Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, nice people.

Just returned from our jog/walk. Lots to talk about. Nice partly-cloudy morning. Lots on the list. I first need to apply window graphics at the City Library to reflect their new hours. Then I need to run to Sandy to inspect the site for a little construction job. Then I need to get to Viola (Estacada) to carry on with a sawmill job. Not sure what the next selection from the big list will be. Sometimes I’m tempted to think it would be nice to be retired.

This little Epistle of Colossians has to be about as inspiring the spirit-expanding of any piece of Biblical literature. This is especially so when we approach it as TRUTH. Whew!

May your day be guided and governed by something more than hollow and deceptive philosophy…which seems to be standard diet of the majority. Lord help us!

Love, Dad/Ray.

Once again, we have a huge amount of inspirational material to process in this short reading. For now the word “captive” captivates my attention. Whether we like it or not, if Biblical revelation is TRUE, we all enter life as captives to “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” That’s simply a natural consequence of THE FALL which deposits into the DNA of the entire human race a SIN NATURE. The GOSPEL proclaims, however, that we are not required to remain in that condition—that we can respond positively to God’s gracious love Gift and be BORN AGAIN—transformed by the Divine Nature (John 1:12; 2 Peter 1:3-4). And that’s why the GOSPEL is such GOOD NEWS!

Remember the incident early in Jesus’ ministry where the scroll of Isaiah was handed to him on a Sabbath with the expectation to read and comment? Here is the passage He read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives,(That’s us!) and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…” (Luke 4:18, KJV). Then He said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21, KJV).

We could make a list a mile long (…at least a kilometer) of supportive scriptures. I’ll just remind you of Jesus’ words in John 8:31 and 32: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Here’s how it works: MAN’S WORDS AND IDEAS PERPETUATE DECEPTION AND CAPTIVITY. GOD’S WORD OFFERS TRUTH AND FREEDOM.