I wish that you knew what great emotion I have for you and for the people in Laodicea (a city less than 10 miles from Colosse), and all those who I haven’t met face to face, that their hearts may be comforted (encouraged), being knit together in love, and blessed with all riches (goodness) of the full certainty of understanding, bringing acknowledgement of the mystery of God (which is salvation through Jesus), and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

          And this I say, in case anyone should deceive you with nice-sounding words. Because even though I am not there in the flesh, still, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your discipline, and your solid Faith in Christ. So then, as you have accepted Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the Faith, as you’ve been taught, abounding with thanksgiving. Beware in case anyone spoil (ruin) you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men, after the principles of the world and not after Christ.

          Let’s think of a couple of examples of this, but first, a Daily Bread Crumb. What is philosophy? It’s a theory. It is the belief(s), concept(s), and/or attitude(s) of an individual or group.

          EXAMPLE 1: The Big Bang Theory, which is the philosophy that at some unknown time ago, there was an explosion, which caused the universe to exist, the constellations to form, the planets to find their places in space, the stars, the sun, the moon, the earth, etc., to all operate the way they do, and your heart to tick. Maybe some kind of accidental molecular collision or something like that occurred, but the theory is that the source of the universe and everything in it was anything but divine.

          EXAMPLE 2: The Theory of Evolution, which is the philosophy that the universe, (including human beings) was formed by generation after generation of developmental changes of things adapting to their surrounding environment, and that every living thing exists and possesses it’s form and existence because of this process. In other words, the credit of creation is given to cells, which somehow know how to progress into humans, plants, planets, galaxies, etc. No credit is given to God.

          Okay, now you’ve got an idea of what men teach, so let’s go back to Paul’s letter. He says, beware of the things that don’t follow after what Christ teaches, because in Him lives the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The three are One because in His body lives the divine nature of God, fully. He is the essence of, or completely . . . God!

          And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power (see Setting the Church in Order, Titus, Chapter 3, and Angels Among Us). In Him also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in ridding the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Those sins are buried with Him in your baptism, and in the same way, you are also risen with Him through the Faith of the power of God, who has raised Him from the dead.

          And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive, together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses. He erased the handwriting of ordinances (the commandments, the Old Testament, or the old promise), that was against us, which was contrary (incompatible) to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross, and having spoiled (destroyed) principalities and powers, He made a show (mockery) of them for all to see, triumphing over them in it.

          To explain this further, we were trapped in our sins in the old covenant. The devil and his associates thought they had it made because it was next to impossible to make enough sacrifice for your sins. Can you imagine, a lamb for every time anyone had a foul thought? Now how about each person in the world. There just aint enough sheep. Well, when God sacrificed Jesus for our sins (think about that, God traded His Son for the forgiveness of our sins), He opened the doors to Heaven for us. This was a major defeat for the devil, and with salvation available to the Gentiles as well as the Jewish people, it was an extreme setback for evil. The devil, working through the Jewish people, thought that crucifying Jesus would be a victory, when in fact, when Jesus was lifted up on the cross, our sins were lifted up out of our souls. Jesus took our sins with Him (John 12:31-32).

          Back to Paul’s teaching now. So, don’t let anyone judge what you eat or drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days (feast days) which are a shadow (see Feast Shadows) of things to come, because you are of Christ (these things are all things observed in the old covenant, but being of Christ is being of the new covenant).

          Let nobody cheat you of your reward in a voluntary (willful, intentional) humility (meekness) and worshipping (honoring) of angels, intruding into things which he has not seen, foolishly proud of his fleshly mind, and not regarding the Head (the Lord) from which the whole body, by joints and ligaments, having nourishment administered, and knit together, increases (becomes greater) with the increase (fullness) of God.

          So, if you’re dead with Christ from the principles (rules, laws) of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to (controlled by, accountable for) laws (such as touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and teachings of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.