Let's see what else God's Word has to say in regards to your snarky comment against Jesus.
A few verses before in 2 Peter 1:11 it says "Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Do you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know what "Lord" means?
The same old straw man fallacy shows up again that God the Son isn't God the Father, but no one is claiming that. This attack on Jesus is repeated so much it seems to fall into the disingenuous and lie territory.
God is powerful enough to do what you don't comprehend as a man. Whether you comprehend that or not doesn't change reality or the truth. The Bible says that in John 1 the 'word was God' and was there at the beginning, so do you believe it?
More of God's truth about God:
Luke 4:34 - "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God."
Luke 4:12 after satan put Jesus to the test Jesus says "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
Isaiah 7:14 - Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us"
Isaiah 42:5 "Thus saith God the LORD..."
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is my name..."
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
Godhead:
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
John 1:18
God is we and us plural:
Genesis 1:26
If the Bible flat out said Jesus is God like it does would you believe it?
Where are the verses that say Jesus isn't God the Son? (none)
Where are the verses saying Jesus IS God the Son (above, numerous)
And where are the verses where Jesus verbally denied being God? (none)
The answer is yes, those who are raptured will not see physical death. So, if the rapture happens during our lifetime, we will not see physical death. Hebrews 9:27 does not fit with 1 Thessalonians 4:17. If we think about it, and if we had to wait for every person to physically die first, there would never be a rapture because someone is being born every day.
No not always catholics made it up . Apostles didn't believe it catholics brought it in after all witnesses who saw and heard Jesus were dead . We make big mistake believing same things as catholics do . Roman catholics are the whore of babylon their doctrines are poison to true Christians . Devil is sneaky tells a little truth with many lies he did that to Eve and does it to us beware ! I dont go by what lots of people believe lots of people don't think or read for themselves . Not to offend you sorry .
2 Peter 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Was Jesus a ventriloquist or is he the Son of God? I'm convinced Jesus is the Son of God)
Even without talking evil or denying him loudly, just denying the Holy spirit presince in our life is blasphemies.
The Holly spirit guides us to do and to say the right things, it doesn't matter if you are believer or not, denying this inner sound in our life (the sound of God) is blaspheming.
Guy's, this is a tricky one, and cognate's are relevant when rightly dividing the word of truth, 2 Timothy 2:15,
One must be aware of what happens in the end times, and use of different phrases to describe or indentify said events such as "The Hour of Temptation" (The Great Tribulation) often times referred to as "in that hour" or "the same hour",, God's not going to allow unforgiveness to be easy,,,
Read Luke 12:8-12 this only takes place during a certain time by certain chosen people.
Here in v10 the use of cognate am referring to; And whosoever shall speak a word against/TO the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against/TO THE Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.
12 For THE Holy Spirit will teach you in the (same hour) what ye should say."
This only happens during the HOUR of Temptation, (The Great Tribulation) by certain chosen people being delivered up unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and authorities.
The five porches that lead down into the water of healing! He stops, and considers those who are watching Him as He stands considering the souls waiting. Souls waiting for the water that will move and heal those who enter first! How God works, even while they wait and watch, unaware that He who can do all things, is standing before them!
One is there, who has been waiting a long time! 38 long years, unable to walk, when the water moves they run over Him!
Jesus knows who is there, He knows who has been waiting the longest, He knows whom He shall heal!
These are the condions of the heart our Lord looks for!
A heart waiting, a heart longing, a heart looking for help!
Is this your condition? Are you watching and waiting! Or, are you sitting, and debating, to stay or go! No longer waiting for movement of water? No longer waiting for this Holy Spirit? No longer waiting for the spring that flows unto eternal life!
If you stay, you will see what He can do! You will see the healing of Him who has been waiting the longest! Now hear Him as He says take up your bed and walk! You cannot see the eyes of those who sit and watch, saying, how can these things be?
You will see what it means to wait! You will see what it means too hope! You will see what it means to forgive!
This one sees you waiting at the pool, waiting to heal you. Waiting to forgive you!
Close your eyes, take a breathe, and ask the Comforter for wisdom and knowledge.
There is much speculation as to who these two individuals are but there is no need to guess. The two witnesses are Elijah from the Old Testament and John, the writer of Revelation, from the New. How do we know this? Because the Bible tells us.
Malachi 4:5 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD
Rev 10:11 - And he [an angel] said unto me [John], Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Dear "Fred Scanlan", Thanks for the nice introduction to being a Fisherman. It reminded me of the patience a Fisherman must have, go in, wait, patiently, come up with new tactics and sort of guide the fish into the net. Thanks again for there are some Big fish in the keel water here. (smiley) In Jesus name.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
As the years go by, I understand more and more God's plan, and see His work with us all. Even the sleaziest fish can turn around and come to the hook in the end. Where it looks closed in cloudy water, there may also be some gold grains. Who comes forth and gives great thanksgiving to our God. So really, all people can thank for the good God we have. So we fishermen must dress with more than patience, with peace, long-suffering, forgiveness yes! All Jesus' good gifts. Because all people are loved by God, therefore we must love one another. God bless you brother through thick and thin. Be strong in your word and share. The only harm it can do is for people to repent from dead works to faith, and belive in the Living Jesus Christ. Amen
Hi Joel. In Mark 3:28-30, we read, "Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit."
To blaspheme in its primary meaning, is to speak evil or irreverently about God. But in this passage in Mark, the Scribes attributed the Work of Jesus to being the work of Satan; that Jesus was casting out devils by Satan's power (which of course, doesn't make sense). So, Jesus brings out this Truth against them, that when God does a Work by His Spirit and someone says that it is a work of the Devil, then that person blasphemes or insults God's Holiness & Power - a grievous sin that cannot find forgiveness. That is why I am always careful to hold my thoughts & tongue if I am not able to discern by what spirit a particular work is being done or a particular manifestation is given. The end result of that work or manifestation must clearly be evil or against God's Word before anyone can give their judgement against it.
In this chapter God directs Moses in how to make the priestly garments of Aaron, the High Priest for the Israelites, and his sons, who were priests. Again, the instructions are very exacting and the garments contained intricacies. The garments were for beauty and honor for the high priest. I think of Jesus being clothed in majesty and power to whom all glory and honor and praise is given in worship. I think of how it is said that God wraps Himself in light and splendor. Certainly the High Priest would stand out among the people as very special and necessary for their relationship with YHWH. Jesus, too, stands out among all humans as absolutely special (incomparable worth) and is necessary for any human in one's relationship with God.
I looked up a few of the words that I did not recognize:
ouches were like buttons for fastening
mitre is a twisted length of linen that is wound around the head-like a turbin
girdle is like a sash or belt of linen
ephod is two pieces of cloth joined at the shoulders with the onyx stones fastened to the other piece.
the gold piece for the forehead was a type of crown and it said "Holiness to the Lord"
habergeon-a vestment of chain metal for protection and so that the ephod cannot be rent.
I think that there is probably much symbolism represented in the High Priest garments to represent our Lord Jesus.
What stands out to me is that these garments most likely represent Jesus' purity-fine linen; heavenly existence prior to the incarnation and after the ascension-blue in the cloth; His deity-gold in the cloth; His sovereign as King of King-purple in the cloth; and His Messiahship for Israel-scarlet in the cloth.
The preciousness of those Whom the Father gave to Jesus (believers) in the stones on the breastplate over the High Priest's heart.
The absolute Holiness of Jesus as being set apart from before the creation of the world to be our Savior to reconcile us back to the Father in the golden plate (crown).
To impose dogmas upon one; Wherefore if ye died with Christ (from) the elementary rules of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject [such as] to ordinances, traditions of men, or ceremonial law.
Why are you subjecting yourself to them imposing dogmas telling you; (Touch not; taste not; handle not;Which all are for corruption with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
To make long things short, the story goes like this:
Some faulse teachers from the Jews went to Galatia and tought christians there that they should keep ordinances and traditions from the Old Testament as well, if they wanted to be saved, like do not touch, eat, or handle specific things (as well as many other rules). Paul in his letter to Galatians dismisses those beliefs and urges believers to return back to the original true teachings that were given by him in the begining.
Yes but they never followed God almighty. To the point that God send his only SON who they crucified hence their extinction.
Jerusalem was desolate hence in Ezekiel 43 he prophesied that Jerusalem will have people from the east. But the people from the east prefers Mohammad than Jesus. Leading us now to tribulation
It's called the 6th day creation, when God created MANKIND, all the races male and female, and saw that it was good!
Genesis 1:26 And God said,"Let Us make (mankind) in the likeness of Our image: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
God ended His work of creating the 2nd Heaven and Earth age on the 6th day. He then sanctified the 7th and theN FORMED
manADAM on the 8th, Genesis 2:7 a Potter to till the ground, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life(soul)and manAdam became a living soul.
The dinosaurs are what plenished the earth in the first age before God destroyed it.
Hello J. Halli. You have probably read the whole of Colossians chapter 2 and in this chapter, the Apostle Paul gives a warning (the key verse being verse 8: "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.").
As in the Church in those early days & in the Church now, there were teachers coming in with their 'own brand of Christianity', often mixed with Jewish Laws, customs, & traditions. So Paul is warning the Church to be aware of them who bring in these damnable teachings that don't align with what they have been taught by the apostles about the full worth of Jesus Christ. Instead, these teachers wanted to bind Christians to observances to maintain a piety, a cleanliness of body & spirit & self-effort to maintain a right standing before God. And this can never work because through Jesus' Death & Resurrection all who put their trust in Him have been set free from the Law that only brought death; and the vain commandments & traditions of men that may have some appeal-value, only put man back into bondage & self effort to be more acceptable to God. And this must not happen, because only through Christ are we accepted in Him ( Ephesians 1:3-6).
Such vain teachings are found in the writings of the Jewish rabbis and the ancient Jewish sect of the Essenes which were full of such precepts. Paul here, uses the language of these Jewish teachers in regard to various kinds of food and drink. "Why are ye subject to ordinances of various kinds, such as this - Touch not, taste not, handle not?" (vv20,21). These teachers want to prohibit you from even touching certain kinds of food, or tasting certain kinds of drink, or handling certain prohibited things; saying, that by doing so you will become defiled before God. This was not the teaching of Jesus & the apostles, but the teaching of carnal misguided men who, like the Pharisees, wanted to bring people back into bondage.
In Verse 22, Paul says, "Paul says which all are to perish with the using;)" All of these touch not, taste not, handle not, it's all about temporary things in the physical realm and they're going to perish anyway. And they are after the commandments and doctrines of men? So why do they do that?
In Verse 23, it says, "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship," Ascetics like to make their form of religion public. They want people to see this form of "holiness" about their suffering, because they say the more you suffer, the holier you are. Continuing on in Verse 23, "Which is found in humility, and neglecting of the body; and not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh."
It's not going to satisfy my flesh. And that was supposed to be some kind of a public declaration of holiness!
In Colossians Chapter 2, Paul addresses a few major groups of people that are not only in Christian cult form today, but they actually began back in Paul's day. The first group that we're introduced to in Colossians 2:8-10 is Gnosticism. Gnosko is the Greek word for knowledge. The Gnostics were people who had "special" knowledge beyond the scriptures, beyond anything man has known.
The second group are the legalists. And they are found in Colossiand 2:11-17. Now the legalists said that it's okay to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but the men had to be physically circumcised.
The third group is found in Colossians 2:18-19, and they are the Mystics. We have Mysticism around today. We have Mystic Christians. Their main emphasis is that they receive the truth from God through visions and revelation.
And then the fourth group (Asceticism) which has the answer to your question, these are the Ascetics. The ascetics believed that one can purify the spirit by punishing the body. Now stop and think about that, because this is where all the false teaching gets exposed. How is me punishing my body doing any good for my spirit? They are two different realms. If I punish my body, I'm hurting my body. That's it! I don't get more spiritual by punishing my physical body.
Colossians 2:20-23 deals with Asceticism. Verse 20 -21 says, "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;"
So they said that you attain spirituality by self-neglect. "Don't touch that, or don't taste that! Paul in a couple of places said that the kingdom of God is not in meat and drink, but in spirit. The food comes in and the food goes out. That's it. It never touches your spirit. It has nothing to do with it! There isn't anything spiritual about it whatsoever!
I am running out of space, so I will send a Part 2
A few verses before in 2 Peter 1:11 it says "Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Do you believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior?
Do you know what "Lord" means?
The same old straw man fallacy shows up again that God the Son isn't God the Father, but no one is claiming that. This attack on Jesus is repeated so much it seems to fall into the disingenuous and lie territory.
God is powerful enough to do what you don't comprehend as a man. Whether you comprehend that or not doesn't change reality or the truth. The Bible says that in John 1 the 'word was God' and was there at the beginning, so do you believe it?
More of God's truth about God:
Luke 4:34 - "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God."
Luke 4:12 after satan put Jesus to the test Jesus says "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."
Isaiah 7:14 - Jesus is called Immanuel which means "God with us"
Isaiah 42:5 "Thus saith God the LORD..."
Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD: that is my name..."
Hebrews 1:8 "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."
Godhead:
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
John 1:18
God is we and us plural:
Genesis 1:26
If the Bible flat out said Jesus is God like it does would you believe it?
Where are the verses that say Jesus isn't God the Son? (none)
Where are the verses saying Jesus IS God the Son (above, numerous)
And where are the verses where Jesus verbally denied being God? (none)
"I AM" John 8:56-59
John 10:30
John 8:19
Philippians 2:5-8
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 1:3
Matthew 28:19
1 Peter 1:2
2 Corinthians 13:14
Deuteronomy 6:4
John 14:10
John 20:28
1 John 2:22-24
Matthew 1:23-25
Colossians 2:9
Acts 17:29
Romans 1:20
Isaiah 7:14
Hebrews 1:8
Isaiah 44:6
Isaiah 43:11
John 17:5
John 17:21
The answer is yes, those who are raptured will not see physical death. So, if the rapture happens during our lifetime, we will not see physical death. Hebrews 9:27 does not fit with 1 Thessalonians 4:17. If we think about it, and if we had to wait for every person to physically die first, there would never be a rapture because someone is being born every day.
When is Church discipline needed for a born again believer in a fundamental Christian Baptist Church; Scripturally speaking?
Thanking you in advance, Bill
Mathew 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Mark 12:25
For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
The Holly spirit guides us to do and to say the right things, it doesn't matter if you are believer or not, denying this inner sound in our life (the sound of God) is blaspheming.
Is it that living, raptured believers will escape physical death?
Thanks.
One must be aware of what happens in the end times, and use of different phrases to describe or indentify said events such as "The Hour of Temptation" (The Great Tribulation) often times referred to as "in that hour" or "the same hour",, God's not going to allow unforgiveness to be easy,,,
Read Luke 12:8-12 this only takes place during a certain time by certain chosen people.
Here in v10 the use of cognate am referring to; And whosoever shall speak a word against/TO the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against/TO THE Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.
12 For THE Holy Spirit will teach you in the (same hour) what ye should say."
This only happens during the HOUR of Temptation, (The Great Tribulation) by certain chosen people being delivered up unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and authorities.
The five porches that lead down into the water of healing! He stops, and considers those who are watching Him as He stands considering the souls waiting. Souls waiting for the water that will move and heal those who enter first! How God works, even while they wait and watch, unaware that He who can do all things, is standing before them!
One is there, who has been waiting a long time! 38 long years, unable to walk, when the water moves they run over Him!
Jesus knows who is there, He knows who has been waiting the longest, He knows whom He shall heal!
These are the condions of the heart our Lord looks for!
A heart waiting, a heart longing, a heart looking for help!
Is this your condition? Are you watching and waiting! Or, are you sitting, and debating, to stay or go! No longer waiting for movement of water? No longer waiting for this Holy Spirit? No longer waiting for the spring that flows unto eternal life!
If you stay, you will see what He can do! You will see the healing of Him who has been waiting the longest! Now hear Him as He says take up your bed and walk! You cannot see the eyes of those who sit and watch, saying, how can these things be?
You will see what it means to wait! You will see what it means too hope! You will see what it means to forgive!
This one sees you waiting at the pool, waiting to heal you. Waiting to forgive you!
Repent and be baptized
There is much speculation as to who these two individuals are but there is no need to guess. The two witnesses are Elijah from the Old Testament and John, the writer of Revelation, from the New. How do we know this? Because the Bible tells us.
Malachi 4:5 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD
Rev 10:11 - And he [an angel] said unto me [John], Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
As the years go by, I understand more and more God's plan, and see His work with us all. Even the sleaziest fish can turn around and come to the hook in the end. Where it looks closed in cloudy water, there may also be some gold grains. Who comes forth and gives great thanksgiving to our God. So really, all people can thank for the good God we have. So we fishermen must dress with more than patience, with peace, long-suffering, forgiveness yes! All Jesus' good gifts. Because all people are loved by God, therefore we must love one another. God bless you brother through thick and thin. Be strong in your word and share. The only harm it can do is for people to repent from dead works to faith, and belive in the Living Jesus Christ. Amen
John 19
Be aware some names were popular and later people re-used the same name.
Find a legible Chart.
To blaspheme in its primary meaning, is to speak evil or irreverently about God. But in this passage in Mark, the Scribes attributed the Work of Jesus to being the work of Satan; that Jesus was casting out devils by Satan's power (which of course, doesn't make sense). So, Jesus brings out this Truth against them, that when God does a Work by His Spirit and someone says that it is a work of the Devil, then that person blasphemes or insults God's Holiness & Power - a grievous sin that cannot find forgiveness. That is why I am always careful to hold my thoughts & tongue if I am not able to discern by what spirit a particular work is being done or a particular manifestation is given. The end result of that work or manifestation must clearly be evil or against God's Word before anyone can give their judgement against it.
In this chapter God directs Moses in how to make the priestly garments of Aaron, the High Priest for the Israelites, and his sons, who were priests. Again, the instructions are very exacting and the garments contained intricacies. The garments were for beauty and honor for the high priest. I think of Jesus being clothed in majesty and power to whom all glory and honor and praise is given in worship. I think of how it is said that God wraps Himself in light and splendor. Certainly the High Priest would stand out among the people as very special and necessary for their relationship with YHWH. Jesus, too, stands out among all humans as absolutely special (incomparable worth) and is necessary for any human in one's relationship with God.
I looked up a few of the words that I did not recognize:
ouches were like buttons for fastening
mitre is a twisted length of linen that is wound around the head-like a turbin
girdle is like a sash or belt of linen
ephod is two pieces of cloth joined at the shoulders with the onyx stones fastened to the other piece.
the gold piece for the forehead was a type of crown and it said "Holiness to the Lord"
habergeon-a vestment of chain metal for protection and so that the ephod cannot be rent.
I think that there is probably much symbolism represented in the High Priest garments to represent our Lord Jesus.
What stands out to me is that these garments most likely represent Jesus' purity-fine linen; heavenly existence prior to the incarnation and after the ascension-blue in the cloth; His deity-gold in the cloth; His sovereign as King of King-purple in the cloth; and His Messiahship for Israel-scarlet in the cloth.
The preciousness of those Whom the Father gave to Jesus (believers) in the stones on the breastplate over the High Priest's heart.
The absolute Holiness of Jesus as being set apart from before the creation of the world to be our Savior to reconcile us back to the Father in the golden plate (crown).
Why are you subjecting yourself to them imposing dogmas telling you; (Touch not; taste not; handle not;Which all are for corruption with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
To make long things short, the story goes like this:
Some faulse teachers from the Jews went to Galatia and tought christians there that they should keep ordinances and traditions from the Old Testament as well, if they wanted to be saved, like do not touch, eat, or handle specific things (as well as many other rules). Paul in his letter to Galatians dismisses those beliefs and urges believers to return back to the original true teachings that were given by him in the begining.
GBU
Jerusalem was desolate hence in Ezekiel 43 he prophesied that Jerusalem will have people from the east. But the people from the east prefers Mohammad than Jesus. Leading us now to tribulation
Genesis 1:26 And God said,"Let Us make (mankind) in the likeness of Our image: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
God ended His work of creating the 2nd Heaven and Earth age on the 6th day. He then sanctified the 7th and theN FORMED
manADAM on the 8th, Genesis 2:7 a Potter to till the ground, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life(soul)and manAdam became a living soul.
The dinosaurs are what plenished the earth in the first age before God destroyed it.
As in the Church in those early days & in the Church now, there were teachers coming in with their 'own brand of Christianity', often mixed with Jewish Laws, customs, & traditions. So Paul is warning the Church to be aware of them who bring in these damnable teachings that don't align with what they have been taught by the apostles about the full worth of Jesus Christ. Instead, these teachers wanted to bind Christians to observances to maintain a piety, a cleanliness of body & spirit & self-effort to maintain a right standing before God. And this can never work because through Jesus' Death & Resurrection all who put their trust in Him have been set free from the Law that only brought death; and the vain commandments & traditions of men that may have some appeal-value, only put man back into bondage & self effort to be more acceptable to God. And this must not happen, because only through Christ are we accepted in Him ( Ephesians 1:3-6).
Such vain teachings are found in the writings of the Jewish rabbis and the ancient Jewish sect of the Essenes which were full of such precepts. Paul here, uses the language of these Jewish teachers in regard to various kinds of food and drink. "Why are ye subject to ordinances of various kinds, such as this - Touch not, taste not, handle not?" (vv20,21). These teachers want to prohibit you from even touching certain kinds of food, or tasting certain kinds of drink, or handling certain prohibited things; saying, that by doing so you will become defiled before God. This was not the teaching of Jesus & the apostles, but the teaching of carnal misguided men who, like the Pharisees, wanted to bring people back into bondage.
(Part 2)
In Verse 22, Paul says, "Paul says which all are to perish with the using;)" All of these touch not, taste not, handle not, it's all about temporary things in the physical realm and they're going to perish anyway. And they are after the commandments and doctrines of men? So why do they do that?
In Verse 23, it says, "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship," Ascetics like to make their form of religion public. They want people to see this form of "holiness" about their suffering, because they say the more you suffer, the holier you are. Continuing on in Verse 23, "Which is found in humility, and neglecting of the body; and not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh."
It's not going to satisfy my flesh. And that was supposed to be some kind of a public declaration of holiness!
(Part 1)
In Colossians Chapter 2, Paul addresses a few major groups of people that are not only in Christian cult form today, but they actually began back in Paul's day. The first group that we're introduced to in Colossians 2:8-10 is Gnosticism. Gnosko is the Greek word for knowledge. The Gnostics were people who had "special" knowledge beyond the scriptures, beyond anything man has known.
The second group are the legalists. And they are found in Colossiand 2:11-17. Now the legalists said that it's okay to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but the men had to be physically circumcised.
The third group is found in Colossians 2:18-19, and they are the Mystics. We have Mysticism around today. We have Mystic Christians. Their main emphasis is that they receive the truth from God through visions and revelation.
And then the fourth group (Asceticism) which has the answer to your question, these are the Ascetics. The ascetics believed that one can purify the spirit by punishing the body. Now stop and think about that, because this is where all the false teaching gets exposed. How is me punishing my body doing any good for my spirit? They are two different realms. If I punish my body, I'm hurting my body. That's it! I don't get more spiritual by punishing my physical body.
Colossians 2:20-23 deals with Asceticism. Verse 20 -21 says, "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;"
So they said that you attain spirituality by self-neglect. "Don't touch that, or don't taste that! Paul in a couple of places said that the kingdom of God is not in meat and drink, but in spirit. The food comes in and the food goes out. That's it. It never touches your spirit. It has nothing to do with it! There isn't anything spiritual about it whatsoever!
I am running out of space, so I will send a Part 2