See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form . Col. 2:8-9

I had a wonderful time a recent cruise where we saw David Pendleton, a tremendous ventriloquist and entertainer. He could make anything that had a mouth to move come to life. At one point he had a young boy come up to help him with the show, and you knew immediately this young man could very well have seen these dummies (Wooden Americans as David calls them) as the real thing. Still very young he was engaging them as if they were really the ones talking.

It's interesting how we have taken the meaning of dummy and recreated it to mean something than its original intent. Dummy has been often used as derogatory term for lacking common knowledge or sense. In fact one of the dictionary definitions is that it is an offensive term that deliberately insults some body's intelligence or credulity. But most definitions or synonyms point to the fact that it represents that which is fake - an imitation. Sort of like David's dummies. They were an imitation of the real thing - fake people..

Like the young man who was engaging the dummies, we often interact with the dummies of life in hopes attaining some sort of status or lofty sense of being. Before Christ, I tried to do this through all forms of worldly adventures, some typical and respectable, yet empty ventures and some not-so-respectable ones. Some of the dummies of life are the misuse and/or abuse of drugs, alcohol or sex. Or in a less garish fashion it could be things that are normally seen as good, like education, work or religious acts.

I could easily write an essay on these two verses. Paul is speaking volumes here about falling prey to empty philosophies and deceitfulness that can permeate our thinking and ultimately our being. I'll just say briefly that the Colossian church was being taken in by many vain and deceitful teachings (they are more detailed as you read on in this chapter) and it was rendering them incapable of sound judgement and discernment. The phrase, see to it that no man takes you captive is rendered makes prey of you in in the RSV and spoils you in the KJV.. Paul is directly implicating the Colossian's heretical teachings that were hidden beneath the banner of philosophy. They were such that kidnapped its victims from the Kingdom of God. These Christians were offered dummies of faith - fake gods that offered wisdom, intelligence and the power that comes from knowledge.

As I look at the world around me I see so many vain and empty philosophies sneaking into the church. We can mention the obvious things that are creeping in today that want to steal from the Truth - Adultery, homosexuality. gossip, self-centeredness and the acceptance of these without any discipleship of the truth. But the not-so-obvious ones stick in my mind right now. One is the idea that length in years at a church means wisdom - people who think being in church means they have arrived. We do well to go to Church, but as a pastor once said to me - standing in a church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a Cadillac. Church is wonderful - my salvation is Jesus.

Another one that is less obvious is complacency. The idea that I have a life to live and I don't need to worry about others - it's all about me - a very prevalent philosophy today. It is one that makes me look at myself as righteous and my brother or sister as all messed up - and doing nothing to help them in their journey. I think this falls somewhere in the category of vain deceit.

So what do we do with this information Paul has given us? I know I don't want to be a dummy or better said a"Wooden Christian." I want to be the real thing and follow the true Messiah. here are some suggestions taken from the remainder of that passage.

1. We realize in Jesus dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Col 2:9) -not in the "Elemental spirits of the universe," or any speculative system humans have in place - not in an act of religion - only in Jesus.

2. We remember we are complete in Him (2:10)

3. We know we are buried with Him in Baptism and risen with Him through faith (2:12)

4. We trust that we are made alive together with Him (2:13)

5. We believe that "having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them all." (2:15) Jesus is victorious and we have that same victory

6. Finally,"Let no man beguile you" (2:18), "Let no one disqualify you" (2:18), and hold fast to the Head.