Let us open our Bibles again to Colossians. We have already had one address in this series on Paul's doctrine and its bearing on our life and testimony in these last days. Last time we traced the bringing in of the Church historically, the conversion of the Apostle Paul, together with the testimony that was committed to him. We saw in his ministry how he sought to bring all the saints into full fellowship with the revelation that had been given to him as the special Apostle of God. Confessedly, the Apostle has a unique position unlike that of other apostles. Fourteen men are spoken of in Scripture as "apostles," of whom Paul was not a whit behind the very chiefest! Paul was the chosen vessel through whom Christ revealed the truth of the Church. In fact, Paul is the only one of the eight authors of the New Testament who speaks of the "church of God." To be sure, others of the apostles speak of "the church," but Paul only, I believe, uses the expression, "the church of God."
In our last address, we followed Paul down to the first chapter of Colossians, and we laid emphasis on this statement in Col. 1:27, 28, 2927To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. (Colossians 1:27‑29): "Christ... whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily." Then in the next chapter, Colossians 2: "For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God." vv. 1, 2. Leave out the remainder of that verse. You will find it omitted in the better translations. Verse 3: "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The Apostle's exercise there is that there should be the acknowledgment in your life and mine of the whole truth of the mystery of God. And the mystery of God is connected with Christ and the Church.
In God's ways and wisdom the Apostle Paul became the medium for the communication of three distinct revelations. The greatest of these is first alluded to in 1 Cor. 12:1212For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12): "As the body is one, and bath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is [the] Christ"—"the Christ!" I am not supplying the definite article there without reason. It is so given in the Greek text. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." "So also is [the] Christ." What does that expression, "the Christ" mean there? It means that the union of the members of the body with the ascended Head is so real that the whole looked at together—the body, Head, and the members—are regarded as one, and so are called "the Christ." The mystical "Christ" then, comprehends the Head in heaven and the members down here on earth. Paul in that first chapter of Colossians said that he had received a double ministry. The first part of that ministry was connected with the gospel, and Paul's gospel always connected man with the glory, as he calls it in the fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians, "the gospel of the glory of Christ." Why was that? When Paul preached the gospel, he did not stop with telling sinners that Christ died for them, and by receiving Christ they would get their sins forgiven. Paul preached that the gospel was of such enormous purport and power, that the man who received Christ not only received forgiveness of sins but became attached to the Man in glory—connected with that One up there. Yes, he goes further in this doctrine, and sees the believer seated in the heavenlies in Christ.
The second revelation that Paul received was closely connected with the former. In addition to this truth that the Church is a heavenly institution joined to the glorified Head by the indwelling Spirit of God, there was also committed to Paul the full doctrinal significance of what we commonly speak of as the Lord's supper. In the religious world around us it is spoken of as the Communion Service. In the Word of God we find it brought before us in the 10th and 11th chapters of 1 Corinthians as the great central ordinance to express through all the Church's history the truth of Christ's death for us. Now, to Paul was committed the bringing out in connection with the remembrance of the Lord the additional significance of the one loaf. "Because we (being) many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf." 1 Cor. 10:1717For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17); J.N.D. Trans. Thus is the unity of the body of Christ (the Church) brought before us.
The third revelation committed to Paul was that of the resurrection of the departed saints plus the fact that some of us may never have to die. How does that integrate with the other two revelations? In this way: If the truth of Christ and the Church is the highest truth that God can give to man, and if the memorial of the Lord's supper is the expression of that truth for the Church here on earth, what about the saints that have passed off this scene? Are they going to lose any of the benefits accruing to the living saints? No, we are assured that they lose nothing. For the Lord is watching over them and is going to bring them all back that they, with us, should be changed and so fitted for the blessing when we enter into the fullness of what we have now received by faith. This raising of the dead saints and the changing of the living to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air is commonly called the "rapture," or, the catching away of the Church.
When all who are predestinated to form part of that mystical body are gathered in through the preaching of the gospel, there will sound the shout in the air as the Church is caught away from the earth forever. We must go to the 4th chapter of 1 Thessalonians to find out how this takes place. All these three revelations committed to Paul are interrelated. Together they complete the special Pauline testimony.
In our chapter this afternoon, Colossians 2, we find the Apostle is much concerned that there might be full acknowledgment of the mystery of God. In the 4th verse: "And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." The 8th verse: "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. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him."
Dear saint of God, "ye are complete in Him." Oh, how jealous Paul was that that truth continue with us. "Complete in Him"—but that is connected with the truth of Christ and the Church. You cannot separate them. It all hangs together, and Paul says in that first verse, "I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you." On what point? That they might be saved? No! That they might get to heaven when they die? No!' That they might enter, into this mystery; that that might form and fashion their lives. And he goes on to develop the doctrine as it practically affects the life of the believer.
Turn to the last chapter of this same epistle, 12th verse: "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." There was a man who labored in spirit for the Lord by praying. Was he gospel-minded? I have no doubt he was. No saint is in a healthy state of soul who is not gospel-minded, but I tell you there was something about Epaphras that went beyond being gospel-minded. Epaphras was church-minded. Are you church minded? Are you? Paul was. Paul commends Epaphras for the fact that he labored and sweated and toiled in spirit that the saints of God might enter into the full acknowledgment of all the truth of God. We are living in such shallow times that Christianity has become so watered down that in many places today it is becoming synonymous with the concept of a home and foreign missionary society.
I shall relate an incident. One afternoon we had a nice Bible reading at a conference. A minister was there, a child of God. I knew him personally. In fact, his mother was in the meeting. I remarked to him at the close of the reading what a lovely time we had had over the Word of God, and he gave a rather reluctant agreement to the statement, and added, "I don't attach much importance to this kind of thing. I believe that God measures all things in terms of the salvation of men's souls." He meant it. He was sincere, and I believe he was a real soul winner, too. Some day all his service for Christ is going to pass in solemn review at the judgment seat of Christ. Do you think that his idea will be the measuring stick in that coming day? Is God going to sum up our Christian lives in terms of how many souls we have won for Christ? Paul said in writing to the saints, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men." 2 Cor. 3:22Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (2 Corinthians 3:2). What do they read in you? Do they read only that which concerns man's salvation? Or do they find in you the spirit of Epaphras, who was seeking to be in harmony with the will of God concerning Christ and the Church? We need the right standard of measurement; if we do not have it, we may drift far off from God's thoughts.
One remembers, perhaps 30 years ago, brother M. and I helped a widow to excavate for a new home. We measured the length and width, but one inch of the yardstick had been cut off, and we did not know it. When the mason came to lay the bricks, he was disgusted to find the hole in the ground was too small both ways. We were sincere; we did not know there was an inch missing—never dreamed of it. We had to be convinced. But we were using a faulty standard of measurement, and the result showed up in our work. The mason came along and saw the error. And if we use the wrong measuring stick in our work down here for God, we can expect our work to be faulty. We want to be sure in our Christian life and testimony that we are making room for the whole scope and realm of God's full and free revelation.
Notice how Paul says, "Lest any man spoil you." And as you look out in the Christian world today, can you by any stretch of the imagination conceive of anything more unlike to its origin than Christendom? Of all the babel of voices found in the world today, Christendom excels. We find every kind of schism, truth, error, cult, ritualism, rationalism—all parading under the banner of Christianity.
In our portion here (Col. 2:8, 188Beware 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. (Colossians 2:8)
18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (Colossians 2:18)), there are two solemn dangers before the saints of God—one is rationalism and the other is ritualism, and either one will rob you of the preciousness of the truth of God. Rationalism—young people, these addresses are primarily for the benefit of younger Christians—let me urge it upon you, is the result of letting your mind work in the things of God. Rationalism is the attempt to mentally dissect the things of God; and if you allow it, it will maneuver you off the ground of the truth of God without your realizing it. It is a subtle thing, and Satan knows that by using your mind he is using an instrument that he has had experience with for 6,000 years. He knows how to put things in a specious way that appeals to the natural mind. The remedy is Paul's word in 2 Cor. 10:55Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:5): "Casting down imaginations [reasonings], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." If we can learn to take the truth of God in the simplicity in which it has been given to us, we shall be safe.
In that connection, I think of Paul's word in 2 Corinthians 11, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Young folks, value that expression: "the simplicity that is in Christ." The things of God, the truths of God, are called "simple," and they are simple to faith, but they are stumbling blocks to reason. Yes; it is no wonder that the world hears the gospel and terms it foolishness. So it is with the natural man. But to the believer, the Word of God is a precious storehouse and treasury, and out of it He brings forth treasures new and old. So in our chapter, the Apostle says, I do not want you spoiled. Are you going to allow the enemy to spoil you and rob you?
I saw a book advertised in a fundamentalist magazine. I got a copy of it and read part of it. It was alluringly written; yes, ably written. But the whole book was an attempt to fit God's plan to man's mind. It was an attempt by human reason to force the truth into a mold that would be accepted by man in the flesh. Before I finished that book I was impressed how a child of God can be led so far astray. I felt Satan had maneuvered that man so far off the ground of truth that he was actually preaching serious error. He had really lost God's Christ—the Eternal One. Yes, his Christ had become the offspring of God; not in those words, of course, but in sum and substance that is where his reasoning led. How careful we need to be! Do not trust those minds of yours! Remember God gave us His Word and He did not take us into consultation when He did it. Rom. 11:3434For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:34): "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor?" That is what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Romans. Yes. who helped God out? Who gave Him advice when He was forming His plan for time and eternity? Paul rules that all out. The part of wisdom is for you and me to submit to the truth of Hebrews 1. God has spoken unto us; and, if we are wise, we will receive what God has said, and-receive it without question. In Colossians 2 we are warned' that Satan would love to maneuver us off the ground of truth; either by rationalism or by ritualism.
You know in the modernism we have around us today, you see the full-grown result of man letting his mind work in the things of God. You have the extreme exponent of it in Henry Emerson Fosdick, who says openly that he does not believe in the resurrection of Christ, the virgin birth of Christ, the atoning work of Christ. He comes out openly and solidly an infidel. That is the end of the road; that is where modernism leads. Modernism, or rationalism, starts out with modifying or neutralizing Scripture, and it may be in little things. But all are on the same road; it is only a question of how far we go. For instance, one of the radio preachers who likes to be classified among the fundamentalists recently came out with a defense of denominationalism. He made the remark something to this effect: There will always be denominations as long as the Church is here. We dress our children in different kinds of clothes; we do not dress them exactly alike. We permit them some individuality and dress them according to their personality. And he dismissed the denomination question with a wave of his hand, as much as to say that part of the matter is, left up to us.. IS that faith, or is that rationalism?