INTRODUCTION: BOY IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU — AND JUST IN TIME
TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP THE SABBATH ANY MORE!
WHY DO I GET TO TEACH THE HOT POTATOES! (WITH AN “E”)
BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR LESSON, I APPRECIATE EDDIE KIPPS, ED AVILA AND
FRANK SELVAGE TEACHING IN MY ABSENCE. I WAS GONE LONGER THAN EXPECTED,
AND I CALLED GREG THOMPSON BEFORE LAST SABBATH AND ASKED HIM IF HE COULD
ARRANGE A SUBSTITUTE. I DON’T KNOW WHO THAT WAS BUT I APPRECIATE THE HELP.
WELL, LETS GET INTO IT!
I. HUMAN PHILOSOPHY v. GOD’S WORD
A. YOU REMEMBER LEARNING IN THE WEEKS THAT I WAS GONE THAT PAUL WAS
WORRIED ABOUT THE CHURCH IN COLOSSAE (2:1) AND HIS WORRY WAS THAT THEY
WOULD BE DECEIVED (2:4)?
B. AND LAST WEEK YOU LEARNED THE WAY THAT THEY WOULD BE DECEIVED WOULD
BE TO RELY ON, OR BE CAPTIVATED, BY HOLLOW PHILOSOPHY (DRAW FEET) 1. WHICH
STANDS ON (ONE FOOT) HUMAN TRADITION AND 2. (SECOND FOOT) PRINCIPLES OF
THE WORLD.
C. THIS IS AS OPPOSED TO PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST WHICH (DRAW FEET) ARE
BASED UPON:
1. THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT 2. (FULLNESS OF THE DEITY.)
D. THEN PAUL LAST WEEK STARTED MAKING A DIVISION BETWEEN THE DISPUTES:
CIRC ON THIS SIDE———————-BAPTISM ON THIS SIDE
LAW ON THIS SIDE———————–CROSS ON THIS SIDE (2:14)
E. NOW I’M ALREADY BEGINNING TO GET INTO TROUBLE HERE BECAUSE OUR LESSON
LAST WEEK SAID THE LAW WAS NOT NAILED TO THE CROSS! BUT WE’LL HAVE PLENTY
OF TIME TO DISCUSS THIS, I’M JUST SETTING THE BACKGROUND FOR PAUL’S CONTINUED
DISCUSSION OF GOD’S TRUTH v. HUMAN TRADITION.
F. LETS OPEN OUR BIBLES TO COL 2 AND READ v. 16 — WHERE OUR LESSON
STARTED THIS WEEK. (GUESS WE’RE DOWN TO 24 FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS NOW) AND
17.
1. WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THAT THIS THINGS ARE A SHADOW?
2. LETS ASSUME THAT YOU ARE OUT IN THE WILD WEST, YOU ARE THE GOOD GUY
AND THE BAD GUYS ARE SNEAKING UP ON YOU. IF YOU WERE REALLY OBSERVANT,
AND THEY WERE REALLY BLOKES, HOW MIGHT YOU KNOW THAT THEY WERE COMING?
(THEY MIGHT CAST A SHADOW OVER YOU.)
3. DO YOU THINK THAT IS WHAT PAUL HAD IN MIND WHEN HE WROTE, “A
SHADOW OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE TO COME?” (YES, THEY WERE THE FIRST
THING YOU COULD SEE OF THE REALITY OF CHRIST COMING. “HIS SHADOW”
CAME FIRST.)
G. SO LETS BACK UP A MINUTE TO LAST WEEK TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS IN A
WAY THAT SHOULD OFFEND NO ADVENTIST EXCEPT ME, WHO HAD HIS SON CIRCUMCISED
ON THE 8TH DAY. THE SHADOW IS CIRC.———————– THE REALITY
IS BAPTISM CIRC. IS HUMAN TRADITION—————GOD’S PRINCIPLES ARE
BAPTISM AGREE? DISAGREE? WHY?
H. HOW CAN CIRCUMCISM, MANDATED BY GOD, BE A HUMAN TRADITION? (GEN 17:9-13.
CIRC WAS A SIGN OF KEEPING THE COVENANT. BUT WHEN CHRIST CAME, HE OBEYED
THE LAW, DIED FOR OUR SINS AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE. AND BAPTISM — BURIED
IN WATER, WASHED FROM SIN, AND RISING AGAIN, SYMBOLIZES OUR RELIANCE UPON
HIS SACRIFICE. SO CIRC NO LONGER DOES IT. BAPTISM DOES. CIRC WAS THE SHADOW,
BAPTISM THE REALITY!
I. EVERY ONE WITH ME SO FAR? ANYONE WANT TO ARGUE FOR CIRC?
J. SO IF CIRC IS GONE, ARE THE NEW MOON CELEBRATIONS, THE SABBATH AND
EATING AND DRINKING RULES ALSO GONE?
1. ARE THEY ALL “SHADOWS” TOO?
2. LET ME READ TWO TEXTS TO YOU THAT MIGHT SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS:
(Isaiah 1:14 (NIV) “Your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts
my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.”)
(Isaiah 66:23: ” From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath
to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the
LORD.”
3. HOW CAN GOD SAY ON ONE HAND THAT HE HATES THE NEW MOON FESTIVALS,
AND ON THE OTHER HAND SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE IN HEAVEN?
a. IS THIS LIKE INGATHERING? MOST EVERYONE DOESN’T LIKE IT, BUT WE DO
IT ANYWAY?
b. OR IS GOD SAYING THAT HE DOESN’T CARE FOR JUST GOING THROUGH THE
MOTIONS? HE WANTS REAL OBEDIENCE FROM THE HEART, AND NOT JUST GOING THROUGH
THE STEPS?
c. AND CAN WE TRULY OBEY? (IS 64:6 TELLS US THAT ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
IS AS FILTHY RAGS!)
K. I DID AN ENGLISHMAN’S WORD SEARCH ON THE WORD “REGULATIONS”
(ORDINANCES, KJV) IN COL 2:14 AND FOUND THE REFERENCE TO EPH 2:15. SOMEBODY
READ THAT.
L. THAT CLEARLY FIXES THE REGULATIONS TO LAW (AND PAUL SAYS HERE THAT
CHRIST ABOLISHED IN HIS FLESH THE LAW WITH ITS COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS.
NOW I THEN DID AN ENGLISHMAN’S SEARCH ON LAW AND CAME UP WITH (MT 5:17
& 18 WHICH CLEARLY REFER TO THE 10 COMMANDS (AT LEAST THE CHURCH HAS
ALWAYS TAUGHT THIS.)
M. SO, WHAT IS THE REASONABLE CONCLUSION?
(THAT EPH MAKES IT CLEAR. THAT GOD CAME TO MAKE PEACE BETWEEN THE LAW
AND SINFUL MAN. HE DID THAT IN FULFILLING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW.
WE SHOULD NOT GET JUMPY AND SAY THAT HE DID NOT NAIL THE LAW TO THE CROSS.
WE SHOULD NOT IN OUR DESIRE TO PROTECT THE SABBATH SAY THAT THE SABBATH
WAS NOT REFERRED TO IN COL. INSTEAD WE SHOULD SAY THAT THE SABBATH IS IN
THE SAME POSITION AS THE ENTIRE 10 COMMANDS ARE TODAY: THAT THEY WILL NOT
SAVE US. BUT THAT WE OBEY BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD.)
N. WHAT DOES THAT DO WITH CIRC? (HOW ABOUT MAYBE I WAS RIGHT IN CIRCING
THE YOUNG MAN? BUT THAT NO ONE IS REQUIRED TO DO IT FOR SALVATION, AS PAUL
SAYS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YET PAUL CIRCS TIMOTHY!!)
Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (KJV)
Matt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
(KJV)
O. READ COL 2:18. IS IT A “FALSE HUMILITY” TO WORSHIP ANGELS?
KNOW ANYONE WHO WORSHIPS ANGELS? 1. WHY MIGHT A “HUMBLE” PERSON
WORSHIP ANGELS? (IF YOU THOUGHT THAT GOD WAS “UP HERE” AND YOU
WERE “DOWN HERE,” YOU MIGHT DECIDE TO WORSHIP THE ANGELS BECAUSE
THEY ARE CLOSER TO YOUR LEVEL. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT JESUS IS OUR
MEDIATOR. THIS HUMILITY IS “FALSE” BECAUSE INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT
JESUS SAID, THESE PEOPLE ARE MAKING UP THEIR OWN RULES. IT IS NOT HUMBLE
TO DECIDE THAT YOU WILL MAKE UP YOUR OWN RULES INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING JESUS
RULES!)
P. HAVE YOU EVER SAID, “WELL, I’VE SEEN TOO MUCH TO BELIEVE THAT?”
OR “I’VE SEEN TOO MUCH TO BELIEVE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT.”
1. CAN WE TRUST OUR FEELINGS ABOUT SOMETHING? (NO. IF YOU RELY ON YOUR
LIFE EXPERIENCES TO ALTER WHAT THE BIBLE CLEARLY SAYS, YOU ARE NOT HUMBLE.
YOUR PRIDE IS SO BIG IT WILL KILL YOU.
2. I REMEMBER TALKING TO ONE OF MY RELATIVES ABOUT THESE SO CALLED “NEAR
DEATH” EXPERIENCES. MY RELATIVE WAS SAYING THAT THERE WERE JUST TOO
MANY OF THESE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU DID NOT GO TO HEAVEN IMMEDIATELY AT DEATH.
IS THAT AN UNSPIRITUAL, PROUD MIND? (YES!)
Q. READ v. 19. WHO IS THE HEAD? (CHRIST. EPH 4:15)
1. WHY DOES GOING INTO DETAIL ABOUT “WHAT HE HAS SEEN” (v.18)
MEAN THAT THE PERSON DOESN’T HAVE A HEAD? (HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY TRUE DIRECTION.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT GOD’S WILL IS FOR YOUR LIFE, YOU WON’T FIGURE
IT OUT LISTENING TO DONAHUE OR OPRHA! YOU GET IT FROM STUDYING THIS BOOK!)
2. THERE IS A GREAT QUOTE IN THE LESSON ABOUT THIS: “SURELY IT
IS ‘VAIN CONCEIT’ AND SATANIC PHILOSOPHY FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEMPT TO FIGURE
OUT THEIR OWN PLAN OF SALVATION, ADJUSTING THE SIMPLE BIBLE PLAN TO WHAT
SEEMS BEST FOR THEM.”
R. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF “SINCE THENS” THAT WE NEED TO COMPARE.
READ COL 2: 20-21 AND THEN LETS READ SKIP ON DOWN TO CHPT 3 AND READ 3:1-2.
1. I SEE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PICTURES IN THESE TEXTS OF WHAT WE
COULD BE LOOKING AT, WHAT OUR FOCUS IN LIFE CAN BE. WHAT ARE THEY? (LOOKING
AT THE “DO NOTS” AND LOOKING AT CHRIST.)
2. TALK ABOUT HOW THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN ACADEMY AND COLLEGE.
ALL THIS FOCUS ON EXTERNALS, ALL THE FIGHTS OVER WHAT WAS PROHIBITED TOOK
OUR EYES AWAY FROM CHRIST. I CAN FOCUS ON THE EXTERNALS WITH MY KIDS: HOW
THEY DRESS FOR CHURCH, HOW THEY SIT, HOW THEY KEEP QUIET. BUT UNLESS I’VE
CONVERTED THEIR HEART IT DOESN’T MEAN A THING!!
NEXT WEEK: COL 3: 5-11. STUDY.
