Oqgħod attent li xi bniedem ma jħassrkomx bil-filosofija u l-qerq għalxejn, wara t-tradizzjoni tal-irġiel, wara l-rudimenti tad-dinja, u mhux wara Kristu (Kolossin 2:8)
Paul warned the saints at Colosse again for man, who would try to move them away from Jesus Christ and would rob them from the Truth through their philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the world, minflok Kristu.
Paul wanted them to stay faithful to Jesus Christ and walk in Him instead of becoming prey and being robbed from the way of Christ, through false doctrines of man coming from a carnal mind, and become a slave of the devil again and live under his authority and rulership and be led by the flesh and the rudiments of the world.
Because that’s what the word ‘spoil’ means. The word ‘spoil’ is translated from the Greek word ‘sulagōgeō’ and means:
- to lead away as booty, F'kelma waħda (figurattivament) seduce, spoil (to strip, to rob), (SC (G4812))
- to carry off as spoil, lead captive (Dizzjunarju tad-dielja)
- To carry off booty, to carry one off as a captive (and slave), to lead away from the truth and subject to one’s sway (Thayer’s Greek lexicon)
The wisdom of this world
Għax il-predikazzjoni tas-salib hija bluha għal dawk li jintilfu; imma għalina li aħna salvati hija l-qawwa ta’ Alla. Għax hu miktub, Se neqred l-għerf tal-għorrief, u se jġib fix-xejn il-fehim tal-għaqal. Fejn hu l-għaqal? fejn hu l-iskribi? fejn hu dak li qed jikkontesta din id-dinja? Alla ma għamilx iblah l-għerf ta’ din id-dinja? Għax wara dan bl-għerf ta’ Alla d-dinja bl-għerf ma għarfetx lil Alla, għoġob lil Alla bil-bluha tal-predikazzjoni biex isalva lil dawk li jemmnu (1 Korintin 1:18-21)
Imma l-bniedem naturali ma jirċievix l-affarijiet ta 'l-Ispirtu ta' Alla: għax huma bluha għalih: lanqas jista’ jkun jafhom, għax jingħaraf spiritwalment (1 Korintin 2:14)
The wisdom of this world, the philosophy of man, li ġej mill-moħħ karnali, diametrically opposes the wisdom of God. Therefore the words of the world diametrically oppose the words of God and can’t go together.
Although some people dispute and contradict this and say that they can go together, the Word is very clear. Because it is written that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God and that the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.
That’s because carnal wisdom is inspired by the ruler of this world and spiritual wisdom is inspired by God.
It’s up to you who and whose words you believe? Do you believe the people and the words of people or do you believe God and the words of God? (Aqra wkoll: ‘‘Do the Bible and science go together?‘)
Unfortunately many times, people listen more to what other people say and fill their minds with the words of people, then they listen to God and fill and renew their minds with His words. Minħabba f'hekk, the people are rooted in the world and walk on the broad way of the world instead of being rooted in the Word and walk on the narrow way of Christ.
Pubertà, a covering for the spirit of rebellion
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry (1 Samwel 15:23)
When we look at puberty, Pereżempju, medical science says, that teenagers go through puberty and that rebellion is part of puberty. There’s nothing you can do about it, you only have to condone it and show empathy for the rebellious teenager.
But the Word of God calls it rebellious behavior and that rebellious behavior is not from God and is a sin.
Rebellious behavior is a characteristic of the devil’s nature (the devil became rebellious against God in the heavenly garden of Eden).
If a teenager is rebellious, the teenager has a rebellious spirit, who refuses to submit and disobey parents.
When this spirit of rebellion is cast out in the Isem Ġesù, the teenager will behave ‘normal’ again and won’t be rebellious.
The world operates in the natural realm and believes in a natural cause, while the Word operates in the spiritual realm and believes in a spiritual cause.
Why do you have to renew your mind?
Meta titwieled mill-ġdid u tkun saret ħolqien ġdid, għad għandek il-moħħ karnali tad-dinja. Therefore it is important to iġedded il-moħħ, as quickly as possible, so that your mind will be transformed and you will get the mind of Christ.
When your mind is renewed with the Word of God, and you obey and apply the words of God, you shall be rooted in the Word, and think like the Word, and walk as a son of God in the will of God on earth.
As long as your mind is not renewed or only partially renewed, you will struggle with faith and shall hesitate, dubju, tistinka, and/or stumble, eċċ. because the part of your mind that still thinks like the world, will strive against the part of your mind that is renewed with the Word of God.
Għaliex għandek tħares moħħok?
Meta ġġedded moħħok bil-Kelma ta’ Alla, it’s important to guard your mind and prevent that the words of God will be robbed from your mind and the knowledge and wisdom of the world will settle in your mind and reign as king in your mind.
When you allow the wisdom and the knowledge of the world into your mind, your carnal mind shall be empowered and become stronger, but your faith shall be affected and become weaker.
Bħala riżultat, you may start to doubt the words of God because the world says something else.
Take for example creationism vs evolution. Hemm ħafna jemmnu, who started to doubt the Word and the truth that God created the heaven and the earth and all there is within, in six days and that God rested on the seventh day, because of the philosophy and statement of man and the so-called scientific proof (Aqra wkoll: ‘Alla ħoloq is-sema u l-art f’sitt ijiem?‘).
Therefore you have to guard your eyes and your eyes and be cautious about what you watch, dak li taqra, u lil min tisma’. Even if it may seem innocent, the truth is that nothing is innocent. Because behind all that innocence lies destruction.
Beware of man’s philosophy and vain deceit
Paul was familiar with the devil and his works. He was familiar with people, who stood in the service of the ruler of this world and were filled with the wisdom of this world, and came with their own philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of man and the rudiments of this world and try to mislead the saints and led them astray.
Therefore Paul warned the saints to stay watchful and remain steadfast on the Word and imxi wara Ġesù Kristu.
The devil still walks about as a roaring lion, trying to tempt and mislead the sons of God and devour and silence them.
There are many churches, who have been spoiled through the lives of people and the philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and the rudiments of this world and have adopted the words, prinċipji, metodi, strateġiji, and elements of the world in the church service; the music, talb, sermons, and Bible studies, pastoral care, eċċ.
The sermons about the cross, the blood of Jesus Christ, Indiema, Riġenerazzjoni, l-Ispirtu s-Santu, ir-raġel il-ġdid, qdusija, and judgment have been replaced by motivational sermons and uplifting words, which are focused on the natural man (il-laħam).
A self-centered gospel instead of a Christ-centered gospel
The believers have become the center of attention and the gospel has become a self-centered gospel, instead of a Christ-centered gospel. It is all about ‘self’ U carnal prosperity and wealth.
During the church service, all kinds of natural methods and means are used to make church services attractive for the carnal visitors of the church and to create a pleasant atmosphere and provide a positive experience and happy feelings. But if people rely on the flesh and on natural methods and means, then God withdraws Himself.
Even the words of God are being changed and adjusted to the will and x-xewqat u x-xewqat tal-laħam. But if a preacher says something, that may seem spiritual and pious, but doesn’t line up with the Word and contradict the will of God, then these words should be rejected.
Ibqgħu fidili lejn Ġesù Kristu; the Living Word of God, and don’t be misled through false doctrines, which derive from the carnal mind. Because of the fact that many churches have not remained watchful, but allowed false doctrines, filosofiji tal-bniedem, and vain deceit in the church, ħafna knejjes huma bilqiegħda fid-dlam, instead of the light.
Therefore stay awake andkun għassa and hold on to Jesus Christ; the Word and let the Word always be the highest authority in your life.
‘Kun il-melħ tal-art’
