In Colossians 2, Paul warns us to be leery of the basic principles of the world: 1. "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." (Verse 8) 2. "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men?" (Verses 20-22) But, what are the basic principles of the world? This document contrasts the basic principles on which the world operates with those on which Christ would have His people to operate. 1 Appearance (presumption) Substance "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." John 7:24 2 Asceticism Abstention "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." Colossains 2:20-23 3 Attitude Gratitude "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." Ephesians 5:3-4 4 Authority Servanthood "But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves." Luke 22:26 "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock" 1 Peter 5:2-3 5 Boasting Being poor in spirit "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 "For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart." 2 Corinthians 5:12 6 Carefree Mourning "Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4 7 Claiming rights Yielding rights "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ." 1 Corinthians 9:11-12 "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify." 1 Corinthians 10:23 8 Division Multiplication "For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:3 Page 1 of 8
9 Divorce Marriage "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24 "For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce." Malachi 2:16 10 Earthly rewards Heavenly rewards "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 11 Eloquence Secret prayer "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." Matthew 6:6 12 Eternal bliss Crown of "There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to righteousness 13 Ethics Virtue (purity in heart) me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue." 2 Peter 1:3-5 14 Evolution Creation "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. " Genesis 1:1 "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16 15 Exemption Responsibility "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed." James 5:16 16 Expectation Longsuffering "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3 "Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2 17 External Internal "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." Colossians 3:22 18 Fairness Justice "The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation." Numbers 14:18 "Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all." Proverbs 28:5 Page 2 of 8
19 Fame Humility "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6 20 Feminism Submission "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." Colossians 3:18 21 Food and drink Hungering and "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6 thirsting for righteousness 22 Free ride Honest work "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." 2 Thessalonians 3:10 23 Gratification Contentment "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Philippians 4:11 24 Happiness Joy "But the fruit of the Spirit is joy." Galatians 5:22 25 Hearing Doing "Not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified." Romans 2:13 26 Immunity Accountability "The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation." Numbers 14:18 27 Imprisonment Restoration "Then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering." Leviticus 6:4-5 28 Impulse Patience "But the fruit of the Spirit is longsuffering." Galatians 5:22 29 Independence Liberty "Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor." Jeremiah 34:15 30 Indifference Kindness "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. Then they also will answer Him,[d] saying, Lord, when Page 3 of 8
did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? Then He will answer them, saying, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Matthew 25:34-36 "But the fruit of the Spirit is kindness." Galatians 5:22 "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" James 2:15-16 31 Indulgence Self control "But the fruit of the Spirit is self control." Galatians 5:22 32 Infidelity Faithfulness "But the fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness." Galatians 5:22 (loyalty) 33 Influence Help "And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said to him, Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." Acts 8:18-23 34 Irresponsibility Helping each other "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother s keeper?'" Genesis 4:9 "Bear one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 35 Lawlessness Slave of righteousness "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:17-18 36 Letter of the law Spirit of the law "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:6 37 License Liberty "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." 1 Corinthians 6:12 "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak." 1 Corinthians 8:9 38 Living on the line Pursuing righteousness "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:11 "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22 39 Love self Deny self "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3 Page 4 of 8
40 Man's approval God's approval "But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts." 1 Thessalonians 2:4 41 No fear Fearing God "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Psalm 111:10 42 Pardon Justification "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." Galatians 2:16 43 Partying Soberness "Exhort the young men to be sober-minded." Titus 2:6 44 Penalty Restitution "If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double. If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man s field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard." Exodus 22:3-5 "Then he shall confess the sin which he has committed. He shall make restitution for his trespass in full, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to the one he has wronged." Numbers 5:7 45 Perversion Goodness "But the fruit of the Spirit is goodness." Galatians 5:22 46 Physical beauty Inward beauty "Do not let your adornment be merely outward arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4 47 Physical strength Spiritual power "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." 1 Timothy 4:8 48 Power Meekness "Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 49 Pride Praising God "So Jesus answered and said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?'" Luke 17:17-18 "So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, The voice of a god and not of a man! Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died." Acts 12:21-23 50 Profanity Blessing "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another." Ephesians 4:31-32 "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth." Colossians 3:8 "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." James 3:10 Page 5 of 8
51 Promoting self Promoting others "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3 52 Punishment Mercy "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7 53 Quantity Quality "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, 'Do you also want to go away?'" John 6:66-67 54 Recognition Persecution "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12 55 Results Honesty "Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good." Proverbs 20:23 56 Revenge Forgiveness "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans 12:19 57 Revolution Respect for authority "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." Romans 13:1 58 Romance Love (agape) "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 59 Self assertion Honoring parents "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'" Ephesians 6:1-3 60 Self confidence Boldness in Christ "So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:6 "In nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20 "But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict." 1 Thessalonians 2:2 "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:19-23 61 Self defense Confession "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed." James 5:16 62 Self esteem Esteeming others "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3 Page 6 of 8
63 Selfishness Selflessness "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3 64 Sensuality Spirituality "They told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit." Jude 1:18-19 65 Suaveness (coolness) Graciousness "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 "Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous." Psalm 112:4 66 Success Pleasing God "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52 67 Unconstraint Self government "For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:2-5 68 Wealth Stewardship "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." Genesis 2:15 "The earth is the Lord s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein." Psalm 24:1 "Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him." Psalm 49:6-7 "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4 "He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage." Proverbs 11:28 "A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him." Proverbs 28:22 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24 "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition." 1 Timothy 6:9 69 What I deserve What I merit "As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. " Romans 3:10-12 70 Winning Encouraging "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4 "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Page 7 of 8
71 Works Faith "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3:19-26 "David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." Romans 4:6-8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 Page 8 of 8