Prayer, Bible, Unity | Truth | Bible | There's More! |    Answers | Cults | Christian Confusion | Ungodly Counsel | History | Quotations | Cartoons | About | Links | Link To This Page | AddSiteURL | Contact Us

Answers

Use Your Mind What's God's Purpose?
        
   Answers   Spirit, Mind, Body   Avoid Being Deceived

How can I avoid being deceived by hollow and deceptive philosophy?

 

Many false doctrines are taught.  Unless God speaks to your heart, you have no responsibility to learn them all so that you can refute them.  You need to know the genuine well enough that you are not deceived by that which is not real.  That doesn't mean that you are to become so brainwashed in your denominational doctrines that even God can't talk to you.  It means that you need to know Jesus Christ--you need to have that intimate, personal relationship--so well that nothing can deceive you.

Colossians 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

(ASV) Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:

(Darby) See that there be no one who shall lead *you* away as a prey through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the teaching of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

Mankind was never designed to function without God. Man, being spirit, soul, and body, was meant to be joined to God, but our rebellion has separated us from God. (Isaiah 59:2) Scripturally, the soul includes the intellect, mind, heart, and will. Our souls were meant to be in submission to our spirits, and our bodies are meant to be in submission to our souls. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

When a person is saved, that is, born again, his or her spirit is joined in union with the Holy Spirit. Something also happens in the soul that causes a change. The eyes of our understanding are opened to a great extent when we are saved. Our mind, which is part of our soul is changed to a degree, but we still are plagued by much of our mind that is still carnal. That is why we are instructed not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) We need to allow The Holy Spirit to renew our minds.

Whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) Faith comes from God. (James 1:17) Faith comes by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is possible to read the Bible and not hear the word of God. (2 Corinthians 3:14) We must remain connected to Christ. (John 15:5) We can become disconnected. (Colossians 2:19)

Philosophy is based on a world view, either Christian or non-Christian. A world view exists in the natural human mind. (1 Corinthians 2:14) That which is of faith is a heavenly vision. (Acts 26:19)

There is a difference between a heavenly vision and a world view. (Jeremiah 23:16) Naturalists assume that every person is in the same condition that naturalists are in, the condition of being disconnected from Jesus and dependent on supposition and a world view that exists in the natural mind. (Romans 1:28) They cannot believe that God really is capable of articulate speech. (1 Corinthians 12:2)

Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23) It is an inner work, beginning with the Holy Spirit ministering to the spirit of saved person, then working outward to the soul (intellect, mind, will), and finally all the way out to the body, which is brought into submission to the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6, 7, & 8)

 



Author/Compiler: Bob Stenson (unless otherwise noted)
Last updated: 2008-12-04 19:09:10

If you seek God, you will find Him through His Son, Jesus.
Previous - Next


* I thought the soul was the spirit? What's the difference between them?
* How can I discern between the Holy Spirit and my own mind?
* Are we really three-part beings, spirit, soul, and body?
* How can I understand my spirit, soul, and body?
* Should I trust my own mind or God's mind?
* But I have a mind and I'm supposed to use it, don't you think?
* How can I avoid being deceived by hollow and deceptive philosophy?
* What is God's good purpose?
* What happens when a person is born again and what is the work of the Spirit going forward?

Want more?
. . . or self-satisfied?


Featured Articles:

The Real Purpose of Life.  

The Real Purpose of the Church.




THE CONCLUSION

Receive Jesus Button
Links | Add Site URL