BEWARE
ILLUSTRATION: Look at the beautiful bird sitting on
the tree limb...soaking in the sunshine...singing such a
beautiful song. This bird seems so, at peace, with
everything. She seems to have a full belly and a beautiful
day awaits her...BAM...CRASH!
1. The lights go out...the cat got her............
To a degree...this is how life works.
A. Just as things seem to be going well...all kinds of
things start to happen....unexpected things...un-
wanted things...nasty, rotten things.
1. When we are not properly prepared for these
things...we call them catastrophes.
a. Perhaps it only seems like the cat just
jumped on us...perhaps it just seems as
though the lights went out...and then...
perhaps it isn’t really as bad as we first
make it out to be.
Let me introduce you to the uncertainties of life.
A. These come when they are least expected and
when we can least afford them.
The only real answer for us is to be aware and alert to life’s
little hidden surprises.
A.The buzz word is...BEWARE!
1. Far too many go blithely through life and
place themselves in spiritual...mortal danger
because they will not heed the warning signs
that are there in God’s Word.
a. It warns us to be wary of the many
different spiritual attacks by satan.
Col. 2:8 - 8Beware lest anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of
men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not
according to Christ.
I. Just how can anyone cheat a person of their salvation
through philosophy?
A. First, understand the word...then understand the
concept.
1. The word comes from two Greek words...
philios...love, and sophia...wisdom. The word
literally means “love of wisdom”.
a. Perhaps we do need to define something
else, here, if we are going to properly
understand the concept.
1.) “Wisdom” ...this is a high level
abstraction...What wisdom...whose
wisdom?
a.) Let me assure you that you
will never get in spiritual
trouble by following the
wisdom of God...so then...we
must be addressing the
“wisdom of the world”.
B. The “wisdom of the world” can be all or part of
what is considered smart...good...clever...
physically discerned knowledge.
1. Even Christians have been led astray with
this kind of “wisdom”.
a. One can be impressed by the number of
letters after one’s name...or the institute
of higher learning...or the accolades
that have been heaped upon a man...
just the mere name can give us the
illusion of wisdom:
Ex. - Winston Churchill; Albert Einstein; Socrates...etc..
1.) Man’s “wisdom” is finite...limited..
dated...(and the real problem)...
it cannot contribute to mankind’s
eternal good.
** And yet, so many are drawn away from following the
wisdom of God because of the physical and mental
appeal from the wisdom of man.
I Cor. 2:4-14 - 4And my speech and my preaching were
not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith
should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of
God.
6However, we speak wisdom among those who are
mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of
this age, who are coming to nothing. 7But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which
God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8which none of
the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those
who love Him.”
10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For
the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit
of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the
things of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is
from God, that we might know the things that have been
freely given to us by God. 13These things we also speak,
not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the
Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. 14But the natural man does not receive the things
of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Acts 17:21-23 - 21For all the Athenians and the
foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else
but either to tell or to hear SOME NEW THING.
22Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said,
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very
religious; 23“for as I was passing through and considering
the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this
inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the
One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim
to you:
C. The men of Paul’s day would debate anything and
everything by their own “wisdom”...that is, by
their human understanding.
1. The fact that they had an “unknown god”
should have tipped them off as to the extent
of their knowledge.
a. If the source of one’s knowledge is one’s
self...how great can that wisdom be.
1.) Yet...we impress ourselves and
others by this seeming wisdom.
a.) The truth is, however, man
can never rise any higher in
wisdom than the limits of
the knowledge of the wisest
man.
II Cor. 10:12 - 12For we dare not class ourselves or
compare ourselves with those who commend themselves.
But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and
comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
** Socrates...the wisest man of his day...couldn’t have
invented an electric can opener.
Many of the things done by scientists today were not
foreseen or understood by Albert Einstein.
All of the wisdom of Winston Churchill could not
ward off the problems that were incurred by his alliance
with Joseph Stalin.
1. Philosophy is limited and really vain when
compared to the wisdom of God.
a. This vain “wisdom”, so called, has even been
responsible for the complete twisting and mis-
use of God’s Holy Word.
1.) God’s word is changed and taken in
context to back up pre-formed ideas of
men who are not honest.
D. The wisdom of God’s Word can only be found in
its entirety.
1. The “wisdom” of man does not ever add to
the real wisdom of God’s Word...it can only
detract.
a. When man thinks himself wise in the
things of God...he is vain and puffed up
...full of himself...and really quite empty.
** The more that any honest individual studies the Word
of God, the more that he sees just how limited he is...
and it will make that man humble...very humble...
NEVER PROUD.
II. Beware lest any man rob you of your salvation through
vain deceit.
A. Vanity is very deceitful...
1. It will blind the eyes to the real truth.
2. It puffs a person up with pride where reality
dictates humility.
3. Vanity will always disappoint and let the
person down in the end.
B. We need to do our very best to seek out...to find...
and to live by the truth.
1. We will not make it to our spiritual goals if
we allow ourselves to be tricked by our own
vanity.
a. The truth is...we are limited, finite,
mortal, often mistaken, and prone to
fail...human beings.
1.) We have sinned and from time-to-
time...will again sin.
a.) We need the blood of Jesus
Christ and the mercy of God
on a continuous basis.
Rom. 3:23 - 23for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God.
I John 1:8-10 - 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not
sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
2.) We need someone else to save us
from ourselves and the penalties
which we have brought upon
ourselves.
Rom. 6:23 - 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift
of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3.) Jesus Christ paid with His life for
our sins....where is pride or
wisdom.
a.) Indeed, the only place for
any form of pride is in the
fact that He thought enough of
us to make this sacrifice.
III. Beware lest any man rob you of your salvation by
the traditions of men.
A. Not all traditions are bad.
1. Traditions of doing what is righteous in God’s
sight is good.
a. Just because men have done something
for the last two hundred years does not,
in...and of itself...make it wrong.
1.) Especially is this true when we see
the Scriptures directing us in this
way.
II Thess. 2:15 - 15Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold
the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or
our epistle.
B. We must be aware, however, of traditions which
have no basis in scripture.
1. It doesn’t’ matter how nice it appears or how
much “common sense” is applied...these are
TRADITIONS OF MEN, and as such...we
need to make sure that we don’t bind them
on ourselves or on others.
a. This kind of tradition breeds a self-
righteous attitude.
1.) It is this very thing which
the religious leaders of the Jewish
religion were most guilty of.
a.) Indeed...when this is run out
to its conclusion, the traditions
can...AND HAVE...actually
voided out the Word of God.
aa.) We see this in many
areas of Catholic church
teachings, for example.
Matt. 15:2-3 - 2“Why do Your disciples transgress the
tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands
when they eat bread.” 3He answered and said to them,
“Why do you also transgress the commandment of God
because of your tradition?
Col. 2:8 - 8Beware lest anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of
men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not
according to Christ.
I Peter 1:18 - 18knowing that you were not redeemed with
corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless
conduct received by tradition from your fathers.
C. The doctrines of men are considered vain...that
is, empty...worthless...hollow...useless.
1. If we have been manipulated into practicing
these traditions, we not only will be wasting
our time, but we may be side tracked by a
false doctrine.
a. We could actually see condemnation
in these traditions of men.
1.) Everything that we do, as a
Christian, must have a basis in
fact...from Scripture.
a.) By command.
b.) By principle.
c.) By Apostolic example.
III. Beware lest any man rob you of your salvation
through the acceptance and practice of the principles
of this world.
A. Because we are physical...made of flesh and
blood...these principles can appeal to our fleshly
nature.
1. They can “make sense” to us...even though
they may fly in the face of spiritual
principles and teachings.
a. Many times we may be tempted to do
things that appeal to “common sense”.
1.) Know this...”common sense” is
“natural sense”...and “natural
sense appeals to the “natural
man”..not especially to the
“spiritual man”.
a.) We must have the “spiritual
mind” working in us to be
able to tell the difference.
I Cor. 2:14 - 14But the natural man does not receive the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him;
nor can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned.
b. “Common sense” is based on empirical
evidence....”spiritual sense” is based on
spiritual understanding.
c. “Common sense” is based on past
experience...”spiritual sense” is based on
trust.
d. “Common sense” is based on the
testimony of others...”spiritual sense” is
based upon the testimony of God’s
Word.
B. “Common sense” does not dictate that there is a
God in heaven...waiting to judge all of mankind.
1. It can’t dictate this, as this cannot be
discerned by facts of the world.
C. “Common sense” is full of clever and witty sayings
1. Many of these sayings that seem so wise are
actually anti-scriptural.
a. “Toot your own horn...nobody else will”
1.) Scripture teaches...over and over...
not to be proud and announce your
own goodness.
Matt. 6:2 - 2“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed,
do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory
from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
b. “Look out for number one”
1.) Scripture teaches that God is
“number one”.
Matt. 22:37-40 - 37Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your mind.’ 38“This is the first and great
commandment. 39“And the second is like it: ‘You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40“On these two
commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
c. “Do unto others...BEFORE they do unto
you.”
Matt. 7:12 - 12“Therefore, whatever you want men to do
to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the
Prophets.
D. In many instances, the principles of the world
are in direct opposition to the commands and
principles of God.
EXAMPLES:
Matt. 5:44 - 44“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless
those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and
pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
Matt. 5:42 - 42“Give to him who asks you, and from him
who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
Matt. 19:30 - 30“But many who are first will be last, and
the last first.
II Tim. 1:12 - 12For this reason I also suffer these things;
nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have
believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I
have committed to Him until that Day.
1. This means that we will trust EVERYTHING...
even our very lives.........to a God that we have
never seen!!!!!?????????
a. “Don’t make good sense!”
** In truth...none of this makes “good sense” or “common
sense”...as man judges.
1. But those who will only follow the principles of
this world and only do what makes “good sense”
will never attain to eternal life with Christ.
CONCLUSION:
A Christian can be “robbed” of his salvation.
A. If this were not true, why would God warn us...
in his word...about this danger?
1. Those who let this present age dictate to them
will not receive everlasting life.
a. The things of this present age that the
Christian needs to beware of are:
1.) The philosophy of this world.
2.) The vanity of life...and the things
of life.
3.) Subscribing to the traditions that
men have set...traditions that are
held equal to...or above...the Word
of God.
4.) The principles of this world that
masquerade as wisdom.
As a Christian, we need to view these things as potential
traps to our Christian walk.
A. Even though all of these things may not always
be detrimental to our souls...they are going to be
often enough so that we need to deal carefully with
them.
