Believer, Beware!

     From the flashing red signals at a railroad crossing to the skull and crossbones on a bottle of rubbing alcohol, warnings are a part of our daily life. Children must be taught to heed warnings, and adults must be rminded not to get too accustomed to them. Warnings are a matter of life and death.

    The spiritual life also has its dangers and its warnings. Moses warned the Israelites to beware of forgetting the Lord once they got settled in the Promised Land (Deut. 6:12). the Lord Jesus often used the word beware (Matt. 7:15, Mark 12:38, Luke 12:15).

    Paul had already warned about the false teachers (Col. 2:8). In this section of his letter, Paul gave three warnings for us to heed if we are to enjoy our fullness in Jesus Christ.

    1. Let No One Judge You  (Col. 2:16-17) - The person who judges a believer because that believer is not living under Jewish laws is really judging Jesus Christ. He is saying that Christ did not finish the work of salvation on the cross, and that we must add something to it. He is also saying that Jesus Christ is not sufficient for all the spiritual needs of the Christian.

    2. Let No Man Beguile You of Your Reward ( Col. 2:18-19).- The word translated beguile in the King James Version means "to declare unworthy of a prize." It is an athletic term: the umpire disqualifies the contestant because he has not obeyed the rules. A Christian who fails to obey God's directions foes not lose his salvation. But he does lose the approval of the Lord and the rewards He has promised to those who are faithful (I Cor. 3:8).

    3. Let No One Enslave You  )Col. 2:20-23) - Paul has encouraged the believers at Colossae to stay committed to the message of Christ, to not be led astray by the peripheral and secondary distractions that others in this time were espousing as requirements to become righteous in God's sight. In the end, our flesh will take these elementary principles and use them to its own advantage. It will take us, who are free, and lead us back into slavery—slavery to our own flesh.

    We put all of this into daily practice as we fellowship with Christ through worship, the Word, and prayer. As we yield to the indwelling Spirit, we receive the power we need for daily living. It is in our fellowship with other believers that we contribute spiritually to the growth of the body, the church, and the other members of the body contribute to us, What a wonderful way to live!

Taken from:Be Complete, How to Become the Whole Person God Intends You to Be by Warren Wiersbe