peace to live by

The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 3 (TMF:2620)

Friday, May 23, 2025
Peace to Live By: The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 3 (TMF:2620) - Daniel Litton
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       “Come on, what is wrong with that?” someone might ask. It is understanding of how the world works, a behind the scenes understanding, which doesn’t include Christ. It is a Christ-less understanding of the supposed true ways, the ways of wisdom and knowledge, of which Christ isn’t necessary. That’s the problem because that’s impossible. What is meant is it can’t be true, or entirely true. There may be elements of truth, and undoubtedly there are, for all appealing error contains elements of truth. But when one aligns with these types of groups, one aligns with power they probably don’t want to be aligned with. And in doing so, can cause varying troubles for themselves in their lives, and in their children’s lives. Colossians 2, verse 5: “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments” (ESV). As just discussed, it has to be plausible.

The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 2 (TMF:2619)

Thursday, May 22, 2025
Peace to Live By: The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 2 (TMF:2619) - Daniel Litton
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       Now it’s not just that, but the cults in Paul’s time, which continue in our time, sought to promote their own hidden wisdom and knowledge. Become a part of their group, and become part of the elite. Become endowed with the secret treasures of hidden wisdom and knowledge. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Coming to mind is the example in our day and age of the Free Masons. The problem isn’t the external help they may provide. No one is going to argue against that. Rather, the problem is the secrecy—the secret meetings, the exclusiveness. Only for members who are given secret knowledge to live out their lives. “Come on, what is wrong with that?” someone might ask. It is understanding of how the world works, a behind the scenes understanding, which doesn’t include Christ. It is a Christ-less understanding of the supposed true ways, the ways of wisdom and knowledge, of which Christ isn’t necessary. That’s the problem because that’s impossible.

The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 1 (TMF:2618)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Peace to Live By: The Twisting of Wisdom & Knowledge, Part 1 (TMF:2618) - Daniel Litton
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       The conclusion was then drawn that Christ himself did not reside in a physical body since God himself would not dwell in something that is evil, So, it is the denial that Jesus came in the flesh, or that he was only temporally in the flesh. But we know, or should know by now, that Jesus, even to this day, dwells in a human body. Right now, in Heaven, he is in his human body, and will be in the body for the rest of eternity. It is a permanent condition, and it is not the body that is bad. God created the human body. God created Adam from the dust of the ground, and he formed Eve from his rib. The body is very good. It is the sin nature, our own rebelliousness against God, that is bad, that is evil, Not the body. Now it’s not just that, but the cults in Paul’s time, which continue in our time, sought to promote their own hidden wisdom and knowledge.

Externals That Demonstrate Truth, Part 2 (TMF:2617)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Peace to Live By: Externals That Demonstrate Truth, Part 2 (TMF:2617) - Daniel Litton
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       Why bring up external things? Because they are just that, external, and they clearly demonstrate truths, and these are truths that some teachers, both in Paul’s day and certainly in our day, seek to work against. Let’s talk about this. We talked a couple weeks ago in regard to the early form of the teachings of Gnosticism, which were being developed in the first century in places like the city of Colossae, and Paul had to work against these people. One of their points was that the external body was bad, was evil. The conclusion was then drawn that Christ himself did not reside in a physical body since God himself would not dwell in something that is evil, So, it is the denial that Jesus came in the flesh, or that he was only temporally in the flesh. But we know, or should know by now, that Jesus, even to this day, dwells in a human body.

Externals That Demonstrate Truth, Part 1 (TMF:2616)

Monday, May 19, 2025
Peace to Live By: Externals That Demonstrate Truth, Part 1 (TMF:2616) - Daniel Litton
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       We see glimpses into these hidden treasures in the Scriptures. What first comes to mind is Jesus’ baptism by John in the wilderness. It is an outward symbol that displays a hidden truth. And this is the model we have followed in our own lives, so as to share in the mystery. The outward confession of faith to demonstrate our new relationship, or relationship we’ve had, and the fact that we’ve been cleansed from our sins. The outward demonstration reveals the greater, hidden truth. God’s wisdom and knowledge. The same thing can be said for the communion service, where the bread and the cup are taken, that which our Lord did first with his disciples before his crucifixion. It is the inward examination followed by the external bread and cup. A glimpse into Christ’s wisdom and knowledge. And yet again, for the Mennonite listeners, the man’s lack of head covering, and the woman’s covering. An external symbol for the woman of which may not be entirely clear to the world.

Having Christ's Consciousness, Part 2 (TMF:2615)

Friday, May 16, 2025
Peace to Live By: Having Christ's Consciousness, Part 2 (TMF:2615) - Daniel Litton
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       Now, in this verse, Paul is pinpointing or specifying where actual true or real knowledge lies, and that is in Christ. Christ’s consciousness we might say, his way of being. Indeed, when he was here on the earth, having took on an earthly, human body (which he keeps for all eternity), he demonstrated for us the ultimate attitude we are to have. That’s an attitude of love. That’s the overarching attitude. He healed the sick, cast out demons, even raised the dead, and all of this was on the physical level. The material level, or worldly level. Things which pertained to this life. On the spiritual level, he proclaimed the Gospel—the fact that all can be saved from their sins and brought into right relationship with God. A real relationship with the God of Universe which he himself demonstrated in his own life through his constant praying.

Having Christ's Consciousness, Part 1 (TMF:2614)

Thursday, May 15, 2025
Peace to Live By: Having Christ's Consciousness, Part 1 (TMF:2614) - Daniel Litton
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       Paul goes ahead and elaborates on the mystery of Christ in the statement: ‘in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3, ESV). Remember, back toward the beginning of Colossians 1, Paul talked about the knowledge. And we said that knowledge lays the bedrock, the foundation of our understanding of life as a Christian. This then includes God’s will for us, as Christians. And over time, we increase in this knowledge, as we learn more, as we grow more, as we experience more. Now, in this verse, Paul is pinpointing or specifying where actual true or real knowledge lies, and that is in Christ. Christ’s consciousness we might say, his way of being. Indeed, when he was here on the earth, having took on an earthly, human body (which he keeps for all eternity), he demonstrated for us the ultimate attitude we are to have. That’s an attitude of love. That’s the overarching attitude.

How Can the Church Be Knit Together? (TMF:2613)

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Peace to Live By: How Can the Church Be Knit Together? (TMF:2613) - Daniel Litton
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       What are some ways that modern evangelical churches can work toward “being knit together in love”? And going back to the text, we can derive from it that of the use of knowledge. That’s what Paul is talking about here. He’s talking about understanding and having knowledge of Christ. And for us, as twenty-first century Christians, obviously that comes from our use of the Scriptures. That’s how we try to understand Christ more and more, through study and application of the Scriptures. So, any way a church promotes the studying of the Scriptures together would be a good way to fulfill what Paul is emphasizing here, in “being knit together in love.” Probably most commonly used are small groups—often outside Sunday morning services. That’s good. That’s the point. But it’s also important on Sunday mornings aside from conducting services, to perhaps even have small groups, Bible studies, classes, whatever, that work to achieve this goal. This could be what is needed to get someone new seriously interested in the Bible for the first time.

Interwoveness vs. Independence, Part 2 (TMF:2612)

Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Peace to Live By: Interwoveness vs. Independence, Part 2 (TMF:2612) - Daniel Litton
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       It appears this is, to a greater extent, the experience, the picture Paul is referring to here, of more collective societies within Christianity. This is something that most Americans, then, would be unfamiliar with. Indeed, it seems to be more prevalent in a the more communal types of churches, ones of which a more communal focus is in play. To provide a specific example, this was the experience spent during the course of a year with an anabaptist church in northeastern Ohio. It was an Amish-Mennonite church to be specific. One of the practices of the church was, during Sunday morning service, at one point the men would break up into a couple groups, and the women also into a couple groups, to study the Bible. So, Bible study would actually occur within the church service, right there, on Sunday morning. And individuals would share their thoughts on a certain passage, while at the same time discussing how it ties into experiences they perhaps faced during the week or whenever with whatever it was. It was a cool practice that lended to a deeper fellowship.

Interwoveness vs. Independence, Part 1 (TMF:2611)

Monday, May 12, 2025
Peace to Live By: Interwoveness vs. Independence, Part 1 (TMF:2611) - Daniel Litton
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       Each thread interwoven into another. And all the threads, each crossing the other, form the whole. It really is the perfect picture of the church. It is how it’s supposed to be. And interestingly, and on more of a sadder note, while the concept makes good sense to us, experientially, it may be more foreign to us in American church life than we realize. That’s because, as Americans, we value independence, and this valuing of independence from one another, to each his own kind of mentality, seeks to promote separation from one another. We would likely look at ourselves more like a chess board with the variety of pieces on it. We are the variety of pieces, which are different, and have the commonness that we all stand on the board. That’s our foundation. But we are all separate, independent pieces. That’s more likely how we experience church in twenty-first century America. A commonness but also a separation. But this isn’t the picture Paul has in mind.