Truth & Human Philosopy

Colosssians 2:6-10 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this (sinful) world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”

Sitting down with our Pastor for a lunch meeting to discuss and evaluate the Wednesday evening “Foundation of Faith” class and the transition of future topics with more interaction, the discussion migrated to some of the comments that many of the class attendees made about the statements which their friends had made but what they believed was truth that was based upon humanistic moral relativism which they had been taught and lived. Being a foundational of Christianity course, the class revisited the gospel message to see how & why such thoughts conflicted with God’s holy word and will. Presenting biblical truths for spiritual cultivation of the interior life of the heart and its affections for godly living by knowing God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) intimately. That sin truly is disobeying God in contrast to a right relationship with God, and their temporal & eternal consequences. God’s plan of forgiveness and salvation in the free gift of Jesus’ incarnation, atoning death on the cross to pay for our sins, his resurrection and assention to the right hand of God in heaven. The issue centers on justification & salvation by grace through faith, but not a carnal and false belief where the there is no change in the sinner . Salvation involves “lordship”; who truly sits on the throne of our hearts as LORD. Who makes the Rules?

2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

The purpose of such a foundational class is to encourage open and honest discussion on concerns, questions, misunderstandings and live life issues that they have encountered or are on their minds to clearly see the root problem and seek the truth aligned with their Almighty Creator God, backed by Holy Scripture – the Word of God. By having those foundational truths, it is the goal to help the student to understand the gospel theologically, feel passionately its truth, and respond wholly to its reality. That the root issues are seen clearer and understood more in their walk to become more and more like their Savior & Lord Jesus Christ. But new rational questions and issues keep coming up because of the hollow and deceptive philosophy of secular humanism that is crippled by sin and the complicity of a corrupt and depraved egocentric human nature in self-love which they have been indoctrinated with their entire lives. So we revisit the gospel message each time as the foundation of truth to discover and expose the root issues, then we build upon that truth weekly. Walking in Christ Jesus, believing in Him as the express image of God and submitting to His lordship as the way to resist error and grow in the faith. Christ is exhorted, the kingdom of evil is exposed and confronted, the Scriptures are honored as God’s Word, sound doctrine communicated and promoted, with love for God and our fellow men & women upheld.

I was reading that philosophy, in and of itself, is not being condemned because the tools of this discipline gives us can be helpful in formulating summaries (explanations) of biblical doctrine. It is the humanistic philosophy that is based on human reason alone, apart from Christ and divine revelation from the Bible that deceives with false religious instruction and erroneous teaching, is empty and worthless, non-existent, made of that which is unreal, and making promises it could not keep. At its core, this philosophy is of human tradition and the basic principles of this (sinful) world is the following other gods. As Believers, we know that such “other gods” are nothing more than demons that excite sin in people that enslave people in spiritual adultery, breaking the first commandment that we shall have no other gods. The division is not in people, but in lordship that is based on faith and unbelief in this life. Believers and followers of Jesus have been filled with the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit of God who gives life to the dead in sin and the desire and ability to live in the Spirit, not the flesh. Thus, indwelt by the Spirit, we have the power of God to conform us to godliness, and we do not need anything or anyone else to make us holy, and living rightly before the face of God.

James 1:12-17 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

In Christ, Brian