Don’t Fall for The Tricks

Colossians 2:8-15

I met Joe (not his real name) while we were in Junior High. At that time he was completely convinced that the old Navajo religion was the truth and would not consider visiting our church. He was struggling in school, because things he was learning contradicted certain aspects of his religion. Years later, he married a christian lady who began attending our church, and got saved. He explained what convinced him that his old religion didn’t have all the answers.

A relative of his got sick, and the medicine man was called to determine what was wrong. The medicine man spent several hours using hand trembling and other processes to find out what was needed for a cure, Finally he announced that the person was being witched, and went out to see if he could find the cause, instructing the people to continue with their activities. Joe had gotten bored, and went to a window in the Hogan, something most hogans didn’t have

Peeking out the window, he watched the medicine man thrust a shovel into the ground and dig out a little dirt in several places. At the last place he pulled something from his pocket and dropped it into the hole them pushed a little dirt in on top of it. Returning to the Hogan, he announced that he had found the cause, and led them out to see the witchcraft bundle he had found in hole A cure would require a ceremony costing several hundred dollars.

The family assembled to discuss where to get the money, and Joe tried to tell them what he’d seen. They scolded him for having looked out the window and insisted the witchcraft had caused him to imagine what he claimed. Gathering the money they held the ceremony, but the patient didn’t get better, and they were forced to take him to the Indian Health Service hospital, considered by many traditionalists as the place to die so the evil spirits would not be trapped in ones home.

Knowing what he‘d seen, Joe decided what he‘d been taught wasn‘t trustworthy. He went back to school, and his grades dramatically improved. If the teachers could demonstrate that their claims were valid. He was willing to accept them even if they contradicted what he had been taught. Years later, he was able to accept Christ, and has since become a strong Christian.

False teaching held Joe back from learning what the school was trying to teach him, and delayed his relative getting help he needed. False teaching, false doctrine, no matter how sincerely believed, hinders our spiritual development We need to be alert that we don’t fall for false doctrines or practices that will ruin our spiritual lives or take away our rewards.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

This was one of the problems with the Pharisees. Mark 7:6-9 shows what they were doing. “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

I Corinthians 8:1-11:19 warns that adopting non biblical standards can hurt us, or others, and finishes by concluding that they show whether we are really interested in pleasing God or not. Those who have adopted such standards and doctrines have ejected God just as the Pharisees had. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 1ti 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth,” (I Timothy 4:1-3). Hebrews 13:9 warns not to allow ourselves to get caught up in these things, which provided no spiritual benefit to those who were. “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” We are to place our trust in what God has given instead of in our efforts.

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the 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.” (Colossians 2:9-12)

By his efforts, our sins have been paid for, and we are complete and fully prepared to please him. Titus 3:5 stresses this clearly. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and 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.” (Colossians 2:13-15)

He made us acceptable in Christ according to Ephesians 1:6-7. “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Satan’s power over us has been destroyed Romans 6:11 instructs us to accept the gift as fact. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” By doing so we can experience victory over temptation.