Paul knew that “new faith is threatened faith.” Paul was called by God to bring the Gospel message to non-Jewish nations who worshipped mythical gods, idols, and evil spirits. He saw time and again how easily new Jesus Followers blended their former beliefs into their new faith. Drawing from his deep love and desire to protect new believers, Paul admonishes the Colossians not to pollute their new faith with harmful philosophies and rituals that would stunt their growth and weaken their call to a pure faith in Christ.
In last weekend’s sermon, Senior Teaching Pastor Jeff Manion demonstrated the dangers of a blended faith by pouring pure squeezed orange juice into a blender. Then he added blue cheese, butter, kale, eggs, and hot sauce. When blended in, you no longer have orange juice. You have something that looks similar—but tastes quite different. Pastor Manion warns us “beware of the blender.”
This is the same warning Paul gave new Colossian Christians. “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) Paul is saying their new faith is in threat of being kidnapped and to get their mind’s straight about who they’re following.
Today, watch below as Pastor Manion recites this week’s passage and experience Paul’s words in the same way of new Colossae believers. Write in your The New You journal (click here for a PDF version) ideas you hear that are threatening to Christian faith.
