank you.

Alright, going down to 16-19. So we've got the shady deal here. We've got dispensations needing to be distinguished. We've got false humility. We have rewards that are misjudged. What I'm doing is kind of summarizing these verses and kind of listing just some things you could add to that or detract from it if you want. But on the done deal side is Christ our substance and our nourishment. So how are we weighing this one? Mostly negative? I'm going to go mostly negative on this one. That's why I'm married to her. The glass is always half full. I think it's half full, it's not half empty. Go ahead dear. How can anything offset Christ, his substance and his nourishment? It's so weighty to have Christ on your side. that far outweighs all the other stuff. If not before you, who can be against you?

Roger, I want you to keep quiet up here. You're looking at this theologically. I'm looking at the content of these verses, negative stuff. I'm still looking at it. We've got Christ. None of that other stuff matters. OK, we'll talk later in the car on the way home. No, this is all good. I mean, that's a good way to look at it, actually, because Christ trumps everything. He does have a list of things that he has issues with. They have issues and he's pointing them out.

Don't get wrapped up in these other things. are not of value. which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Okay, we're uplifted by that. So the Sabbath day and that whole deal, don't let that beguile you. And let no man give you false awards. By the way, what's humility that's not of the Lord? I think that's the kind of humility we're talking about here.

Tom? Something you conjure up by yourself and say, well, I've got all these duckies lined in a row, nothing to be ashamed of. You're patting yourself on the back. It's really pride. It's self-declared humility that really is pride exposed in a different way, isn't it, honey? Boy, you want to finish the class here? All right, good. And that's kind of what's being dealt with here, I think.

And verse 19, and not holding the head from whom all the body, by joints and bands, has nourishment, ministered, and knit together. I mean the head is our nourishment, that's the Lord Jesus Christ, the identification, the exchange life. So we can get distracted when in fact all these worldly kind of scenarios are engaging us day in and day out.

One of the things that sort of stands out to me here is that Sabbath days was an issue with them. Without going into a lot of detail, the history of the church has been anti-Jewish to the core for many years because of the Sabbath days. Worshipping on the first day of the week versus Saturday. All of that was against Jews worshipping on Saturday. They wanted to be different. And so anybody who worshipped on Saturday, man, they were looked down on. You're going back to Jewishism. And that's sort of the history that this is the foundation of. They were judging people based on what Sabbaths they worshipped. And we have that existing today too, don't we? To some extent.

It's not important to God. is, you know, what days do you set aside to honor Him? Saturday being the day that He rested from creation is indeed, from God's perspective, a day to be respected. That's the day He did, and it's okay to worship the Lord on Saturday. How about seven days a week? I understand, but the Lord's day is not necessarily my day.

Any other thoughts on these verses? Well, you have a lot of churches too, Christian churches, who if you're not in church on Sunday, where are you? They make a law of that unto themselves. You better be in church on Sunday. Well, but God calls this a fellowship, right? But that's not a legality of attendance, right? No. I remember when I was growing up, my dad was so intent, wherever we were on vacation, you know, we found a church. And we were there on Sunday. Because we were going to be at church on Sunday.

Well, Margo, what's interesting is, you know, Mike and I have talked a lot about this, we see kind of with the newer generation of believers, called Millennials, that's what Layles calls them, a different view of gathering together on supper. So they have almost the flip side of that. They say, well yeah, right on brother, I can worship the Lord any day of the week, and I'll come occasionally. And it's almost like the gathering together as a body isn't as important to them. I mean, just by sheer numbers. It's sad. That's kind of another view of this whole thing. Gathered together, God says it's beneficial for the body. And if you neglect that, then hey...

I think, though, if you look at the church as a whole, not our church, but other churches that aren't nourishing you and are full of rituals and whatever it is, you know, who wants to go to that every week? Well, you know, and several of the Eccle children have tried churches and they just don't feel like they're really...

They'd rather look at our stuff here from Holly Hills on the internet. They'd rather have their own church But there is another perspective. It's not what is the church here to give us but what are we here to give the church. It's kind of self-centered to say I'm not getting anything. That doesn't mean you are going into some mainline church and changing their theology. It's gathering together and fellowshipping around the world. That's why we are here, right? Because we enjoy the fellowship we have here too. Anyway, all right.

Carolyn, would you read the last section 20-23 please? 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 you because they are based on human commands 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. Wow. Alright, let's see what Eccles put here on this last one. So the shady deal, regulations and self-imposed wisdom, humility and beyond, okay. And the only answer to that is identification. Look at verse 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, so the whole world system, principalities, powers, all that kind of stuff, and understand that This is something eternal from the rudiments of the world. We're dead with Christ.

Why is that when we're living in this world are we subject to ordinances? Now does that believe that we don't pay attention to stop signs or red lights? Our speed limits, never mind that, you got seven miles above and never mind. So we're not talking about that kind of thing, we're talking about things ingrained.

Now why do you make a 22 which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and ordinance of men? Is the Old Testament law after ordinances of men? What did Andrew say about this? I didn't go back to listen to his lesson from last week. What was the law for? To convict. Well, I mean, God, what's that? You're teaching today? Absolutely. I think everybody can. Go ahead, Margaret.

I just said if the law was established to reveal our sin because the Lord knew that we couldn't keep the law. He knew that. But it showed there had to be some kind of a bar because before the law was put in place, there was no bar. to show men how they sin. We're not dealing with the law of God here though, we're dealing with the law of men.

Right. What is the law of men Roy? How would you interpret that broadly or more specifically? Well it's good to eat this, it's not too good to eat that. Okay, alright. It's what was added. It's the whole kosher thing that was added to the milk. It was not kosher. It sprang out of this offering of the goat with its milk, you know, that's been cooked in the milk. all of the different culture things that we have in Judaism today, those are commandments of men, not in the law.

Right, boy, I get exposed to that a lot. But I think also, like the Catholic Church, look at all the ordinances and the traditions, and then that's fed out into so many other Why don't you briefly share with the group your experience with an Anglican Church friend of yours. Oh my gosh.

I went to this, I have a really close friend and she became a deacon in the Anglican Church and so now she's dealing, she just has written a book praying through psalms with Anglican prayer beads. And she had a group of ladies? And I went and I bought a book because she's my friend and she signed my book. We've been friends for, I don't know, 30 years. But she knows how I feel about the whole thing. I mean, she knows where I'm coming from. but I could not buy a set of Anglican prayer beads. Sorry, you know, I just couldn't do it. You didn't have to hold them though when she was... I didn't hold them.

Anyway, it's just so bizarre to me. These traditions that have been... Well, and melding of other things. My mom is going to a meditation class at her Presbyterian church and it has nothing to do with the Bible. It's weird. It's strange. I would suggest that the terminus of Colossians 2 is mostly negative.

It really deals with kind of the world system, how it impacts false humility, judging behaviors based on legal principles that are either maybe Jewish principles that have been done away with or ultimately modification of those principles put forth. as Roy has suggested. It reminds me of a verse we often leave behind, and this was taught in our Galatians study.

I think Mike did this, and I maybe have not heard this, but we think of Galatians 2.20 all the time. Margaret loves 2.21, and I think it's a tremendously important verse.

I do not make void or empty the grace of God, for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ died in vain. How about that for a strong statement? So if we by our self-righteousness work our way, and my brother thought he did all the kind of right things. He doesn't need Christ. He's done good things when he sees God. If he sees God, he'll be rewarded for the good things he's done.

Well, he missed the boat. I mean, if we think that by keeping laws of being self-righteous, then Christ died. I mean, his death is meaningless. So in a sense that relates to this terminal section of cautions too. All this worldly stuff that's based on kind of perceived or interpreted law that ultimately leads to righteousness is not where Paul's at here.

Keep in mind I think this creates our life in Christ as a joyful one. Does it not? We're lifted up and joyful to live this life because it's by the power of the Spirit through faith that ultimately that life is lived. That takes the pressure off. It doesn't take the word of God out of it. By faith we know Christ more so by the word, but nevertheless it makes being a Christian joyful.

The glass is more than half full there. So anyway, a little different approach to reviewing the chapter here today. Any thoughts as we conclude here this morning? Alright. Tom, close us in prayer if you would please. Thank you God the Father for showing us through your word in Colossians and other parts including Galatians that abiding in you and your precious son, Heavenly Father, is the key to the whole situation and we don't have to include things on the side that are out of the world. Thank you for showing us through your word what the good parts are and they are all precious in Jesus name. Amen.