Trinity Fellowship
12/15/24

      • Luke 2:8–11CSB

  • Joy To The World
  • Go Tell It On The Mountain
  • Angels We Have Heard On High
  • How Great Our Joy
  • O Holy Night
  • SPECIAL MUSIC All Is Well

      • Matthew 1.18-19CSB

      • Matthew 1.20-21CSB

      • Matthew 1.22-24CSB

      • Matthew 1.25CSB

  • Philosophy Overview:
    Philosophy can be all these things simultaneously: a framework, system, tool, methodology, way of life, and academic discipline.
    I. Overview: 3 branches of philosophy.
    A. What is real?
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    B. What is true?
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    C. What is of value?
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    Metaphysics:Theism Atheism
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    Epistemology
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    Axiology
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    II. Unbiblical philosophies compromise faith in Christ (vv. 2-8).

    Colossians 2:1–2 CSB
    1 For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.
    Colossians 2:3–4 CSB
    3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable.
    Colossians 2:8 CSB
    8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.
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    III. Overview: Gnosticism's influence in Colossae.

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    Overview: First principle
    Pleroma/Aeons
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    Demiurge
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    Archons
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    IV. You are complete in Christ.
    A. Escape from the Material World: Gnostics viewed the material world as a prison. Salvation meant escaping the cycle of physical existence, death, and rebirth to return to the spiritual realm. This liberation was achieved through gnosis.
    B. Self-Realization and Knowledge of the First Principle: Salvation came through discovering one’s divine spark, or soul, which was thought to be trapped in the physical body and material world. This realization often involved a deeper understanding of one’s origin and connection to the supreme God or divine reality.
    C. Emissary or Savior Figure Revealed Knowledge: Many Gnostic systems featured a revealer or savior, such as Jesus in Christian Gnosticism, who brought the knowledge necessary for salvation.
    Christ is sometimes presented as an Aeon or divine principle that descends into the material world, taking the form of Jesus to bring gnosis to humanity. Jesus reveals the truth about humanity’s divine origin, the flawed nature of the material world, and the way to return to the pleroma (the fullness of the divine realm). Some Gnostic systems distinguish between the human Jesus (the physical person) and the spiritual Christ (a divine entity associated with the Aeons). The spiritual Christ is said to have descended upon the human Jesus at his baptism and left him before the crucifixion, emphasizing the distinction between the divine and the material
    D. Rejection of the Demiurge: Salvation involved rejecting the rule of the Demiurge and aligning with the higher, true God. Ascetic Practices and Rituals: Some Gnostic groups engaged in esoteric rituals, ascetic practices, or meditations designed to awaken spiritual insight and facilitate the ascent of the soul after death.
    Gnostic salvation was highly individualistic, emphasizing personal enlightenment and liberation over communal or ethical concerns. This contrasted sharply with mainstream Christianity, which taught
    Comparison
    Paul writes the letter to the Colossians to counteract false teachings that may have had similarities to early Gnostic-like beliefs. Here's a comparison of key themes in Colossians and Gnostic thought:
    1. Knowledge of God
    Gnostic Perspective: Gnosticism emphasized secret, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) as the key to salvation, accessible only to an enlightened few.
    Colossians: Paul affirms the importance of knowledge but defines it differently. True knowledge is found in Christ, who reveals God fully and universally:
    "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3).
    Colossians 2:3 CSB
    3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
    The gospel rejects the idea of secret, elitist knowledge, emphasizing that God's truth is openly available to all through Jesus.
    2. The Supremacy of Christ
    Gnostic Perspective: Gnostics often saw Jesus as one of many spiritual beings (eons) or as a mediator between the supreme God and humanity, denying His full divinity or humanity.
    Colossians: Paul asserts Christ's absolute supremacy and sufficiency:
    Colossians 1:15 CSB
    15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
    Christ is not merely one of many spiritual beings; He is the Creator, Redeemer, and fullness of God (Colossians 2:9).
    Colossians 2:9 CSB
    9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,
    3. Creation and the Material World
    Gnostic Perspective: Gnosticism viewed the material world as inherently evil, created by an inferior being (the Demiurge).
    Colossians: Paul upholds the goodness of creation and Christ's role as Creator:
    "By Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible" (Colossians 1:16).
    Colossians 1:16 CSB
    16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
    Paul affirms that Christ not only created the material world but also reconciles all things through His cross (Colossians 1:20).
    Colossians 1:20 CSB
    20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
    4. Mystical Practices and Asceticism
    Gnostic Perspective: Some Gnostics practiced asceticism or mystical rituals, believing these would help them transcend the material world and connect with the divine.
    Colossians: Paul warns against false teachings involving asceticism, legalism, and the worship of angels:
    "Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels" (Colossians 2:18).
    Colossians 2:18 CSB
    18 Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind.
    He emphasizes that such practices are of no value for true spiritual growth (Colossians 2:23).
    Colossians 2:23 CSB
    23 Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.
    5. True Fulfillment
    Gnostic Perspective: Gnostics sought fulfillment in the liberation of the "divine spark" through secret knowledge.
    Colossians: Paul teaches that believers are already complete in Christ:
    "You have been filled in Him, who is the head of every ruler and authority" (Colossians 2:10).
    Colossians 2:10 CSB
    10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
    Salvation is not about discovering secret truths but about faith in the revealed mystery of Christ (Colossians 1:26-27).
    Colossians 1:26–27 CSB
    26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
    Conclusion
    Colossians addresses themes of knowledge, spiritual fulfillment, and the nature of Christ, which resonate with the concerns of Gnosticism. However, Paul redefines these ideas to affirm the gospel: that true knowledge and salvation are found not in secret wisdom or mystical practices but in the revealed person and work of Jesus Christ. In this way, Colossians serves as a powerful critique of Gnostic-like tendencies while affirming a Christ-centered theology.
    Final
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      • Genesis 3:15CSB

      • Genesis 12:2CSB

      • 2 Samuel 7:12–13CSB

      • Genesis 3:15CSB

      • Genesis 15:5CSB

      • 2 Samuel 7:12–13CSB

      • Isaiah 7:14CSB

      • Matthew 1:21–22CSB

      • John 1CSB

      • Matthew 1:20–21CSB

      • John 1:14CSB

      • John 1:18CSB

      • John 8:24CSB

      • John 14:6–7CSB

      • John 8:23–24CSB

      • John 14:6–7CSB

      • Hebrews 2:14–15CSB

      • Colossians 1:27CSB

      • John 17:22–23CSB

      • John 17:20–21CSB

      • Colossians 1:27CSB

  • Joy To The World
Trinity Fellowship
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