See a red flag? RUN

I learned long ago, either in a class in college/seminary or through a pamphlet of the Home Mission Board (now known as the North American Mission Board), a simple way to be alert for the signs or red flags of a cult.  These four points are based on the basic principles of mathematics that we learned in elementary school —  addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  

The passage for the sermon this past week (Colossians 1:1-10) speaks clearly to the principle of subtraction.  One of the red flags of a cult is any time a group subtracts anything from the person (divinity and/or humanity) or work of Christ Jesus.  When the pre-existence of Christ is denied, run.  When Christ is made less that fully God, run.  When the virgin birth of Christ is denied or explained away, run.  When the fully humanity of Christ Jesus is denied, run.  When the literal and physical death of Christ is denied or explained away, run.  When the literal and physical resurrection of Christ is denied, run.  

Colossians 1:15-20 and 2:8-10 are a passage of unparalleled Christology (doctrine of Christ) which point us to His marvelous divinity, power and work.  And Colossians 1:21 brings us into the picture of how He cares for us: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, YET now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”   And now you and I, if you are in Christ, are now ministers, too.  Hold tightly to the person and work of Christ in a world that wants to deny and explain away His position, His power, His love and His work in us.

Pressing On…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor