1-3 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
In WHOM are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
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Colossians 2:4-7 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
(Enticing words are words that appeal to our flesh but draw us away from the way shown us by the Spirit by the Bible.)
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in HIM: Rooted and built up in HIM, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
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We didn't receive Jesus by the flesh of man but rather by the Spirit of God. If we are born again, we recall how that happened. Jesus was revealed by God's spirit at the time we believed. We recall how we were changed to turn to God instantly and how we were given an interest in God.
Galatians 3:1-2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
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In times of trouble and affliction, it is critical for us to "return to our roots", to the beginning when God revealed HIMSELF to us, which assures us we are of God and not of ourselves. Salvation is of God and not of what we did. We are also not made perfect by works but by faith. We often need to reestablish our thinking on exactly where our salvation lies: in faith in God rather than faith in ourselves and what we do.
We go back to: What do I believe?
That leads us to the first fundamental belief:
I believe the God we worship is the creator of heaven and earth and all living creatures, humans included. HE is the real God, the one God. Therefore HE has power, real power, power to raise Jesus from the dead and power to raise me from the dead. And God did, in fact raise me from the dead people of this present world when HE revealed HIMSELF to me.
Then we begin to recall specific things God has done in our lives through the years. This, too, establishes us in faith in God, knowing it was God and not us who did these things.
In times of shocks, we return to these basic truths which we believe and become stabilized as we think on these truths.
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Colossians 2:8-10 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in HIM dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in HIM, which is the head of all principality and power:
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It is important for us to continually build our house on the foundation of what the Bible says, returning to Bible to prove all things by scripture, rejecting those things not in Bible and holding fast to that which we see in the scriptures.
II Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
This happens in the churches in the last days. They will have "a form of godliness" but they will deny the power of the Holy Scriptures to rule over themselves and they will set up other doctrines, perverse doctrines to explain away scriptures. Paul says just turn yourselves away when you see these people.
This is the end time apostasy in the church as spoken of by the apostle Paul in II Thess. 2, see NASB.
Jesus will not return until this apostasy happens in the churches, says Paul.
II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
KJV, "the falling away", churches falling away from scripture and setting up another doctrine.
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(In the churches we will see)
II Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
13-17 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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Returning to: Colossians 2
11-14 In WHOM also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with HIM in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with HIM through the faith of the operation of God, WHO hath raised HIM from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath HE quickened (made alive) together with HIM, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to HIS cross;
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Colossians 2:15-16 And having spoiled principalities and powers, HE made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
(Some judged Paul not to be an apostle in his day but Paul paid no attention to them. The same applies to us. They may judge us but it matters not to us. We just continue in that which we believe God has shown us, certainly confirming it by scripture by the Holy Spirit to our satisfaction.)
Colossians 2:18-19 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
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Colossians 2:20-23 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
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Concerning that which we choose to eat:
I Timothy 4:1-6 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
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