Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God.

Colossians 3:2

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

There’s nothing wrong with things and God doesn’t tell us that we have to live without things. And God doesn’t tell us that we have to just barely get by or just simply exist because we’re Christians. But what’s the word? Priority. That’s the word we are always using as children and telling our own children. To get our priorities straight. There’s nothing wrong with things if they’re in their right leveland order of priority. But what should be number one? Christ as our Head and then Heaven, from which our relationship, our citizenship is, and where we’re soon going to be going. In death passing from this physical world to the spiritual heavenly world, our Hope yet unseen but yet known by faith's receptivity. For even the pagans, infidels and cults of the general garden verity of unbelievers believe in a form of heaven or its equivalent. We're to set our affections on Christ the Head and not on the things which are perishing all around us whether with usage or just sitting idol. Because everything is in a continuous state of deterioration and corruption.

 

 

Colossians 3:3

"For ye are dead, (to the old Adam-Satan nature, to the old flesh, the natural status of all fallen men. They’re dead, separated from God not having and being a possessor of) and your life is hid with Christ in God."

It’s hard for us to mentally comprehend death and life in the same sentence. But, do you ever realize that throughout all of nature you can’t get life until there’s death, you know that. Every seed you put in the ground, before it can have New life, must die. The Lord Himself used the same analogy so beautifully back in John chapter 12:24.

 

 

John 12:20

"And there were certain Greeks (non Hebrews, Gentiles) among them that came up to worship at the feast:…"

It doesn’t say that these Gentiles were worshipers, but they were there watching all the activity that was going on. Every time people go to Jerusalem, and the Temple mount, naturally they go to the Wailing Wall. They, as tourists, stand back and watch those Jewish people holding their bahmitzvah and so forth as they worship. Some of these people will place into a creaves in the wall a piece of folded paper on which they have written a prayer request in hopes that some how it will be answered in this way. Others are just on lookers as these Gentiles were. They were allowed to all the activity of these thousands and thousands of Hebrews gathering for the feast days, so they were just among them. So these Greeks came to Philip.

 

 

John 12:21

"The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus."

Remember Jesus had already told them back in Matthew 10:5 "that they could not go to the non-Jews, but only to the lost sheep of Israel." They had never ministered to the non-Jew, nor do they this time. But these Gentiles came up to Philip and said, "We’ve been hearing about this Jesus of Nazareth. Take us to Him." How do you suppose old Philip thought he could handle this? He didn’t want Jesus to embarrass them or anybody else by just telling those Greeks that He didn’t want to have anything to do with them. And he didn’t want to take full responsibility for them, so what does he do? He comes and tells Andrew. Now can’t you just put that conversation in your mind? I’m sure he tells Andrew, "There’s some Gentile dogs out here, and they want to talk to Jesus, and we know that He’s not going to talk to them, but what are we going to do with them?" So Andrew says, "Well we shouldn’t take the responsibility to ourselves. Let’s go in and ask the Master." So they find the Lord Jesus, and we have to picture Him probably in one of the buildings in the temple complex, but whatever.

 

 

John 12:22

"Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus."

Hey there are Gentiles out here that want to see you’ to this what does Jesus say, "Bring them in?" No, but He gives the reason.

 

 

John 12:23-24

"And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come (this is a matter of hours before His crucifixion, but it is also a changing of the guard the old standard is going to give way to the new) that the Son of Man should be glorified (that will happen at His ascension, No! but when He returns in the personage of the Holy Spirit). Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Why the Holy Spirit because throughout the old system and Israel's economy He made Himself visibly known as an angel or Spirit in some shape or form. Of course the seed kernel dies, and up comes the blade, and hopefully produces at least a hundred kernels within the head. Here in John, He’s referring not only to His own death, burial, and resurrection but also that of our own in Him, in order to be fruitful we to must be separated from our past way of life to become part of the new. And the Gentiles would have no object of faith until He would accomplish that in death, burial, resurrection and ascension with a new Spiritual returning. We must keep in mind that all of the old things were but a shadow of the New. So that’s why He didn’t invite them in. They could not come and partake of Him until He had finished Covenant meal and the work of the cross and ascension. This is exactly what Paul is talking about in Colossians 3:3.

Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God.

Colossians 3:1a

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,…"

I think 99% of us, believers, can hardly wait for the Lord to come, because we understand the glory that’s waiting for us. We’re not tied to this old world as beautiful as it is in places. And so uggly in others, especially when it come to how people treat and mistreat each other the world over. I’ve stated that we love our children and grandchildren, and we’ve got it as good as they come, but they pale in significances when I think of eternity, and going into the Lord’s presence. So we, my wife and I do, we seek those things which are above, I have been called, so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good. To which I have said, thank you. Why? Because if it were not so, I would be of no value to God and His charge. I will be held accountable for every words in print and spoken by me. I value His revelation and I ask that the tent pegs of my being be increased so that the “I” of selfwill be killed and crucified daily, He must incease and I must decrease. My personal vision of where I am now seated is to be my hope, yet not now attained in a physical since.

 

 

Colossians 3:1b

"…where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." (positionally)

Again, I had someone ask one time, and I can’t blame people for wondering, "You mean He’s just up there seated on a chair next to God the Father for the last 2000 years?" Well hardly. But positionally, He's there, and this is what we have to see, that positionally He’s at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. And as heirs of Christ we are seated in Him! Not physicaly but spiritually seated with Him, We're constantly in His presences by virtue of our faith in Him. Of course that’s just a Pauline concept, so come all the way back to the book of Psalms and we'll look at 110:1. This is way back a thousand years before the birth of Christ. This is David’s Psalm, and this is good for people to realize. This isn’t so deep that you’ve got to have 4 or 5 degrees to understand it. You don't have to be a Rabbi to get it either.

 

 

Psalms 110:1

"The Lord, (the Father) said unto my Lord, (the Son) Sit thou at my right hand, until (that’s a time word) I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Positionally then when Christ finished the work of the cross, He ascended and went right into the very throne room of heaven, and positionally is at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Though spiritually we're in Him. Come on back to Hebrews chapter 1, where we have that same comment. All these things substantiate each other, and that’s why I repeat things. I’ve got to lock it in, that this isn’t just some fluff. You lock it in, because Scripture has repeated it over and over for emphasis.

 

 

Hebrews 1:1

"God, (Greek is theos - triune God, Godhead) who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets,"

What is that speaking about?  The world before Israel and even before Noahs flood spoke to man, but not all of them, just a small select few. Those who did as Adam had been shown and who then passed on to their sons the practice of sacricificing, or blood letting. Then the nation of Israel back in those days of antiquity. He spoke to the nation of Israel by the Prophets – Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and all the rest.

 

Hebrews 1:2

"Hath in these last days (what are “the last days” in God’s program? His first advent of dealing solely with one nation Israel has ended, it has reached its termination point, is the meaning of this phrase. From John the Baptist through Jesus Christ this direction took a sharp turn and became the last days. God has already) spoken unto us by his (in my Bible this word "his" is added and this should then read as, by a Son, or in a) Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things (in Psalm 2:6-9), by whom also he (the Son) made the worlds;"

 

Hebrews 1:3

"Who being the brightness of his glory, (see He never was less than God) and the express image of his person (this has been our theme in this study so far), and upholding all things by the word of his power, (see how this fits with Colossians chapter 1 where it says, ‘by Him all things consist.’ He holds all things together in the universe and man by His Word =law, Christ) when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"

It’s the same kind of language of Psalms 110:1, and the scriptures above reflect upon it’s all positional in term. It’s like Paul tells us "we’re citizens of heaven." Well we’re still down here, but our citizenship is up there positionally. “In Christ” Do you see that? Let’s look at another one in 1John chapter 2. This Gospel Age are indeed the last of days because one Israel's age has been terminated and two this Age will in like fashion also be terminated just at the moment of the start of the next. This Age will be shorter than the others in duration being only 7 years in total, within this 7 years there will be two sections of 3-1/2 years each and then what is called the Millenium period will begin.

 

 

1John 2:1

"My little children (so even here, who is John writing to? Hebrew Believers, Jews. This applies to them and us as believers), these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"

John does not refer to Jesus as setting at the right hand of the Father, but according to the rest of Scripture isn’t that where He is? Sure He’s our advocate our Mediator of Hebrews chapters 8, 9 and 12. Every time we fail, every time we sin, He’s right there, and He is confronting the Father of spirits, as He says, "Yes he sinned, but he's under My blood, I’ve paid for that sin." And this is our comfort that we have. Back to Colossians chapter 3. If we’re a believer, and if we’ve experienced this death, burial, resurrection, and ascension the following is revelation to us 1Corinthians 11:23-32. We’ve been identified with His finished work of the cross, then we realize that our advocate is seated at the right hand of the Father. Now since that’s our position then we should automatically do the following.

Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God in wisdom.

Colossians 2:23

"Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, (remember, this is all in the flesh which is “will” mindset worship and is dealing with the commandments and doctrines of man ) and humility, (when they try to show humility in the flesh, what kind of humility is it? It’s a false humility. It’s the kind of humility that people will say, "I’m proud of the fact that I’m humble!" Isn’t that right? That’s the flesh. The flesh can say, "I’m proud that I’m so humble."*) and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

To bring that around to where we can understand it, what Paul is really saying is, "These kind of people do all of this to satisfy the flesh," but they don’t bring any glory to God by doing it because they are always going to come back and say what? "Look what I’ve done. Look what I’ve accomplished." And listen, none of us can ever say that. We can’t say it. You can’t say it and I can not say it. Because if we have accomplished something, it is still not us. It’s God working in and then through us. But what did Jesus have to say about this matter? For the answer we need to look to Luke in chapter 20 where we find this statement in verses 39-47: “Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, You have well said. And after that they dared not ask Him any other questions at all. Jesus said to them, How say they that Christ is David's son? When David himself said in the book of Psalms, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. David therefore called Him Lord, how is He then his son? Then in the audience of all the people He stated to His disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.” Who are the hypocrates and heritics among the people here, the Religious leaders is our answer.

 

I’ve said so often, this is just an informal study, we’re not tied to any group, or religious order and all I try to do is get people from whatever background, to simply seek and search the Scriptures to see what they say is true for themselves. In the next chapter we will find that we are all to be renewed in and through our acquiring knowledge. But not the every day knowledge as acquired in school but rather of Who we are to know and trust in Loves receptivity.

 

 

 

Colossians 3:1a

"If ye then be risen with Christ,…"

What’s the if for? If you’re a true believer! If you’re not a believer then none of these things will apply. This will all seem worthless and meaningless to you. For they will remain veiled, unbelievable and indiscernible to you. This is only for true believers, not a professor only, but a true believer, one who has had a change of mind. In whom the God perspective now rules and His law is now supreme. For there are many who profess but few who have chosen to receive. And this is the key to Matthew chapters 20:16 and 22:14 respectively. So that’s why the little prepositional "if" is there. Lets just pop up these two passages:

 

 

Matthew 20:16, 22:14

“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.....For many are called, but few are chosen.”
We did this because these passages have been miss quoted and miss used because these two tie with Romans chapter 9 verse 13:


 
Romans 9:13

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
And Malachi chapter 1 and verses 2 and 3 state this:



Malachi 1:2-3

“I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”
And all these relate to:

 
Matthew10:37

“He that loveth father or mother more than me (when all things are compared to Christ they pale in the Light of Him and His Love) is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
And Luke chapter 14 verse 26 and then John chapter 12 verse 25:


Luke 14:26-27

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”



John 12:25-26

“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will Father honour.”
Do you see the picture He has painted? Christ is greater, He alone is of more intrinsic value then all the world or self has to offer. Why? Because He is the manifeastion of the invisible Godhead, in other words He is GOD. Always has been and will always be the “A” of the Alpha and Omega, the “First” of the first and the last. The First reborn son, re-birthed from the dead in mans flesh.

Colossians Study Outline

In Christ Jesus is held the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God in wisdom.

Colossians 2:18a

"Let no man beguile (deceive, or trick) you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels,…"

My goodness, someone sent us a little booklet, and again I don’t have to name the group that had given this little booklet to this person. But they had given this booklet to their little 6 or 7 year old child, and just asked them all to read it. Well they gave it to us and I opened the very first page and there it was, "before God made anything He created a special angel, and that angel He designated to create everything else. That angel that God had created in the booklet was a reference to what Christ would do." That made Christ nothing more than a created angel. And that is so totally contrary to what the Word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. For it states that He was created in mans flesh a little lower than the angles for a short period of time in Psalm 8:5 and then by the writer of Hebrews in chapter 2 in two locations in verses 7 and 9. and what do I say about any thing repeated in scriptures, it is done so to get our attention. Here is a warning to the Church. Don’t be taken in by that kind of thing, don’t establish a false humility and then try to worship something less then the Christ of Glory.

 

 

Colossians 2:18b

"…intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind."

See that is the new age movement and a few other false doctrines of man. They have to appeal to the flesh, because there is no power of the Holy Spirit in it. Nor does it have God's backing or approval. So that’s what they do, they will appeal to the flesh, and with their high convoluted statements deceive those vulnerable because of a lack of knowledge. And this is why I do what I do. I looked at one of them again the other day that someone had given me. It is a combination of higher intellectual, highly educated people you could tell that, but there’s not an ounce of truth in what they write, and yet people are falling for it. Here Paul is warning us, "Don’t fall for these things." Mans philosophy, theology and theosophy are all askew with false perceptions and thinking. Why, here comes the answer....

 

 

Colossians 2:19a

"And not holding the Head…"

I said the Body goes up to where just below the Head, and the head can be likened to a hub of a wheel around which everything consists and spreads outwardly from it. That’s where we are, we’re members of the Body, but Christ is the Head the central part of His nerve center. It’s from Christ that the central nervous system in the analogy would come from. It’s the Head that controls the Body, and that’s what Paul is saying. "Don’t be beguiled by something that will turn you from the Headship of Christ."

 

 

Colossians 2:19b

"And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishments ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." Where does it all originate? Christ the Head, the Head of the Body, that’s where the increase has to come to us from.

 

 

Colossians 2:20

"Wherefore (because of our union, our being conjoined to Christ) if ye be dead with Christ (dead to that old sin nature of the Adam-Satan nature as seen in all unredeemed people. They have to be considered dead, and what is being dead, separated from God. And God has considered us crucified with Christ) from the rudiments of the world, (the lusts and temptations of and the traditions of man) why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,"

What happened to those ordinances? They were nailed to the cross. Why try to resurrect them and put us back under them, and what are they?

 

 

Colossians 2:21

"(Touch not; taste not; handle not;"

Do you see that? Oh that’s what the legalists and religionist try to tell you to do. They both will always say, "You can’t do that, or this, and you’ve got to do this or that." And that is what Paul is calling beguilement, it’s deception, we’re not under that set of circumstances. Our taking on the identification of the ascended Lord, Christ Jesus, we are set free to aquire His Character within ourselves. Restoring us to a Genesis 2 being the secret held close to God Himself. Now made open to all but still not perceived by many because they remain bond by their traditions which are ment to perish.

 

 

Colossians 2:22a

"Which all are to perish with the using;)…"

In other words these works of the flesh, all will perish with the using. Everything of this world is only of a temporary, temperal nature and will wear-out or be consumed and corrupted and will be burned up one day. But for those crucified, sanctified in Christ who are His people they have NO part with the old things not do they have any part to do with the world of sin in darkness of man.

 

 

Colossians 2:22b

"…after the commandments and doctrines of men?"

Paul here tells us in plain language just what these traditions are. When you look at all the religions of the world, and way at the top they have one or two top kick men. And the whole group goes by what one man has decreed, even though it may not line up with Scripture. Even the old ones are in the same condition and you know which ones I'm referring to. At least until the day of the Lord.

Colossians Study Outline

Christ Jesus is the Godhead, for He is the Visible Manifeastion of the Invisible God.

Colossians 2:16b

"…or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:"

See where Paul puts Sabbath days? It’s frivolous, it has no use for us whatsoever, and don’t let anybody try to tell you "that you’re going to hell because you don’t keep the Saturday Sabbath or any other such religious holiday." We hear that all the time from the people who live in our area of the country because of the town and college it contains located just a few miles down the road. "Oh the preacher said today, 'That if we don’t keep the Saturday Sabbath we’re going to go to hell.'" How awful when you have verses like this that contradicts that completely. Don’t you let anybody tell you what day you have to worship God. Now those things were valid, they did have a purpose in the Old Testament economy because they were a shadow of that which was to come, “the better thing,” which Jeremiah 31:27, 31-34 and Ezekiel 37:26 speaks of. What was their purpose, they were to show in shadowy form something that was coming. Now even Israel didn’t understand what they were, but God knew. It was He Who was showing it dimly, keeping it veiled. Let me show you another verse in Hebrews that says basically the same thing. Oh I can hardly wait till we get into the Epistle of Hebrews even though it was written to Jewish believers and not necessarily the Body of Christ, nevertheless there is so much wealth in it that we can learn from this Epistle, and here is one of them. Paul is reviewing all of the aspects of the Temple worship, or the Tabernacle out in the wilderness or whatever. Footnote I have already posted the Epistle of Hebrews in this blog by now, it started in Feburary of 2012.

 

The Cross Abolished all Legalism of ceremonies, rites, rituals, customs and ordinances including the long hold traditions of Israel's forefather.

 

Hebrews 9:6-7

"Now when these things were thus ordained, (that is the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat, and all those other utensils used in worship) the priests went always into the first tabernacle (the first room what we normally call the sanctuary), accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, (on the day of atonement and remember our at-one-ment has already come) not without blood(then he would have to go back out and kill the second animal and offer it’s blood),  which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:"

 

Hebrews 9:8

"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all (the very throne room the chamber separated by a vail from the second, was the heavenliest place) was not yet made manifest (no man dared to go into the presence of God except the high priest once a year), while as the first tabernacle was yet standing."

Here is the reason we came here in verses 9 and 10. All those practices of Israel’s Temple worship were just a picture of things to come, the Better thing, in the personage of Christ.

 

Hebrews 9:9-10

"Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, (in other words their various offerings of ordinances became rituals) and divers washings, (baptisms) and carnal ordinances (external, rules and regulations, also known as traditions), imposed on them until the time of reformation (Messianic restoration of Christ, see notes on Genesis 3:15 in this writing)."

They were forced to worship this way. All these things were forced on the children of Israel as part of their obedience to a Holy God who was not operating in Grace, but rather God was operating under the severity of the whole Law. When I say the Law was severe, what do I mean? If someone was caught in the act of adultery, what was the sentence? Death! There were no ifs ands or buts, no matter what the excuses. It was death, and on top of that it wasn’t instant death, but death by stoning, it was awful. The Law was severe, but it was also a picture of that which was to come. It all spoke of Christ and His ultimate judgment. When I say that the Law was severe and hurtful as putting to death by stoning is, but remember this was a picture of the work of the cross. As was the snake hung from a pole in the wilderness of sin. And what happened at the cross? Christ suffered beyond human comprehension, and for what purpose? Because He loved the human race (His ultimate creation created in His image and likeness), and it comes down to that same concept that the work of the cross was precipitated by the Love and Mercy and Grace of a Holy and Righteous God! Lets look at a word for a moment and the word is “reformation” what does it mean? Strong's Greek Word Dictionary G1357: to straighten thoroughly; rectification, restoration. And for us as believers its the restoration of all things lost our being put in right relationship as a God-child just as Adam was before he ate in disobedience and fell. Casting all of humanity from that moment on into darkness of sin and separation from God by a death to God. How was restoration [reformation] brought about through the second Adam, Jesus the Messiah, Prophet-king of Israel, their Immanuel. Though they deny Him to this very day, they will one day acknowledge Who He was and for us Is.

 

Coming back to Colossians chapter 2, and verse 17. I would be willing to bet that 9 out 10 Church going Christians do not see the last few words of this verse. Look at it. All of these things in the Hebrew religion, everything, the holy of holiest, the ark of the covenant, the golden candlestick [menorah, on each stem is a basin representing a seed, the basin or bowl where oil is placed with the head of a man on its top, this being where the wick is placed for light], the mercy seat, the day of atonement, the brazen alter, the table of show-bread, and all the things that pertain to the Temple and Tabernacle were just a preview of things to come for what group of people? The Body of Christ. Did you ever see that before? Look at it.

 

 

Colossians 2:17

"Which are a shadow of things to come; but (the flip side) the body is of Christ."

The head of the menorah located on each branch and the center, has a bowl (seed) and the stem with its wick which gives light, is a figure of Christ, the whole is the body, the center the Head or wheel hub. From this we can see that is what they were all pointing toward. The day when God would call Jesus His Son and Christ. Thereby making Christ His finished work. Finished I say at the cross, He then is the One Who would call out sinners from every point on the globe, the four corners of the earth. Hebrew or Gentile, black or white, rich or poor, and He could save them by Grace and bring them into the Body of Christ and then through or into His Salvation. Had a gentlemen the other night that that we had a nice friendly discussion with and I made mention of the fact that there are people in almost every group where there are true believers. Depending of course on how much Gospel of 1Corinthians 15:1-4 they have preached at them. I said it doesn’t matter whether they’re Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, Baptist or whatever, if they’re a true believer then they’re in the Body of Christ. His eyes got that big, and said you mean that you think that people can be saved even though they’re not in my …... Church? I won’t say which one he said, you probably know already.

 

But listen, that’s not according to the Bible. The Body of Christ is that composite of believers from whatever back ground that have been saved by the Grace of God when they simply believed this Gospel for their Salvation. And that in its simplest form is this Gospel. Which is that Christ died for their sins, was buried and rose from the dead and ascended back to His seat at the Fathers right hand, the position of strength and power. That comprises then the Body of Christ, which is the fulfillment of everything that had taken place for over the past 2000 years or so. Let’s move on to verse 18, where "Paul Warns The Church."

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ is the creator God and was the Visible Manifeastation of the Invisible Godhead.


During Jesus' ministry to Israel the Sadducees and then the Pharisee's tested Jesus, but the Pharisees in the passages I will look at used a lawyer to do their bidding (in Matthew 22, Mark 12 and Luke 10, that is how Paul in Romans 8:7 could state, the carnal mind is enmity toward God, when it has not set itself to obedience to love with all its being). Because they did not want to be held as being lower then their counter parts the Sadducees (These two factions were in a constand battle about the interpretation and meaning of scriptures and in the eyes of the populace the Pharisees held the greatest respect as an authority). They wanted to entrap Jesus in some kind of heresy against the Law of Moses or its many ordinances, not knowing that He was its author and the origin of all that spoke of Him and His coming, which they did NOT see. Why did they not see or understand? Because they had NO Vision as one of their prophets had already stated in Proverbs 29:18 (vision lack of understanding, they perish, are naked, uncovered and exposed) "but happy is the one who keeps the law (the teaching that one receives for life)." This lawyer asked Him what was in His opinion the greatest commandment to which Jesus replied that all the Law and the Prophets were based on this One Commandment, "Hear O'Israel the LORD your God is One (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and that they we're to love Him with all their might and strength, and that the next is like onto it, too Love your neighbor as you love yourself." To which the lawyer had NO come back. What Israel and indeed all of the world does not do is to set our mind upon Jesus, to make Him our focus as the hub of the wheel within ta wheel or as Paul states the Head of the Church, Body and Family of God. This Paul describes in Romans 12:1-3 as being our daily duty of being a living sacrifice and our reasonable worship due God. Because this is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 6:3-7, when it is understood as it is meant to be. This is why Paul states what is said in our next passage.

Colossians 2:16a

"Let no man therefore judge you…"

We had a fellow say the other day that he was getting involved with a group that wanted to put him under the Saturday Sabbath, and the next thing they wanted him to do was quit eating pork. To it I said can’t you see their putting you under the Law? And we’re not under Law, we’re under Grace. Now here it is. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can not do. In Christ we are the triumphant, but to return to the old ways is to deny Christ and that is the devils way. In which we will loose both His Redemption and our hope of Salvation. These are the warnings when they are heard clearly and understood. As stated above their mindset has not been submitted to God and they are therefore violating the Word and Law through their actions and words.

 

The Cross Abolished all Religious Legalism found in ceremonies, rites, rituals, customs and ordinances including the long held traditions of Israel's forefather. These have been passed down through the ages as a norm and standard of worship but in actuallity are not. Look at what Jesus tells the woman He meet at the well in John 4:19 “The woman said to Him, Sir, I perceive that You art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and You (being a Jew) say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus answering her said, Woman, believe Me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship you know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.The woman said to Him, I know that when Messias comes, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things. Jesus answering her said, I that speak to you am He.”

If our mind has been renewed as Jeremiah 31:31-34 tells us it will be, then we will hear plainly that the traditions are not spiritual in how Jesus answers this woman.

 

Colossians 2:16a

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, (we’re free from all of that. We’re going to let the Holy Spirit help us decide what’s good for us and what’s not. We’re not under a set of rules like the Law of Moses demanded, and this is what Paul is talking about) or in respect of an holyday,…"

We’ve got to know definitions, so what’s the definition for holy? Well it isn’t something supernatural perfect and righteous, but rather holy meant "set aside for God’s purposes." So these holy days were simply days in Judaism and the Jewish economy that were indeed set apart for God’s purposes. They all were intended to get the Hebrew mind focused on their God and not the meaninglessness of earthy things which preoccupied their thinking. They had the Passover, and all the other Feast days, but in this Age of Grace we’re not under any of that, as they only pointed to the better thing that was to come. Hebrews author states that the Better thing has already come in chapter 1 verse 4, after discribing Christ Jesus in the first three verses. We don’t have days set aside for special treatment. All that was tied up in the scroll and laid aside until the day of the Lord. For us its the day of Christ when Jesus as Christ removes His Body before the tribulation period. After that we will see His fulness as those Old Testament days revealed Him. This will happen before the Marriage Feast of the Lamb as the consummation for the betrothal feast which is what the Passover/Last Supper is. As a feast of union and deadication of souls to God where we become spirit to Spirit again. This we are told to rehearse when every it comes to mind, and not in some off beat fashion, as a tradition, in a ritualistic way. For when this is done in that fashion we make it void and evil to our detriment in Corinthians 11.  Because you see we've already gone through the wrath and judgment of sin on the cross in Christ Jesus. In the anointing that resides within us in 1John 2:27-29 which reads as follows: “The anointing (inaugral consecration) which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: As the same anointing teachs you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as He has taught you, you shall abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that every one that does righteousness is born (to convert someone to His side, as God made Christ His Son, God makes us His Sons in the same fashion) of Him.” This again is what Jeremiah 31:33-34 tells us God is about to do in the vision which Jeremiah shares there as a Prophet of God. Then what I have stated elsewhere is also seen in verses 20-21 of 1John 2 above, this states: “You have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” Where does this unction have its root, in our soul/spirit and renewed mind (a mind submitted and totally committed to God), as the seat of our opinions, emotions, intellect. When our mind has not been subjected to loving a person place or thing we will never love as we were created to. Our mind like Israel's will remain earthy, carnal, and worldly caught by the desires and lusts for the things desinged to pass away with age and using. And through our emotions will change as the tide of the seas change with every wind of doctrine. What are the things that never change? God, Blood, His Word, Light, Truth, Grace, Love, Life and His character as seen in Christ and for us of the circumcision our vision of Him.

 

From this I can draw and state that if we keep our same perspicacity of mind then we are unstable in all our nature to the point of being doubleminded, filled and governed by our emotions as they at times can be quite fickle and change with every new wave thing. This is best seen in James chapter 1:8 and then 4:8. These passages have these links attached to them, 1Kings 18:21, 2Kings 17:33, 41, Isaiah 29:13, Hosea 7:8-11, 10:2; Matthew 6:22, 24, 2Peter 2:14 in fact the whole of this chapter and then 3:16 where Peter speaks of the vision or revelation that Paul has received and publishes. We all need to allow our past to stay in our past, forget it, release it and then move onward in the LORD.

From here Paul moves on to holy days which fall into the deception in their keeping of them in ritualistic fashion.

Colossians Study Outline

Christ Jesus the creator God, the Visible Manifeastation of the Invisible Godhead.

The Cross Abolished all Legalism of the Jewish Religious system along with mans traditions associated with it.
During Jesus' ministry to Israel the Sadducees and then the Pharisee's tested Jesus, but the Pharisees in the passages I will look at used a lawyer to do their bidding (in Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10, that is how Paul in Romans 8:7 could states the carnal mind is enmity toward God, it has not set itself to obedience to love with all its being) because they did not want to be held as being lower then their counter parts the Sadducees. (These two factions were in a constand battle about the interpretation and meaning of scriptures and in the eyes of the populace the Pharisees held the greatest respect as an authority.) They wanted to entrap Jesus in some kind of heresy against the Law of Moses not knowing that He was its author and the origin of all that spoke of Him and His coming, which they did NOT see. Why did they not see or understand because they had NO Vision as one of their prophets has already stated. This lawyer asked Him what was in His opinion the greatest commandment to which Jesus replied that all the Law and the Prophets were based on this One Commandment, "Hear O'Israel, the LORD your God is One and that they we're to love Him with all their might and strength, and that the next is like onto it, too Love your neighbor as you love yourself." To which the lawyer had NO come back. What Israel and indeed all of the world does not do is to set our mind upon Jesus, to make Him our focus as the hub of the wheel within the wheel or as Paul states the Head of the Church, Body and Family of God. This Paul describes in Romans 12:1-3 as being our daily duty of being a living sacrifice and our reasonable worship due God. Because this is the fulfillment of Deuteronomy 6:3-7, when it is understood as it is meant to be. This is why Paul states what is said in our next passage.

 

Colossians 2:16a

"Let no man therefore judge you…"

We had a fellow say the other day that he was getting involved with a group that wanted to put him under the Saturday Sabbath, and the next thing they wanted him to do was quit eating pork. To it I said can’t you see their putting you under the Law? And we’re not under Law, we’re under Grace. Now here it is. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can not do. In Christ we are the triumphant, but to return to the old ways is to deny Christ and that is the devils way. In which we will loose both His Redemption and our hope of Salvation. These are the warnings when they are heard clearly and understood. As stated above their mindset has not been submitted to God and they are therefore violating the Word and Law through their actions and words.

 

 

Colossians 2:16a

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, (you’re free from all of that. We’re going to let the Holy Spirit help us decide what’s good for us and what’s not. We’re not under a set of rules like the Law of Moses demanded, and this is what Paul is talking about) or in respect of an holyday,…"

We’ve got to know definitions, so what’s the definition for holy? Well it isn’t something supernatural, perfect and righteous, but rather holy meant "set aside for God’s purposes." So these holy days were simply days in Judaism and the Jewish economy that were indeed set apart for God’s purposes. They all were intended to get the Hebrew mind focused on their God and not the meaninglessness of earthy things which preoccupied their thinking. They had the Passover, and all the other Feast days, but in this Age of Grace we’re not under any of that, as they only pointed to the better thing, that was to come. Hebrews author states that the Better thing has already come in chapter 1 verse 4, after discribing Christ Jesus in the first three verses. We don’t have days set aside for special treatment. All that was tied up in the scroll and laid aside until the day of the Lord. For us its the day of Christ when He as Christ removes His Body before the tribulation period. After that we will see His fulness as those Old Testament days revealed Him. This will happen before the Marriage Feast of the Lamb as the consummation for the betrothal feast which is what the Passover/Last Supper was. Because you see we've already gone through the wrath and judgment of sin on the cross in Christ Jesus. In the anointing that resides within us in 1John 2:27-29 which reads as follows: “The anointing (inaugral consecration) which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: As the same anointing teachs you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as He has taught you, you shall abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that every one that does righteousness is born (to convert someone to His side, as God made Christ His Son, God makes us His Sons in the same fashion) of Him.” 

This again is what Jeremiah 31:33-34 tells us God is about to do in the vision which Jeremiah shares there as a Prophet of God. Then what I have stated elsewhere is also seen in verses 20-21 above, this states: “You have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” Where does this unction have its root, in our mind, as the seat of our opinions, emotions, intellect. When our mind has not been subjected to loving a person place or thing we will never love as we were created to. Our mind like Israel's will remain earthy, carnal, and worldly caught by the desires and lusts for the things desinged to pass away with age and using. What are the things that never change? God, Blood, His Word, Light, Truth, Grace, Love, Life and His character as seen in Christ and for us of the circumcision our vision of Him.

From this I can state that if we keep our same perspicacity of mind then we are unstable in all our nature to the point of being doubleminded, filled and governed by our emotions as they at times can be quite fickle and change with every new wave thing. This is best seen in James chapter 1:8 and then 4:8. These passages have these links attached to them, 1Kings 18:21, 2Kings 17:33, 41, Isaiah 29:13, Hosea 7:8-11, 10:2; Matthew 6:22, 24, 2Peter 2:14 in fact the whole of this chapter and then 3:16 where Peter speaks of the vision or revelation that Paul has received and publishes. We all need how to allow our past to stay in our past, forget it, release it and then move onward in the LORD.

Colossians 2:16b

"…or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:"

See where Paul puts Sabbath days? It’s frivolous, it has no use for us whatsoever, and don’t let anybody try to tell you "that you’re going to hell because you don’t keep the Saturday Sabbath." We hear that all the time from the people who live in our area of the country because of the town and college it contains located just a few miles down the road. "Oh the preacher said today, 'That if we don’t keep the Saturday Sabbath we’re going to go to hell.'" How awful when you have verses like this that contradicts that completely. Don’t you let anybody tell you what day you have to worship God. Now those things were valid, they did have a purpose in the Old Testament economy because they were a shadow of that which was to come, “the better thing.” What was their purpose, they were to show in shadowy form something that was coming. Now even Israel didn’t understand what they were, but God knew. It was He Who was showing it dimly, keeping it veiled. Now let me show you another verse in Hebrews that says basically the same thing. Oh I can hardly wait till we get into the Epistle of Hebrews even though it was written to Jewish believers and not necessarily the Body of Christ, nevertheless there is so much wealth in it that we can learn from this Epistle, and here is one of them. Paul is reviewing all of the aspects of the Temple worship, or the Tabernacle out in the wilderness or whatever. Footnote I have already posted the Epistle of Hebrews in this blog by now, it started in Feburary of 2012.