第二章

⁸ 你們要謹慎，免得有人不照著基督，而照著人的傳統，和世俗的言論，藉著哲學和騙人的空談，把你們擄去。

¹⁶  所以不要讓人因著飲食、節期、月朔、安息日批評你們，¹⁷ 這些不過是將來的事的影子，那真體卻是屬於基督的。¹⁷這些不過是將來的事的影子，那真體卻是屬於基督的。¹⁸ 不要讓人奪去你們的獎賞，他們以故意謙卑，敬拜天使為樂；迷於自己所見過的；憑著肉體的意念，無故地自高自大；¹⁹ 不與頭緊密相連。其實全身都是藉著關節和筋絡從頭得著供應和聯繫，就照著　神所要求的，生長起來。²⁰ 你們若與基督一同死了，脫離了世俗的言論，為甚麼仍然好像活在世俗中一樣，²¹ 拘守那“不可摸、不可嘗、不可觸”的規條呢？²² （這一切東西，一經使用，就都朽壞了。）這些規條是照著人的命令和教訓而定的，²³在隨著己意敬拜，故作謙卑，和苦待己身等事上，似乎是智慧之言，其實只能叫人放縱肉體，再沒有任何價值。

 

默想：

1. 從8節開始，保羅就批判歌羅西的異端，不是照神在基督裡的啟示，而是根據「人的傳統」和「世俗的言論」所發展出來的一套哲學，是達不到生命豐盛的虛空妄言。
2. 在本段更清楚說明「世俗的言論」就是指舊約中的禮儀規條（16～17、20節）。當然這異端具多重面貌，但其基本精神，就是要靠守規條來得神喜悅，並以為藉此可以達到聖潔豐盛之境。
3. 這類異端的教導，有了根本的錯誤，自然發展出許多錯誤的表現：

   錯誤的敬拜：敬拜天使，按私意敬拜（18、23節）

   錯誤的成長之道：嚴守規條，苦待己身以求聖潔（20～23節）

   錯誤的標榜：沈迷靈異經驗，並以此為誇（18節）

   錯誤的持定：不持定基督，卻謹守舊約的律例規條（16、19節）

4. 在我自己的信仰生活中，或是我周圍的圈子中，是否察覺到有哪些錯誤的救恩教導？將它們逐一列出，帶到小組中討論，若仍有不明之處，盡快找牧者詢問。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 2

⁸See 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.

¹⁶Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹ They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. ²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Meditation:

1. In v8, Paul criticized the Colossian false teaching that is not based on God’s revelation in Christ but the “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world”.
2. In this passage, it was clear that the “elemental spiritual forces of this world” refer to the rituals and rules of the Old Testament (vv16-17,20).  The legalistic false teachers were probably advocating obedience to the Law of Moses for justification and sanctification.
3. From these basic mistakes, many wrong manifestations developed:

   self-imposed worship of angels, (vv18, 23); strict adhering to rules and self-denial (vv20-23); indulging in mystic experience it (v18); not focusing on Christ the head, but rule and rituals of the Old Testament (vv16,19)

4. Am I aware of any false teachings of Christ’s salvation in my own faith belief or my church or other churches?  List them down and bring for a discussion at the cell.  Bring it to the pastors if still not clear.

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.