Keith Chandler
Journey Christian Church
In Colossians 2, the Apostle Paul warns us that after we have accepted Jesus as our leader and our forgiver, we shouldn’t settle for anything less than Jesus and Jesus alone. We should never forget that salvation is a Jesus + Nothing kind of plan. But through your spiritual journey, you’re gonna have people try to convince you that salvation should be a Jesus + something else kind of plan. In Colossians 2:6 Paul says,”So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.” Don’t add anything to the Jesus+nothing plan.
Paul warns in vs. 8:”See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
Another version translates that verse as “Don’t be kidnapped in your faith.”
Paul unpacks for us some of these hollow and deceptive philosophies that can kidnap us and take us into a Jesus plus something kind of plan.
They include:
• Jesus + Special Diet plan.
“Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink.” – Colossians 2:16
Your diet isn’t an issue that makes you in or out with God. Eating meat or vegetables won’t bring you closer or further away from God. Jesus made this same point in Matthew 15:17: “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body?”
• Jesus + Special Days Plan.
“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a Sabbath day.” – Colossians 2:16
• Jesus + Special Encounters Plan.
“Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.” – Colossians 2:18
There has always been something spiritually attractive about the supernatural (about angels and visions), about someone who has a direct pipeline from God. Paul’s saying to watch out for those with false humility who pride themselves in having these special visions.
• Jesus +Special Behaviors Plan
Paul talks about those who come up with a list of rules. Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” See Colossians 2:21 (also see Colossians 2:22-23). Someone said a legalist is anyone who is afraid that someone somehow somewhere is having a good time. None of us want to become like the Pharisees. It’s like dinner at Denny’s. You never intend to go there; you just end up there somehow.
We are on a Jesus + Nothing Plan
We don’t need anything other than him. I think this entire article is best summarized in this chapter when Paul says, “You have been given fullness in Christ.” – Colossians 2:20
Until next time, Keith
Sunday service 10am
7708 Van Dyke Rd. Odessa
www.tampajourney.com