DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PRINCIPLES OF THE WORLD

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PRINCIPLES OF THEWORLD

"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." (Colossians 2:8)

The Apostle Paul uses the phrase, "principles of the world," two times in this chapter, in verses 8 and 20. This echoes what he wrote in his letter to the Galatians, where he said that as children, we were under the "elements" of the world (Galatians 4:3) using the same Greek word.

So what are the elemental or rudimentary principles of the world? The basic principles of the world are the foundational philosophies from which all other ideas emanate. When it comes to living our lives, I think there is one principle that is the fountainhead from which everything else flows. It is embodied in the phrase that the professor taught his students in the film, "The Poet," – "seize the day." That is, you only live once and there is nothing after this life, so get all you can get out of life today. It is self-centered living. Anything I get depends on me. The purpose of life is to enjoy it – live it with gusto.

In opposition to the world's principle, a rudimentary principle of Christ's kingdom is that there is life after death, and what we do here impacts eternity.

We live for heaven.

In Colossians 4:20, the Holy Spirit through Paul says that we have died to the principles of this world. We no longer live for ourselves, but for Him Who gave His life for us. If we live, we live to the Lord (Romans 14:8). We live according to His principles.

We are constantly bombarded with the world's principles. The natural philosophies are at odds with God's principles. The world-view of the unbeliever is based on human thinking. That is why it is so important that we, as believers, be students of what God says in His word, so that our world-view is in sync with God's view.

God says, "Be not conformed to this world (that is, to its philosophies) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

Love, Dad