Posted on 12/26/2024 5:34:00 AM PST by metmom
“[Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him” (Colossians 1:15-19).
A believer should defend the faith.
Despite the diligent labors of Epaphras, the Colossian church was in jeopardy. A serious heresy had arisen, and Epaphras was so concerned that he traveled to Rome to visit Paul in prison. The Colossian church had not yet been infected by that heresy, and Paul warns them against its dangers.
The heretics, denying the humanity of Christ, viewed Him as one of many lesser, descending spirit beings that emanated from God. They taught a form of philosophic dualism, postulating that spirit was good and matter was evil. Hence, a good emanation like Christ could never take on a body composed of evil matter. The idea that God Himself could become man was absurd to them. Thus, the false teachers also denied His deity.
Christ was also not adequate for salvation, according to the heretics. Salvation required a superior, mystical, secret knowledge, beyond that of the gospel of Christ. It also involved worshiping the good emanations (angels) and keeping Jewish ceremonial laws.
By far the most serious aspect of the Colossian heresy was its rejection of Christ’s deity. Before getting to the other issues, Paul makes an emphatic defense of that crucial doctrine. In Colossians 1:15-19 Paul reveals our Lord’s true identity by viewing Him in relation to God, the universe, and the church.
Perhaps you’ve met people who deny Christ’s deity, but you weren’t sure what to say to them. In the next few days, let Paul be your guide in showing you how to confront cultists in a biblical manner. By following his example, you’ll be able to defend our precious faith.
Suggestions for Prayer
Ask the Lord to teach you from His Word how to refute false teaching.
For Further Study
In verse 3 of Jude, what exhortation does Jude give to believers?
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
wWATCH: For the first time, all 27 billboards of Times Square went dark in NYC, and then lit up with the story of the Birth of Christ
The First Christmaspic.twitter.com/F1LRa0tWE1— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) December 25, 2024
Studying God’s Word ping
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Very nice. Not everything in NYC is bad. Of course something like this wasn’t possible until the age of video electronic billboards which we have now.
Just curious...who owns/runs those billboards
It was created and sponsored by Mormonism.
(Notice the Marriott Marquee under one of the billboards)
This video was edited to exclude the original creator’s ending, including the copyright.
Oh
People who sell the space and the time.
You want YOUR message displayed?
Be willing to PAY more than the next guy.
LDS, Inc. has VERY deep pockets.
Yes...know how they get paid...just wondered who. Thanks.
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