I have been endeavoring to remove the rock that causes offense (mans own propensity to over rule God in his actions and words) as it was revealed through Paul and hidden within the context of the Revelation of Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself said this rock would spring up from time to time, look at Mattew 11:6 where we find this statement where Jesus is speaking: “Blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.” From here we can move on to chapter 15 and verses 12-14. This comes just after Jesus upbraided the Preist's for their false traditions which are imposed on the unlearned Hebrews. Where Jesus also states: “His disciples came to Him, and said, Know You that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? To this He answered and said, Every plant, which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” In Matthew 18 beginning at verse 2 through 7 we find this also: “Jesus called a little child to Him, and He set Himself in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say to you, Except you be converted (to change our course of direction, to turn the back on something), and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever shall receive one such little child in My name receives Me. But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believes Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes!” From here Paul states this in Romans 9 beginning at verse 31-33: “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whoever believes Him shall not be ashamed.” In Christ Jesus we will soon see that the hidden things of God's secrets (of Deuteronomy 29:29) will be found and received by those who place their total trust in Him, they as a little child believe Him.
Remember
in Paul’s Epistle of Colossians, which was written to possibly a
home congregation east and south of Ephesus. Then, almost due north
of Colossi was the other little city in Asia Minor or western Turkey
called Laodicea. So when Paul makes mention that the Colossians
should pass this letter on to the Laodicean people, it was just that
they were a neighborhood congregation. And as I've mentioned, Paul
himself had nothing to do with starting the Colosi or Laodicean
churches. They were probably begun by some of his converts from the
Ephesus Church. He makes mention that he’s never met them face to
face, but he has such concern for them because false teachings, ravenous
woves, which followed the disciple's everywhere they went, and consequently
it disturbed him. Remember also that the Apostle John in his book
called “the Revelation of Christ” (and His continued dealings
with Israel and the world) reveals that these same churches which are
listed in the first three chapters have been over thrown by the
anti-Christ because some of them are located where the seat of Satan
is. To day this area is known as Iran, Iraq and Turkey and even
spreads down through the Muslim and Islamic world. But I cannot limit
to them only because of the discription of the man of evil, revealed
by John in Revelation chapters 16 and 19. We have to also take into
account the discription of the mystery Babylon, the great Religious
harlot. She is like the woman of mythology who had hair like snakes,
these snakes are all false denominations and the worlds deception
religions of Satan's design through unwitting men. The number
assigned to man is 6 and all of mans own governements, economy and
religions carry this 6 on each of them. Form this standpoint we have 666 the number
of this world figure who personifies Satan like the Persian king
Lucifier did. This man will be raised from among those who live in
this region of Asia Minor. It is from this perspective that we should
now look at what Paul speaks from here on.
Colossians
2:1a
"For
I would that ye knew what great conflict (struggle) I
have for you,…"
He
was struggling with the fact that these people were left with no
written Word. Never forget they didn’t have a New Testament until
Paul’s letters started coming, which was about the late 50’s
early 60’s and he’s already been out establishing churches for 15
to 20 years, so you can see his concern. He says, I just want you
to know what a great struggle I have for you. Remember his prayer that we have just covered, Paul here alluding to it here. James in chapter 5 of
his letter reveals how we are to pray without let up for all men.
When we answer the call we will also carry within us the same burden
for both the lost and spiritually unknowing, as many of us were when
we like Saul first saw the Light, that is Christ Jesus. This may not
be with a physical revelation but rather a spiritual one which has
its roots deep within our being. It is from here that we are to pray
at all times for all mankind.
Colossians
2:1b
"…and
for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the
flesh:"
They
had never seen the Apostle Paul personally. So he didn’t have a
direct part of establishing these two little congregations. This by
the way also includes us as well.
Colossians
2:2a
"That
their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and
unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding…"
This
is why I teach in the manner I do. So many Christians have made a
profession of faith, they joined the Church, they get active in its
social aspect, with its many activities but they know nothing of the
Scriptures, I'm sure you’re all aware of that. But you see Paul’s
hearts desire was that even those people in his day, who had come out
of idolatry and paganism and knew nothing of even the Old Testament,
or its teachings could maintain their Christian experience with no
more background than they had. So his concern was that they had a
full understanding and working knowledge of the Spiritual Christ. This tells me
that he went even deeper in the depth of the revelation of Christ
Jesus, then his many Epistles reveal to us. This reminds of what I
told the LORD the evening that I said the sinners prayer that is
writen in the back of my servicemans Bible which I dated back on
September 16th 1966 when I said this, LORD I do not
understand what the Bible is saying and teaching me. Try as I did it
remains a secret to me. Then in 1985, in the spring of that year, He
told me and those sitting with me at my kitchen table that He would
train us within our own four walls. To this He has been faithful to
this very day, and suspect that He will until we are taken from this
earth.
Colossians
2:2b
"…of
the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the
mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ."
Those
of you who have been with me, you know I'm always stressing the
mysteries that were revealed to the Apostle Paul. In fact many people
have said, "I’ve never even heard the word mystery before."
Well that doesn’t shock me, because I think as I look back that
I probably didn’t either. I mean for over 40 to 46 years we too
just glossed over many of these very same things ourselves. Remember
Paul was the only one given the mysteries, secret things and since
most preachers and teachers do not bother with his writings then most
people do not know about the mysteries either. But the heart of
Paul’s gospel is this revelation of these secrets and mysteries, of which there are no less than 7 given him.
Now let’s look at some of them, because he says that we're to
understand and have a knowledge of them so come back to Romans
chapter 16:25. Jesus also stated to His disciples that they were to
know and through this knowledge understand what had been hidden in
Matthew 10:26, Luke 8:17, 12:2-3. To this end Ecclesiastes also
speaks in chapter 12 verse 14 where we find this, “God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
God here is revealing that we have the propensity to violate our
fellows through our own words and this is substantiated by Jesus,
James and others, this is why we are told that we are to learn how to
bridel our tongues. One way this can be accomplished is to submit it
to the LORD at all times. But here He is also telling us that He has
and holds the secret things and will cause us to be able to discern
them in the proper time, which is His time.
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