Captured by philosophy

Series: Colossians (Part 4)

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col 2:8).

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, philosophy is “the study of basic ideas and knowledge, truth, right and wrong, and the nature and meaning of life.” Yet, philosophy is never neutral. Whether we know it or not, we all have a philosophy of life. It’s our mindset or worldview that informs how we understand ourselves, our problems and solutions. Our philosophy answers big questions like:

Does God exist? How did everything begin? What’s wrong with the world? What’s the solution? Who am I? Why am I here? Am I living a good life? What happens when I die?

Paul is not condemning philosophy. He himself was a gifted philosopher. But we must learn the difference between wise and worldly philosophy, between truth and clever deception.

In Colossians 2, Paul warns the Colossians to watch out for the web of human ideas and experiences, crediting humanity, not God, with the answers to life’s questions and struggles. A worldly philosophy is built on a pagan worldview, rather than on a sound theology of life, anchored in Scripture and centred on Christ and the gospel.

Wise philosophy is built on a God-centred worldview that understands life within the context of the Bible’s larger storyline: God’s creation, our fall into sin, His redemptive plan, and the ultimate consummation of all things. A Biblical, Christ-centred philosophy is the only antidote to plausible lies which threaten to deceive us.

Rooted.

When Jesus calls each of us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him as Lord, doesn’t it all seem so simple? “Just keep going, keep growing by knowing Jesus. Keep following his leadership and living for Him. Remain rooted and built up in Him.” We nod our heads at Paul’s instruction in Colossians 2:6-7:

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

But somewhere on the Christian journey we find ourselves tempted to believe those who falsely claim to have life’s answers, whose self-made solutions are not connected with Christ, the head of the Church (Col 2:19).

Captivated.

If we are not walking in Christ, we are easily captivated by empty ideas, following the crowd instead of following Christ; building on traditional values instead of the real Jesus; listening to those who re-interpret the Bible to suit their preferences. We may be impressed by what Paul describes as “unspiritual minds puffed up with idle notions”, rather than trusting God’s Word to guide us in all matters (Col 2:18).

Hollow philosophies depend either on past ideas on which a culture is based (“human tradition”), or on current ideas presented as self- evident truths which cannot be challenged (“elementary principles of this world”). These man-made theories disregard God and His Word. In the mid 20th century, the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer described a “world coming of age”– a new European civilisation that was learning to manage life without reference to God. We are living in that world.

Consider the impact of atheism and Darwin’s theory of evolution on the minds of people in the West and some sectors of South Africa today. For many decades, only one worldview—a secular evolutionary worldview— has been taught in schools as if it were established fact proven by science. Evolution assumes that human life is a product of chance over millennia and has no inherent value or purpose. Moreover, social media and screens are accelerating ideas, beliefs and practices that are out of step with what God has revealed in the Bible. According to Barna Group research, 10% of Boomers have a Biblical worldview, as opposed to 7% of Gen X, 6% of Millenials; and only 4% of Gen Z.

In 2019, a shocking survey revealed that 89% of 16-29 year olds in Britain believe that their lives are meaningless and without purpose. The statistics of hopelessness are similar in nearly all European countries. However, this should not come as a big surprise, because ideas have consequences. The web of an atheistic worldview leads to captivity, despair and death.

Man-centred philosophy.

Paul describes the mindset of false philosophers who were influencing the first century church. Noting these six red flags will equip us to recognise deceptive philosophers and their methods today:

1. Their minds are fleshly and unspiritual, set on earthly things. They have no interest in eternal priorities (Col 2:18).
2. They present a face of false ‘humility’. In their obsession with rules and regulations, they seek attention for themselves, not  God, proving their love of the world (Col 2:18, 23). They also compel and judge others for not following their rules (Col 2:16).
3. They invent a self-made religion (Col 2:22-23). By adding extras to the gospel, they live in the shadows instead of the glorious reality of knowing Jesus Christ. Self-made religion always has the “appearance of wisdom”, but is “destined to perish”, since it depends on human taboos, not on Christ’s grace or the Spirit’s power to restrain evil in the human heart.
4. They value amazing experiences, special visions and angelic beings more than the Word of God (Col 2:18). They base their faith on personal stories, rather than on knowing Christ through His Word, by His Spirit.
5. They sound as if they know Christ very well, but in reality they have lost connection with “the Head” (Col 2:19).
6. They live by do’s and don’ts, denying true Spirit-empowered transformation of the whole person (Col 2:22-23). They lure people into the captivity of rules and regulations.

Dead to the world.

Instead of living as people whom Christ has set free, Christians in Colossae were tempted to obey the world’s way of thinking and give in to the opinions of false teachers. They were being entangled by a web of deceit, instead of being transformed by renewing their minds in the gospel and Scripture. But Paul asks them a rhetorical question which we should ask ourselves regularly:

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?” (Col 2:20).

Alive with Christ.

Today we face a similar web of empty philosophies which undermine our identity, freedom and fullness in Christ. We need to remember that since we are now alive with Christ, we are both free to enjoy all that is good, as well as freed from having to run after anything that is not. Lest we forget, we are no longer bound to the world, as we no longer belong to the world. God has given us fullness in Christ (Col 2:13; 9). This is in stark contrast to the world’s empty deception.

When systems of thought and practice claim to prescribe a cure for the human condition, they compete with Christ (Col 2:1-15), but God’s Word teaches a way of looking at life by which we can think biblically and evaluate information and actions correctly (Col 2:2-10; 2 Tim 3:16-17). If we sit under the Bible, we are able to think with discernment and clarity.

Cultural traditions and current ideas are often presented as self-evident truths to help us build a better life, but in reality many are what Paul calls “fine sounding arguments” (Col 2:4), rooted in the “basic principles of this world” (Col 2:20), not in Christ. Spiritual wisdom comes from trusting in the fullness of Christ and living to please Him in everything.

Christ-centred philosophy.

As the antidote to man-centred philosophy, Paul gives Christians six solid truths to build a Christ-centred philosophy of life:

1. In Christ, we know God intimately and have fellowship with Him. (Col 2:9-10)
2. In Christ, we are truly alive, forgiven and fully accepted by God. There is nothing more to add and no more work to do (Col 2:13-14). We can simply rest in the gracious provision that already belongs to us.
3. In Christ, we have everything we need for salvation and a godly life (Col 2:10).
4. In Christ, sin no longer has mastery over us (Col 2:11). Our sinful way of life is dead and buried, while our new self has been raised with Christ through faith. Baptism is an outward picture of this internal reality, “Not a circumcision done by human hands, but circumcision done by Christ” (Col 2:11-12).
5. In Christ, we have freedom from sin’s penalty, since He willingly bore our guilt and the punishment imposed by God’s law. The devil cannot accuse us again. The demands of the “written code” (God’s law) have been fully met by the only One who could meet its standard (Col 2:12-14).
6. In Christ, all powers and authorities have been defeated (Col 2:15). The power of demons, human philosophies, evil forces and world systems have already been stripped away.

See how Paul lays out these six truths which point to the fullness we have in Christ:

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰ and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹ In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Col 2:9-15).

Fullness in Christ.

To counter empty philosophies, we need to embrace our complete identity in Christ (Col 2:9-15). Simply believe that we are new creatures and live the new life that Christ gave us when we died and rose with Him! Our life is not about do’s and don’ts, but about living in a way that fits who we are now—dead to the basic principles of this world and alive to Christ.

The NIV says that we have “fullness in Christ” (Col 2:10). Do we fully grasp this fullness? Fullness means that we do not need to borrow from the world’s bankrupt philosophies or chase after worldly principles. These are empty buckets and vanishing vapour. Rather, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another…” (Col 3:16).

As we grow in the Christian faith, let us become more and more confident that, armed with Christ and His living Word, we have everything we need to know and please God in our lives. Instead of turning to a new program, policy, podcast, or personal experience, let us turn to a person– Jesus our Redeemer– who changes people’s hearts from the inside out. Let us pursue the wisdom, hope and assurance available in His perfect Word. A Christ-centred philosophy will fortify us against “fine sounding arguments” and plausible lies that ultimately steal, kill and destroy.

Prayer

Father, thank you that in Christ we have died to the elementary principles of the world and are truly alive and free to serve you. Thank you for making us complete in your beloved Son. Keep our minds fixed on the fullness of Jesus and help us to take every thought captive to obey Him. Help us to embrace our full identity in Christ every day of our lives—as saints in good standing with you; as sinners fighting our sinful desires and resting in your provision; and as sufferers who face hardships and trials with Christ. Give us your discernment and wisdom, so that we will not be deceived by lies nor taken captive by hollow philosophy, but will see truth and error clearly.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.