Don McClain 1 W. 65th St church of Christ / March 16, 2008.

W. 65th St church of Christ / March 16, 2008

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“Believer Beware, Let No

One Cheat You” Colossians 2:8-23

Don McClain


2“Believer Beware, Let No One Cheat You” Colossians 2:8-23

Beware of Philosophies & Empty Deceit – (8-10)

Beware of Judaistic Ceremonialism– (11-17)

Beware of Worshipping Angels – (18-19)

Beware of Asceticism – (20-23)

Don McClain


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Don McClain

“Believer Beware, Let No One Cheat You”

Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you

through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men,

according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to

Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and

power.


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision

of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were

raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from

the dead.


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 13 And you, being dead in your

trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive

together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way,

having nailed it to the cross.


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of

them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new

moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the

substance is of Christ.


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false

humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his

fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body,

nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the

increase that is from God.


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ

from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the

world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not

taste, do not handle,“ 22 which all concern things which perish with the

using--according to the commandments and doctrines of

men?


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Don McClain


Colossians 2:8-23 (NKJV) 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-

imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are

of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.


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Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) 8 Beware lest anyone cheat

you through philosophy and empty deceit,

according to the tradition of men, according to the

basic principles of the world, and not according to

Christ.

According To The Traditions of Men -

Traditions of human origin –

Gnostics claimed traditions passed down by Mary, Thomas, Matthew Etc.

Jews claimed the traditions their leaders had added to the Law –

That which is not of scripture is of men - !

Don McClain



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Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) 8 Beware lest anyone cheat

you through philosophy and empty deceit,

according to the tradition of men, according to the

basic principles of the world, and not according to

Christ.

According To The Basic Principles Of

The World - Rudiments (stoicheia). . . .

the materials of the universe (2 Peter 3:10, 12), elementary teaching (Hebrews 5:12), elements of Jewish ceremonial training (Acts 15:10; Galatians 4:3, 9), the specious arguments of the Gnostic philosophers as here with all their aeons and rules of life.—Word Pictures in the New Testament

Don McClain



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Colossians 2:9-10 (NKJV) 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are

complete in Him, who is the head of all principality

and power.

“In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” - NASB Jesus Is Fully God –

(John 1:1-3; Phili 2:6; Heb 1:8.9; Col. 1:15-18)

All That Belongs To God Is In The Body, (Church) of Christ - (1:18-22; Eph 1:10; 2:16)

In Christ Is Found All The Treasures of Wisdom & Knowledge – (verse 3)

Sphere of Spiritual Fulfillment (9,10)

Don McClain



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Colossians 2:9-10 (NKJV) 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are

complete in Him, who is the head of all principality

and power.

Every Blessing God Provides Is Found ONLY In Christ – (John 1:16; Eph 1:3,20-23)

The Word Complete in Verse 10 Is From The Same Word Translated “Fullness” In Verse 9 – (cf. Eph 3:19)

There Is NOTHING That A Christian Needs That Is Not Found In Jesus Christ - (10; 2 Pet 1:3)

Sphere of Spiritual Fulfillment (9,10)

Don McClain



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Already circumcised - Those in Christ were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands – (11)

A Better Circumcision – One that is spiritual – NOT physical – (Rom. 2:28,29) –

The Circumcision of Christ – Not Moses – Not Abraham

Don McClain


The False Teachers Were Wanting To Bind

Circumcision

Colossians 2:11-13 (NKJV)

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made

without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of

the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,


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Don McClain



Circumcision


12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also

were raised with Him through faith in the

working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

A Burial – (cf. Rom 6:3-6)

With Jesus in baptism In WHICH we are

raised with Jesus Through FAITH

When God works – Joshua 6; 2 Kings 5:14; 1 Pet 3:21

God raises us from being spiritually dead –


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Don McClain



Circumcision


13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive

together with Him, having forgiven you all

trespasses,

Before Baptism – They were separated from God in their sins – Spiritually uncircumcised

After Baptism – One has been made alive by God – and alive with Christ (John 3:3-5; Tit 3:5) –

Their Sins Were Forgiven When They Were Baptized – (Acts 2:38; 22:16; )


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Don McClain


Jesus Took The Old Law Away “Wiped Out”– Erased

the Law of ordinances that was against them – (Gal 3:13; Eph 2:15)

The Law Was Taken Out of The Way – The Law was standing between men and God - (Eph 2:11-16)

Nailed To The Cross – (Gal 3:10-13 - Annulled , obsolete – Heb 7:18; 8:13; 10:9; Mat 5:17)

Colossians 2:14-17 (NKJV) 14 having wiped out the

handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was

contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the

cross.


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Don McClain


The Hostile Forces Have Been Disarmed At The Cross – God

defeated every spiritual and human force set against Him – (John 16:11; 1 Cor 2:6-8; Eph 4:8; Heb 2:14)

The Christian has been armed with that which Christ provides – (Eph 6:10-18)

Colossians 2:14-17 (NKJV) 15 Having disarmed principalities and

powers, He made a public spectacle of

them, triumphing over them in it.


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Don McClain


False Teachers Exalted The Shadow Above The

Substance The Binding of Food

Regulations – (Acts 10:11-16; 1 Tim 4:3-5)

The Binding of Religious Festivals – (Gal 4:9-11; Rom 14:5)

The Binding of The “Sabbath Day” – (Mark 2:27)

Colossians 2:14-17 (NKJV) 16 So let no one judge you

in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.


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Delighting In False Humility - It Was Thought That Extreme Self Abasement Facilitated Access Into The Spiritual Realm – (21-23)

Angel Worship - Merkabah Mysticism – i.e. Jewish Gnosticism – Angels Served In Mediatorial roles - (Rev 22:8,9)

Don McClain


Beware That You Do Not Lose Your Reward


18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking

delight in false humility and worship of angels,

intruding into those things which he has not

seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,


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The Claims of The False Teachers Were NOT Real – The source of their visions was not God – (Ezek. 13:3; Jer. 23:25-27; 2 Cor 12:4)

Yet They Were “Puffed Up” - False Teachers Professed Spiritual Experiences That Were The Product of Their Fleshly Mind . . .

Don McClain




18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking

delight in false humility and worship of angels,

intruding into those things which he has not

seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,


22


By Turning Aside To Other Systems In ADDITION To Jesus – They Made Jesus Less Than He Is – They Stood Opposed To His True Person And Work By Denying His All Sufficiency!

Jesus Provides Us With All We Need – (Eph 4:11-16; 2 Tim 3:16,16; 2 Pet 1:3)

Don McClain



19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows

with the increase that is from God.



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Their Death With Christ– They had been delivered from the rudiments of the world when they were baptized into Christ – (11,12; Rom 6:3-6)

Why Go Back? – Why become subject again to the world & its ordinances? – (Rom 14:3; Gal 5:1-4);

Don McClain


Asceticism is wrong:

Freedom is in ChristColossians 2:20-23 (NKJV)

20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the

basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do

you subject yourselves to regulations--


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Paul Quotes The False Teachers – There was a rigid formula of abstinence from certain foods and things – (1 Tim 4:1-4)

External Things Do Not Defile A Man – But Rather That Which Comes From Ones Heart - (Mat 15:16-20)

Don McClain



21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"

22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to

the commandments and doctrines of men?


Freedom is in Christ


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Such Has An Appearance of Piety – But the source is human – Not DIVINE – (Mat 21:25; Mat 23:27)

The Flesh Cannot Be Conquered Through Asceticism – Only through crucifying the flesh through renewing your mind through the Gospel – (Rom 12:1,2)

Don McClain



23 These things indeed have an appearance of

wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body,

but are of no value against the indulgence of

the flesh.


Freedom is in Christ


26“Believer Beware, Let No One Cheat You” Colossians 2:8-23

An Elaborate Pseudo-philosophical System - To Difficult For Ordinary People (8)

Required Circumcision – (11-15)

Old Jewish Regulations – (Foods; Days; Festivals; Etc.) - (16-17)

The Worship Of Angels – (Jesus Was Only One Of Many Intermediaries Between God And Humans) – (18)

Required Asceticism – (18,20-23)

Don McClain

The False Teachers

Wanted To Install

Additions To Christ:


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Don McClain

Don McClain 1 W. 65th St church of Christ / March 16, 2008.

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Transcript of Don McClain 1 W. 65th St church of Christ / March 16, 2008.