In reading about Paul's letter to the Colosssians, I was immediately struck by the similarity of Pastor Lee's recent messages on Transforming the Way We Think.
Paul warned these believers from the city of Colosse not to let all the "mixed practices and beliefs from various religious traditions and where new spiritual practices and beliefs were constantly developing".
This is the same message that Pastor Lee has been sharing. Reminding us to not let anyone capture us with empty philosophies and beliefs that come from human thinking by trying to shift or change ones thinking. I must admit that I have fallen into the thinking that the Bible has much to offer us with the wisdom to live a godly life, but how could some of these messages from 2000 years ago still be applicable today when they seem outdated or not as relevant as they did long ago?
This happens to me when I read something that seems to conflict with my personal beliefs and I find myself questioning how to reconcile things in the Bible that I struggle with when I embrace the idea of letting love guide my life, especially when it's in conflict with scripture? We are told to let the peace of heart which comes from Christ to always be present in our hearts and lives for this is the responsibility and our privilege as members of his body. I am conflicted with certain things written and the love I have for Jesus Christ and trying to remedy the two is hard!
Pastor Lee is imploring us to know and understand the gospel as The Authority of Scripture so as not to be led astray by subtle forms of societal preferences and to be on guard for any deviation that would diminish the centrality of Christ as Lord and Savior.
Lee's message is no different from Paul's letter 2000 years later, because as Paul sat in prison writing his letter, his goal to the Colossal Christians was to spur them into continued growth in Christ. He just wanted to encourage them to see Jesus as the center of all reality so they don't give in to pressures from other religious or amended deviations of his word. I feel that same encouragement from Pastor Lee as he tries to Transform the Way We Think.