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YOUR CULTURE OR YOUR CHRIST

Text : Colossians 2:8.

Beware 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.

Apostle Paul strictly warned the colossian church to beware lest any of them be cheated through philosophy and empty deceit...

On a norms, when you hear of someone being cheated, what readily comes to mind is cheating in material terms. But one major truth the Lord would have you come into today is that real cheating as far as God is concerned is first of all in Knowledge of God. 

Any man that is lacking in God's knowledge is one whom you can refer to as being cheated in life. *No one can cheat a man who has truly discovered God's knowledge.* This is because such has found eternal life. And in eternal life, you have escaped the corruption of the enemy(the devil). 

John 17:3 says, " And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

From our text, Apostle Paul warned the church to be very careful so as not to be cheated through philosophy and empty deceits. It is interesting to know that the people(cheats) Paul warned the church against were not unbelievers. They were also the so called preachers of the gospel. These are the ones that can cheat you the most. You may ask how?

They cheat through philosophy and empty deceit (which is) according to the tradition of men, and principles of the world and not according to Christ. When all that your preacher is exposing you to are philosophy and empty deceits according to the traditions of men and principles of this world, then he is cheating you big time.

Amplified version rendered the text thus:

See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

What you hear determines what you'll become; be careful of what and how you hear.* (Mark 4:24). You must always consider who and what is being spoken into your life. 

Bible Reading: Philipians 3:3-10.

 *PRAYER FOCUS* 

1.) Father, help me to be able to discern and keep away from preachers who seek to cheat me of my inheritance in Christ Jesus. 



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