Bible in a Year Series - Day #349 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Colossians
It is generally believed that Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians while imprisoned in Rome around a.d. 62.
From the ESV Study Bible:
"The church at Colossae apparently got its start during Paul's three-year ministry in Ephesus (a.d. 52–55). During this time, a Colossian named Epaphras probably traveled to Ephesus and responded to Paul's proclamation of the gospel (see Acts 19:10). This new believer returned to his hometown and began sharing the good news of Christ, which resulted in the birth of the Colossian church (Col. 1:7). At the time of this writing, Epaphras is with Paul in Rome and has likely shared the bad news that there was a dangerous teaching threatening the church at Colossae (4:12). Paul writes this letter to respond to this situation and to encourage these believers in their growth toward Christian maturity."
Bible scholars are not in agreement over the specifics of this dangerous teaching afflicting the church at Colossae, but Paul makes it clear that we are to follow only Christ in whom the fullness of diety dwells:
"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. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily..." (Colossians 2:8-9a)
The "elemental spirits" refers to a persistent demonic influence to confuse and twist the truth of the gospel.
The student of the Bible can easily find "truths" that conflict with the words of Christ and his apostles. To protect ourselves from being "taken captive" by these human philosophies of deceit we must be diligent to study the Scriptures and stay plugged into the true body of Christ.
I can personally attest that a false philosophy is easily obtained if one isn't willing to invest time into reading the Scriptures and prayerfully seeking to understand its teaching.
This year-long journey of reading the Bible has been eye-opening and has also been a real wrestling match as my 54 year-old belief system has been constantly challenged.
Can I challenge you, dear reader, to make a committment to yourself and Christ to instill a daily discipline of study in God's word?
Without a steady diet of God's word, then we too are subject to the false philosophies of "elemental spirits".
Recent Comments