WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:32.240 Today I'm going to do something that I don't think I've ever done, and nobody has given me any sympathy for this, but Jason tasked us as pastors to preach an entire book of the Bible. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.759 And I said, I don't know how to do it. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.280 He said, you know, giddy up and better cup. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:46.799 So I'm going to attempt to take you through the whole book of Colossians. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:53.039 And I think Jason's aim is for us to put ourselves in the shoes of these recipients. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:55.520 You got these letters from the apostles. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:01:02.159 There somewhere is a little church in the Church of Colossae, and you received this letter from an apostle, right? 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:03.840 And what would your response be? 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:06.400 What would be the reaction in the church? 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.599 And that is what we try and capture with this series. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:14.400 But let me give you a little bit of uh history here. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:22.000 In the early stages of World War II, Denmark viewed Germany with an open mind. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:26.640 And they adopted this policy of neutrality. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:34.400 They thought neutrality would be mutually advantageous to both Denmark and Germany. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:50.000 However, despite a policy of neutrality, on the morning of April 9th, 1948, at 4.15 a.m., the German army crossed into neutral Denmark. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:02:00.239 At this point, the army felt that resistance would be futile and that surrender would be the only option. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:12.000 Two hours later, at 6 15 a.m., the Danish parliament unconditionally surrendered to Nazi Germany. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:25.520 Denmark would now face the increasing demands of Nazi Germany, especially adopting a policy on the Jews. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:30.879 Would they resist or would they defend what they believed to be right? 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:37.599 Or would they also this time opt for a policy of neutrality? 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:46.719 If you wait until the end of this sermon, which will be much later, I will tell you how this ended for Denmark. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:54.960 But the title of my sermon for this morning is Is neutrality an option? 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:59.680 Is neutrality an option for the Colossian church? 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:12.879 Paul's letter to the Colossians addresses the dangers of adopting a policy of neutrality mainly because it will leave the church vulnerable to this thing called syncretism. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:20.240 A church not anchored in propositional truths will always be vulnerable to syncretism. 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:22.879 Now let me give you a little background here. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:36.000 Paul's epistles to the church of Colossae was written from prison about midway through the first century, probably the year 60 to 62. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:42.000 He wrote two letters, one is lost, to three churches. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:55.120 Look at Colossians 4.13, and we're going to page back and forth today, so make sure your fingers are in the pages of Scripture. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:04:14.479 But we're going to stay in Colossians, and in 4.13 he says, For I testify for him that he, that is speaking of Epaphras, has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Heropolis. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:18.319 And we start picking up here the tone. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:28.240 The tone is polemic, somewhat defensive, decisively apologetic, yet very heartfelt. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:38.319 And therefore, because this letter is defensive, decisively apologetic, yet artfelt, I will try to do the same. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:40.240 4 16. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:01.120 And you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Laodicea. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:05.360 So Laodicea received two letters. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:15.120 And Paul is writing here out of a deep concern for these three sister churches and what is today known as Turkey. 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:21.759 He has a twofold purpose for writing this letter. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:24.959 The purpose is twofold. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:33.040 To warn the church of an existential threat, and number two, to anchor the church in propositional truths. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:39.759 Warn the church of existential threat and anchoring the church in propositional truth. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:43.519 Now let's look here at the existential threat. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.480 Let's look at the existential threat. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:56.240 Paul is warning the church here of existential threat, and we find that right in the middle of his letter. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:01.600 Usually in ancient writings, the meaty parts are in the middle. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:03.519 The most important parts are in the middle. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:05.279 Look at Colossians 2.4. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:14.800 I say this to you that no one will delude you, and some of your translations may read, deceive you. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:19.279 The is vis reads, delude you with what? 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:20.800 Persuasive arguments. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:40.000 And then a few verses later in 2.8 he says, see that no one takes you captive through the philosophy and empty deception, according to the traditions of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:42.319 Here's an existential threat. 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:55.199 These existential threats come through persuasive arguments and empty philosophy, or as the ESV reads there, philosophy and empty deceit. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:09.920 Now, as to the actual nature of these arguments and to the actual content and precise nature of these philosophies, scholars are divided. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.000 A British scholar, F. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:12.319 F. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:16.480 Bruce, suggested a form of Gnosticism. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.079 The one is the threat could be Gnosticism. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:23.199 And I'm not going to go into that too much. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:24.480 And uh Dr. 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:45.279 Arnold Clinton, he's from Viola, a more recent scholar, he says it was ancient folklores, Jewish mysticism, and indigenous customs combined with local traditions that were being accommodated into the church. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:54.560 No matter what view you take, you take the Gnostic view or the kind of the local customs of the area incorporated into the church. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:55.040 Dr. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:08:01.680 John Kitchen says the following in his commentary about the existential threat. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:12.959 He says it was a syncretistic blend of falsehoods melded together in a uniquely spiritually toxic brew. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:15.120 And I think scholars are united. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.959 Syncretism is what is the threat to you. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:29.680 Syncretism here is a blend of falsehoods melded together into a uniquely spiritually toxic brew. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:39.759 Syncretism was and is still an existential threat to the Christian church. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:46.960 A church not anchored in propositional truths will be vulnerable to syncretism. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:51.120 And that includes the Evangelical Free Church of America. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:54.240 We are not at risk. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:04.320 Syncretism is a word, is probably a word you will hear very early on if you talk to missionaries, right? 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.000 Paul Krisant, syncretism is a big problem, right? 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:16.399 I'll tell you a little story here about a syncretism and my first hand experience with syncretism in South Africa. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:27.759 This Baptist pastor, Solit, gospel preacher, plants a church in a village, a remote village in the northern part of South Africa. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:34.320 And by the time we went out there, maybe four or five years later, the pastor was preaching the gospel. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:40.080 The village pastor, who's now the local indigenous pastor, he's preaching a gospel. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.320 He's opening up the word and preaching the word. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:49.200 But then at some point, the church's finances started deep diving. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:50.879 And guess what? 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.480 They called in a Sangoma. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:09.279 A Sangoma is a shaman, a witch doctor of some sorts, to get this, drive out the demon of poverty, and to appease the ancestral spirits. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:10.399 Wow. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:12.240 That happens. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:20.639 You see, syncretism sounds very advantageous to both parties. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:29.120 The people of culture and the people of Christ can have it both ways. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:35.120 You can hold on to the gospel of Jesus Christ, but you can also hold on to the things that you grew up with. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:40.080 And in South Africa, just about every person that grows up with animism. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:41.360 Animism. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:45.679 Here's two more things that you gotta know about syncretism. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:51.039 Syncretism is never a wholesale departure from Christianity or the gospel. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:11:00.000 However, we are willing to let go of certain beliefs that we will believe would be here on the periphery. 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:02.080 We let go of these. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:06.159 We let go of these things on the periphery and we add things. 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:07.679 That is syncretism. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:12.639 That's the nature, that's the coat in which syncretism comes to the church. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:21.840 Another way in which syncretism comes into the church, it's where churches typically take a position of theological neutrality. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:23.840 And I'll explain that a little bit. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:32.879 You see, where there's theological neutrality, doctrinal neutrality, that church is being opened up for syncretism. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:38.480 However, theological neutrality, even in our own time, sounds so good. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:45.519 It's like, yeah, I'm a little more open-minded to other people's views, and I just want to get along with people, right? 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.919 That sounds good in our time. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:56.399 And we think it's a mutually advantageous position between the ideologies of culture and the teachings of Christ. 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:58.080 We can have both. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.000 And that is syncretism. 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:10.559 Now the Colossian church, and even the modern church, opens itself for syncretism in this thing called tolerance. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:12.399 Tolerance. 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:21.440 You see, tolerance says as long as people believe in Jesus Christ, we should be tolerant to a lot more other things. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:22.480 Right? 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:27.679 Well, let me give you some of the ways that Paul addressed these things. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.159 Go to Colossians 2.18. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:32.879 Colossians 2.18. 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:40.559 You see, the church here incorporated some of these local customs and practices. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:46.080 Yeah, these things are benign, they're harmless, but they could be helpful to the church. 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:50.559 But Paul says there's an inherent risk involved here. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:52.480 Look at Colossians 2.18. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:13:08.480 He says, let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and the worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reasons by a sensuous mind. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.919 And then he just keeps going on there. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:23.840 And he he talks about festivals and holidays, new moon feasts, abstaining from certain foods, honoring angels or patron saints. 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:30.159 These things might not be outright heretical, but are they helpful? 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:36.320 And do they have the potential to lead people astray? 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:48.159 Could it be that we could lose focus on what is important and pay so much attention to these things that we deem important? 00:13:50.639 --> 00:14:07.120 Paul says the ultimate conclusion of a religion that tries to hold on to Christ Jesus and his teaching, but also be open-minded to the ideas of culture is what he calls a self-made religion. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:11.039 Look at Colossians 2.23, dear brothers and sisters. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:16.879 Look at how these things appear to the unsuspecting. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:26.159 Colossians 2.23, and these are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of what? 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:28.639 It looks good. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:31.519 It's smart, it's great, it's genius. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:34.000 But what is it? 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.600 It's self-made religion. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:59.440 I mean, one thing that uh that that makes America great is you can go to a place where they make a plain coffee for you, and you can think about 28 ways in which they could make it for you, and then you walk out there with like a$6 item, which I could have made for like a buck. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.679 Nevertheless, you can have it your way. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:17.039 And Paul says you're this have it your way type of church is appears smart, it's appears wise, but it's a self-made religion which does what? 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:20.639 Diddly squat for you. 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.399 That's what they would say in South Africa. 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:24.480 Diddly squat, old man. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:31.039 It is of no value against fleshly indulgences. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:33.120 It can do nothing for you. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:40.159 It looks cool, makes you feel great, makes you feel happy, sounds smart, but it does nothing for you. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:50.480 So, by all appearances, these three churches in Asia Minor took on a policy of neutrality, or they were actually teetering on that point. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:59.679 And they were thinking of this: well, this let's work out something mutually advantageous to both sides, to the Christian church and to culture. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:01.600 Let's kind of meet midway. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:10.320 And that is certainly what Denmark thought they would do is if we can be neutral, it will work out good for Hitler and it will work out good for the Danes. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.440 But Paul disagrees. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:19.039 He does not believe that a policy of neutrality to be mutually advantageous. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:24.399 It would be advantageous to culture, but not advantageous to the Christian church. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.039 And I will show you from verse 4. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:34.320 I say this that no one will delude you with what? 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:36.559 A persuasive argument. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.559 Or as the ESV has it, a plausible argument. 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:43.440 You know, it's very convincing, a plausible argument. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:48.799 It's a well-crafted thought, it is an ideologue coming from a depraved mind. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:17:02.320 It is often emotionally charged, it is loaded with arguments that just feel right, and of course, it is more amicable towards other views. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:11.599 But no doubt it has the potential to lead the church down the primrose path of deception. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:18.319 See to it that no one deludes you or deceives you. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.119 But there's a second part of this existential threat. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:29.440 Paul warns here of the dangers of the captivating power. 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.599 There's a captivating power. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:39.200 There's an ability to hijack the thoughts, hearts, and minds of the people of Jesus Christ. 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:43.440 Look at verse 8 in chapter 2, 2, verse 8. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:47.680 See to it that no one takes you captive through what? 00:17:47.920 --> 00:18:01.039 Philosophy and empty deception according to the traditions of man, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than Christ. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:02.079 Thank you, Gwen. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:03.200 Glad you're here. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:05.599 First, second time in a row. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:18.319 In the Greek, the idea here is to give you two words to explain one thought. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:25.039 Look at that word through philosophy and empty deception. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.200 It's one thought in Greek. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:41.359 And if you want to, if you if you want to combine it into one, it will probably read empty deceptive philosophy, or I like this one, the deceptive philosophy of vanity. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:44.640 The deceptive philosophy of vanity. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:51.599 You see, we think of philosophy as something we as a freshman do in uh in college. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:19:08.559 It's those classes that teach us about Aristotle, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Hermann Marcuse, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, uh Sigmund Freud, and nowadays Kimberly Williams Crenshaw. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.359 But all these have a singular outlook. 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.440 They all have a singular goal. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:24.640 We all think these people are geniuses with the stuff they come up, but the central principle here is man is God. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:35.920 Man is his own God, and God of heaven, the God of Bible, the Bible, invades the heaven of man. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:54.319 You see, those who rally for solutions to life that is nothing but empty promises, they say we will make heaven a place on earth. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:20:04.799 It is a place where the God of the Bible has no place and no authority over people, and people can be a God in themselves and to themselves. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:10.079 That is what empty philosophy is all about. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:15.519 But it's not just limited to these names that I mentioned. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.559 It is distinctively worldly. 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:20.319 It's according to what? 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:24.880 The elementary principles of the world. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:29.440 And the best way I think we can describe it is that Trinity professor, Dr. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:39.839 Murray Harris, who says that this deceptive philosophy of vanity is about any system of thought that devalues Christ. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:48.079 Any system of thought that devalues Christ, that is encompassed here. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:53.839 And this is what will, in the end, hijack the church. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:02.720 You see, it all begins, and it all began here with this T word, tolerance. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:14.319 Syncretism starts off with a tolerance for ideas, but then it progresses to what is called pluralism. 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:17.759 Pluralism says everybody's ideas are right. 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:21.839 And then we come to a point, it's like, well, what do we do with the Christians? 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:26.720 Then we go back to this thing called relativism. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:28.000 Relativism. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:32.000 Relativism says nothing is really true. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:34.559 We can know nothing for certain. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:43.839 Relativism spells the death of absolute truth. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:54.799 Tolerance, in this case, sounded so open minded, but it devalues Christ. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.519 That will progress to pluralism, and it sounds respectful of everyone's. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.359 Ideas, but it devalues Christ. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:08.079 Eventually, ideas culminate into relativism. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:21.680 It sounds humble, but it devaluates and dethrones Christ simply because everything that Christ said should be taken with a grain of salt. 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:26.720 We cannot say this or that for sure. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.960 We cannot say this or that for certain. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:35.440 We cannot make absolute statements because tolerance will breed relativism. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:45.119 And this brings me to the second part of Paul's appeal here is to anchor the church in propositional truth. 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:48.799 Number two, to anchor the church in propositional truth. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:54.160 And I can't go through all the propositional truths in this book. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:23:02.799 The other night, actually, I had our elders met and we read through the whole of Colossians, and I can't remember if Scott was it 10 or 12 minutes? 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.640 Didn't take really that long. 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.359 And I say to the elders, look, it's a really short letter. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:15.279 Just tell me what you don't think is really important, and we're going to put this in kind of a jar, and we're going to just put the non-essentials. 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.720 And you know what? 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.279 There was absolute silence. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:22.400 And they're like, what's going on? 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:24.799 Is this guy more nuts than we thought he was? 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:30.000 But in any case, let me give you some examples of propositional truths here. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.599 He says there that Christianity is anchored in truth. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.000 Truth statements. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:43.359 I can prove that to you, Colossians 1, 5. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.480 Colossians 1.5. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:51.119 The ESVC reads, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, is that true or not? 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:53.119 Okay, that's up for debate. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:58.880 This you have heard before in the word of truth. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:06.160 That's not everyone's truth, that is not tolerant truth, that's propositional truth. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:21.440 The gospel which has come to you as a deed in the whole world, it's bearing fruit and increasing as it does also among you since the day you heard of it and understood it in the grace of God in truth. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:36.000 To anchor the church in propositional truth really goes against the grain of tolerance. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:39.119 It goes against neutrality. 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:51.119 Neutrality says, just let us hold everything lightly, because we just don't know for sure if it's true. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:55.279 Let me give you an example of what is a propositional truth claim. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:25:02.559 It's not a word we use it, use a lot, but the Bible makes certain claims. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:05.359 Colossians makes certain claims. 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:13.440 It makes certain claims about Jesus, about the church of Jesus, and the personal work of Jesus. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:16.160 And these are propositional truth claims. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:21.759 And if we accept those, it necessarily means we have to reject something else. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.240 Okay. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:24.079 Let me give you an example. 00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:26.960 The sky is blue. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:30.240 I want some of you to say the sky is green. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:32.079 The sky is green. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.359 Okay, there are some dissenters here, and that is good. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:47.519 In honor and out of respect and out of humility, the sky might be blue or it might be green. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:55.680 But to say the sky is blue means I have to reject this idea that the sky is green. 00:25:56.880 --> 00:25:59.759 But we can't both be right, can we? 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:04.240 Or we might both be wrong. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.240 That is relativism. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:10.720 That's what toleran breeds, is like we both could be wrong. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:15.279 So the sky might be blue and the sky might be green, but who knows? 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:20.640 And then we take that principle and we incorporate it into the Christian church. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:24.960 And we call it humility and tolerance. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:40.559 This is what we often don't know, but this idea of tolerance, inclusivism, pluralism, relativism is nothing new. 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:43.039 Nothing is new under the sun. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:50.960 What did Pontius Pilate say to Jesus in John 18, 38? 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:53.440 What is truth? 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:55.279 Jesus says, I tell you the truth. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:56.880 And he's like, yeah, what is truth? 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:57.759 What is truth? 00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:58.720 There's no truth. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:00.720 Everybody's truth is everybody's truth. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:03.359 Let's just be a little more tolerant here, Jesus. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.319 Right? 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:17.200 What tolerance breeds is eventually the syncretism of relativism where nothing is certain anymore. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:20.400 Nothing can be said with absolute certainty. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.559 Especially what I call ecclesiastical tolerance. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:33.599 And it's best described by many churches' policy of neutrality, where it doesn't ever take a position on something. 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:45.839 I mean, you open the church's doctrinal statement, and there's like five things written there, and it looks like, well, was this like a few first graders who wrote this doctrinal statement? 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:52.799 It's just so vague and just so, well, we don't want to take a position on this because nobody knows. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:57.359 Don't take a position because nobody knows? 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.559 Who gets to decide who doesn't know? 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:02.960 I'll give you some examples here. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:08.960 In Colossians 1.19. 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.880 Go to 119. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:19.200 Colossians 1.19 says, For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. 00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.720 Colossians 2.9. 00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:25.039 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.559 What is that? 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:29.200 What is that? 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:46.720 That is saying that in this body of this person named Jesus Christ who walked the earth somewhere around the year 30, uh he was 100% God and 100% man. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:51.920 And it's called the hypostatic union. 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:54.480 Great word to throw around lunch. 00:28:55.119 --> 00:29:01.359 The hypostatic union of Jesus means that he is 100% God and 100% man. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:04.960 He is the Son of God, he's the Son of Man. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:12.880 He's born of a virgin, a virgin, and he's also fully divine, eternal. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:21.599 And the response to that would be, you can't say that for sure. 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:25.039 You can't say it's a complex thing. 00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:34.160 I try to think it right today, and I or the last few days, and I I reached out to some people who I thought were very smart and they came up with dumb answers. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:37.359 You know, they say to me, it's a no, I'm honest with you. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:45.200 I mean, I mean, I won't tell you who this was, but but they come up, they tell me it's impossible. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:47.200 It's impossible. 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:53.759 This ring of mine that my wife gave to me is uh gold and wood. 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:56.400 It's gold and wood. 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:00.880 But it's not wood-gold or gold wood. 00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:03.359 It it yeah, it is. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:05.119 No, it can't be. 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:08.400 And I thought of illustrations like a Coca-Cola. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:17.519 What if I take a two-liter Coke bottle, put a chalk full of coke, can I compress it to such a degree that I can put another two liters of gasoline in it? 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:22.160 And then the scientist tells me you cannot compress something like water. 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.519 Water can't be compressed. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:27.200 And I'm like, well, how is Jesus working then? 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:29.599 It's a scientific impossibility. 00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:41.200 Well, let's be more tolerant and say, maybe Jesus was 100% man and 100% God, because there are other views, and let's not hold it too tightly. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:52.000 Let's hold it lightly so that we can respect and be more tolerant to our brothers and sisters who call themselves Jehovah's Witnesses. 00:30:52.160 --> 00:31:02.880 Let's be more tolerant towards those who call themselves the latter-day saints of Jesus Christ, who says that Jesus is God lowercase G. 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:06.079 Let's just be more tolerant. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:10.079 Can you see that Paul is making absolute statements here? 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:15.920 If Jesus is 100% God man, you've got to embrace that with faith and don't mess with it. 00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:19.279 And you've got to reject anything else other than that. 00:31:20.640 --> 00:31:23.200 Unless nobody knows anything. 00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:40.960 So maybe let's work out something that is more advantageous to the cause of Christ and the cause of culture. 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:52.720 And maybe let's say that Jesus could potentially have two distinct natures, but we must humbly admit we don't know for sure because it is a complex topic. 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:59.359 And that science will prove that something cannot be two things at one time. 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:13.359 If the church starts opting for doctrinal and theological neutrality rather than propositional truths, all things suddenly come up for debate. 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:16.799 All things come up for debate. 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:23.839 Certain truths will be pushed into categories of we can't say for sure. 00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:32.480 We can't say, this is a secondary doctrine, this is not an important doctrine, this is not a selvific doctrine. 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:45.440 And so let's say I've got this box in which we got to put everything in that box and say, we're not gonna take a stance on this, we're not gonna take a position on it because it's up for debate and it's uncertain. 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.480 Guess what? 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:49.599 Who determines what goes in that box? 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:51.599 Who determines that? 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:54.640 The church elders? 00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:55.759 I don't know. 00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.880 The pastors? 00:32:57.039 --> 00:32:57.519 I don't know. 00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.480 The congregation? 00:32:58.640 --> 00:32:59.119 I don't know. 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:02.240 No, let me tell you who decides what goes in that box? 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:03.440 Culture. 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:04.960 The world. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:11.759 Because he does say that these are according to the elementary principles of the world. 00:33:12.079 --> 00:33:15.759 Oh, you guys are so narrow-minded and so intolerant. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:23.680 Let's put some more things in this box so that we can have more support. 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:27.039 So we can hold hands with more people. 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:38.000 We can hold on to Jesus Christ with the left hand, and we can hold on to the world in the right hand for Jesus, and we go rally in the streets and say we love Jesus. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:43.359 But meanwhile, the guy on the right hand has rejected the deity of Jesus Christ. 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:46.960 He has rejected the eternality of Jesus Christ. 00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:53.039 He has rejected the cosmology of Jesus Christ as the creator of the world. 00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:56.640 But we want to hold hands with both sides. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:59.759 So let's look at something there. 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:02.480 This is high Christology. 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:06.160 This is like hard propositional truths. 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:13.920 And let me just tell you this day that Paul, when he wrote these propositional truths, he didn't just come up with them, right? 00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:18.400 He was inspired and led by the Holy Spirit. 00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:32.800 And Colossians 1:16 says, For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible, invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him. 00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:37.440 I mean, that's a bold statement. 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:40.800 You are so arrogant, Paul. 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:42.320 Just so arrogant. 00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:44.880 Just just where's the humility? 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:49.840 You should have said the word might, or possibly in there. 00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:53.199 Okay, Paul, now you're pushing the envelope. 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.239 You're gonna really alienate a lot of people here. 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:02.719 Verse 17 of chapter 1, he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:05.039 He is also the head of the body, the church. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:15.199 He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself will become to have first place in everything. 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:26.239 I mean, either we take it all or we take nothing of it. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:31.199 And if somebody says to me, first place, I am old school. 00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:33.760 You know, now you go, it's like, who won the race? 00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:34.719 Who got first praise? 00:35:34.800 --> 00:35:35.760 We hold it. 00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:41.920 No, Jesus is first place, he is first place. 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:48.880 I love the use of the word here, all and everything. 00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:53.119 It leaves no room, wiggle room to say something else. 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:59.760 If 118 says he is the head of the church, could it be that he's potentially the head of the church? 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:01.360 And that is up for debate. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:14.719 If it says that he is in all authority, he is the ruler, does it mean that he's only a ruler over your heart and nothing else? 00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:23.840 No authority is in place unless what Jesus puts it in place because he's before all things. 00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:27.920 What about the cosmology here? 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:34.079 He is before all things, and all things were created by him and for him, and everything holds together. 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:39.280 Well, we got to be a little more open-minded towards science. 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:47.039 Could be that he could have created, maybe he started, maybe he just kind of like lit the fuse here and let it go. 00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:47.920 Who knows? 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:49.360 But be humble. 00:36:51.360 --> 00:37:00.480 You see, Paul roots the church year in propositional truth, which means you've got to accept that and reject something else. 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:05.199 Whether physical or spiritual, Jesus is the boss. 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:09.840 He is not a servant to scientist. 00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:18.639 In all things of morality, he is the judged, not the accused or the defender. 00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:27.519 In all things pertaining to the laws of physics and the laws of morality, he is Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all. 00:37:29.280 --> 00:37:39.440 In fact, any propositional truth claim must and will always be rooted in the primacy and supremacy of Jesus Christ. 00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:46.719 He is either first at everything, or he is second and nothing. 00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:56.079 You see, you and I wouldn't know anything properly without knowing Jesus. 00:37:57.360 --> 00:38:06.000 You cannot understand the why of a lot of things, dear brothers and sisters, unless you know Jesus Christ. 00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:15.119 I know the day that you met Jesus Christ and he opened your eyes, all of a sudden a lot of things in life started making sense, right? 00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:26.320 I remember as a young man, I'm in the church, been in the church for many years. 00:38:26.559 --> 00:38:30.400 And this friend of mine goes and he has his wisdom teeth removed. 00:38:30.639 --> 00:38:32.400 And I say to him, Yo, that's good. 00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:34.079 It's gonna take the ape out of you. 00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:35.280 And he's like, What? 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:41.840 I'm like, you see, we were like apes, like big old baboons, and this is part of the evolutionary process. 00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:44.800 Our jaws have become smaller. 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:49.199 We live baboon-like, and now there's no place for your wisdom teeth. 00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:56.480 And then another friend of mine had a tonsilectomy. 00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:59.199 Yeah, that's taking the fish out of you. 00:38:59.360 --> 00:39:06.400 You see, we were like came out of a primal pond, and we these are gills, and we gotta take it out. 00:39:11.840 --> 00:39:15.039 Like, yeah, you were herbivore. 00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:18.559 That was your second stomach. 00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:22.960 I read this stuff in books, people. 00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:24.480 I didn't make it up. 00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:26.960 And then I came to Jesus. 00:39:27.199 --> 00:39:30.079 And I'm like, what nonsense, how stupid. 00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:35.760 Empty, vain philosophy that will hijack your mind. 00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:42.000