Discerning Falsehood

 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Colossians 2:8 ESV

 

It’s often assumed, falsely, that Christians reject the sciences. It’s assumed that Biblically minded Christians reject science because they reject the theory of evolution. It’s assumed that they reject psychology because they believe in the spiritual. And it’s assumed that they reject sociology because they believe that there is only one right way to know God.

 

It’s often assumed that, as Christians, we find no value in anything the world has to offer. However, such is not the case. In reality, we accept many of the teachings and benefits brought to us by the sciences. Much of what they offer is not contradictory to our faith in any way whatsoever. In fact, many of the early scientists who identified many foundational truths about the world in which we live, were themselves believers.

 

That being said, much of what is believed and taught in our society today is contradictory to the Christian faith. Much of what is portrayed as science is not scientific in the least, nor does it fit with a Biblical worldview in any way whatsoever. And we must take care to recognize the difference.

 

We must do so, we must make this distinction, that we aren’t led astray. We must do so that our children are not led astray. And we must do so that our fellow believers are not led astray.

 

In the above verse, Paul warns the Colossians to take care that no one takes them captive by philosophy. And, again, in saying this, he’s not declaring that all philosophy is bad. He’s not suggesting that all philosophy is contradictory to our faith.

 

They were also to ensure that they weren’t taken captive by empty deceit. They were to ensure that they weren’t taken captive by the vain or empty lies of the world around them. They were to ensure that they weren’t led astray by the dishonesty of the world in which they lived.

 

The type of philosophy, to which he’s referring, is dangerous, and it’s dangerous because of its origin. The philosophy and the deceit that was attractive to his readers was in accordance to human tradition. It was in accordance to the elemental spirits, or the elemental principles, of the world in which they lived. In other words, it was man made.

 

It was, then, in contrast to Christ. It was not according to Christ. In other words, it was contradictory to Christ.

 

In the same way, we must discern the difference between what is helpful, and that which contradicts the faith that we confess. We must recognize that, just because a certain teaching or idea is held to strongly by the world around us, does not make it true. We must identify that which contradicts Christ, and that which agrees with him, that we might not be taken captive.