— To uplift, inform and challenge —

Fellow Soldier,

Greek mythology held that sea monsters (Scylla and Charybdis) lived on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina, between Sicily and Greece, so close to one another that they posed an overwhelming threat to shipping.  Avoiding one meant passing too close to the other and vice versa.  It's also said that seductively singing sea nymphs, "sirens," were employed to woo the sailors (what else isn't new).

Similarly, today’s church can figuratively be viewed as sailing a dangerous strait between legalism and mysticism.  Beyond this, the analogy falters because of the navigational prowess of Captain Jesus. Nonetheless, it does help make the case for the imperative that He alone remain firmly at the helm of our voyage with God.  Beware of seducers; monsters lie in wait.

Scylla or Charybdis?

Monstrous deceptions are attacking today’s church.

“This I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him ... Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily ... ye are complete in him.”  (Col 2:4,6,8-10a)

Writing here to the troubled church at Colosse, the apostle Paul warns against beguiling, enticing words, philosophy, vain deceit and tradition of men.  Leading the wolf pack devouring Christ’s own there in Asia Minor, were gnostics — plus an amalgamation of Judaizers, oriental mystics, legalists, astrologers and ascetics.  Be vigilant, beloved.  The situation remains much the same today (see Mt 26:41).

Prowling about

Attacking today's church health are global infections of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Hebrew Roots Movement (HRM), Emerging Church (EC) and such spiritual pathogens as Roman Catholic cannibalism (RC).  However, the root contagions are legalism and mysticism.  On legalism's side, the HRM and RC are competing to draw God’s own into their clutches.  On the other, the NAR and EC.  Although the NAR has popish overtones and is merely dipped in mysticism, the EC is marinated in mysticism.  Analogous to Homer’s Odyssey, if we do not resist these sirens and bind our eyes to the helm of Jesus, we are apt to be destroyed upon the rocks of deceit (Eph 4:14).  Yet, another tragedy ... we won’t even KNOW it.  By definition, deception also blinds its victims.

Such satanic seduction is not limited to young Christians or pew warmers.  Even  committed senior believers can drift off course and be monstered by legalism or mysticism (Pray for us!).  In earnest zeal, some are tempted to seek ways and means of spiritual enhancement.  It’s heart-breaking to watch saints sail right into the arms of sensual or works-satisfying religion.  It’s surreal to see them now hawking schemes against Christ, as zealously as when their faith was in Him alone.  Beware old-timer!  We’re never home free.  Like a lion, ol slewfoot always prowls about for drifters to dine upon. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pet 5:8).

Sure-fire identification of all such is their rejection of the Bible as the infallible Word of God and/or adding to Christ (i.e. Jesus plus something else).  Nary one would so admit, but in gist, it’s what they do. One tell-tale evidence is their use of make-believe Bibles and creative interpretation of the real.  Though not "KJV-only" folks, we draw a sharp line between legitimate translations and paraphrases, such as the devilish deceptions: The Message and Renovare “Bibles.”

Message author, Eugene Peterson, is a fan of Richard Foster and his mystic “Renovare Institute;” also spiritually joined at the hip to mystic gurus Merton, Willard, Webb, et al.  Such tripe as Foster’s “Celebration Of Discipline” and these two bogus Bibles should be rejected and shredded by anyone committed to sola scriptura.  However, as prophetically, the church sinks further into the muck of apostasy, they are becoming more popular.  "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2Tim 4:3,4).

Many seminaries are foisting such legalistic and mystical yuk upon the church.  In addition to newly minted and misled pastors, there are the malicious false teachers about which scripture so frequently warns. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" (2Pet 2:1,2).  Tragically, some have taken their eyes off Christ and are salivating over the seductive sirens of deceit; drawn to a sensual, squishy faith; a subjective religion featuring candles, pietism, “soaking,” contemplative prayer, visualization, icons, drumming, meditation ... even chanting.  Paul, though not naming the heresies, lists their lures: beguiling and enticing words, philosophy,  men’s traditions, vain deceit.

Believer, beware!

Also camping under Christendom's umbrella, are legalistic "Messianics."  The Judaizers of which, condemn straight-up believers for not observing sabbaths, feasts, dietary laws, etc.  Pharisaically, though likely unawares ... they are really judging Jesus.  Frightening!  Their no doubt sincere, but shadow-worshipping view infers His sacrifice fell short; that it lacks in scope, power, grace or provision ... that we need something or someone more than Christ.  Delusional and dangerous heresy!  "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col 2:16,17).

Competing with them, the Vatican (RC) has ramped up harvesting Reformation fruit; aggressively snagging souls set free by blood sacrifices of Luther and company.  This is clearly evidenced by an express reconciliation track the Pope recently created to capture disaffected Anglicans. Tragically, now, from England’s Crown downward, generations of defensive severance has reversed into a denominational love-fest with Rome.  Sad, but excitingly prophetic!

What to do?

"Do" the Word!  "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (Jas 1:22).  We're called to "DO" what scripture requires of any of us who would assume the name of Christ. Our security is in Him alone.  If we lay hold of but four amazing truths presented in Colossians 2:9,10, we would be all but impervious to Satan’s seductive sirens and the monsters for whom they shill.  Encapsulated in these two verses is the most basic Christian doctrine and sure bulwark of our defense.  They trumpet: “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Astounding!  This makes my spirit leap, feet dance and mouth shout HALLELUJAH!

Herein, the apostle Paul tells us:

1) Christ is fully God and fully man!  Not part, but fully human, just like us all.  Since He’s been-there-done-that, now, as our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of God, He can empathetically plead our case. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom 8:34).  He personally knows our plight and the burdens of humanity.

2) We know we are born again, but can we grasp that it’s INTO Him?  In union with God! ... merged with our Creator in Whom we now live and move and have our very being? "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1Cor 1:30).  My life is hid in Him ... and He is God!  "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3).  It’s as high up the intimacy, security and provisional ladder one can go.  Yet, there’s more!  The need to feel whole and adequate speaks to us all, and

3) We’re wholly complete in Him.  That’s powerful for this once insecure bed-wetting and thumb-sucking adolescent.  I now lack no good thing because when born-again, the Spirit baptized me into Jesus. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27).  Were that not enough, the apostle Paul further tells us:

4) Christ, the God-man, is the head of ALL creation’s powers; the SUPREME Authority.  (He) "... is the head of all principality and power” (Col 2:10).  We’re IN Him!  Frighteningly wonderful.

The mind staggers at the power of what God tells us in only these two lines from the Bible’s 66 books.  Does this not of itself, help make the case that a believer needs but Christ, the Word incarnate, to live victoriously?. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (Jn 1:1-4).  He is our sufficiency and we’re to walk by the Spirit and faith in Him alone.  "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."  Also, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Mt 4:4; Gal 2:20,21).

Nowhere does scripture say we need additional disciplines, diets, gurus, methods or formulas to live victoriously.  Quite the contrary.  God tells us we are complete in Christ, Who is one with the Father.  Any and all else likely panders to pride, leads to another gospel and ensnares in the thicket of works and guilt. Dear one, the Lord Jesus Christ is ALL we need. "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell" (Col 1:16-19).

As new believers, over a third of a century ago, we we’re directed to list the 142 or so New Testamnet verses that used phrases such as, in Him, in Whom, by Whom, through Whom, etc.  Then, morning and evening, we sat at the table and serially rehearsed them aloud.  The purpose was to cement our identity with Christ.  My-oh-my!  We walked away feeling nine feet tall.  A very profitable exercise.

Colossian heresies are as alive and voracious today as in Paul’s time, to the extent that are gobbling up entire assemblies and denominations.  Wisdom advises we get and stay with God’s Word ... scripture.  We suggest that, if we must do TV, we’re far safer watching sports programs than the “Christian” variety.  We say this after having (early on) been duped into giving much to those, which at the time, were deemed “safe” ministries and ministers.  Sadly, many have long since proven they stray far from scripture.  Others are outright heretical.  It's like aspiring to a balanced diet by scavenging restaurant dumpsters for scraps.

For certain, we are complete in Him and need no bells, whistles, amulets, additions, prayer cloths, formulas, feasts, candles, incantations, oils, diets or anointing to please God.  Just as, by faith, we have received Christ, so let us abide (live) in Him.  "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Col 2:6,7).  Yes, it can be a bit scary, but Jesus will never fail us.  Surrendering wholeheartedly ... obediantly following Him, will surely protect us from the Scylla and Charybdis.  He is GOD!

ABOUT US:  Founded in 1993, Hallelujah Living Ministries is a donation-based, non-denominational Christian outreach to uplift, inform and challenge followers of Jesus Christ.  For more information or a copy of our always-free print newsletter, please include a  postal mail address along with your comments and prayer requests. Thank you for visiting  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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