Beware of the Philosophies of Men…Even the Good Ones
This is important because the goal of transformation is not to get to a place where I am right about everything, but to stay in a place where I am being transformed by his love and power on an ongoing basis. This is essential and a huge part of becoming more like Jesus.
When Paul warns the church to beware of the philosophies of men in Colossians 2, it is easy for me to reduce that into thinking that he was asking the church to watch out for ungodly ways of thinking. While this was definitely included in what Paul actually said, I believe that it is more than just this. I believe that we have to be careful of following the philosophies of even the best of men.
In Romans 12:1 & 2, we find Paul warning us not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We are told not to be conformed BUT transformed. I think sometimes it is easy for us to be deceived into thinking that being conformed to good things is still an improvement over old, ungodly ways of thinking.
I think sometimes it is easy for us to be deceived into thinking that being conformed to good things is still an improvement over old, ungodly ways of thinking.
But this “better” conforming is still an inferior way to approach repentance. While I need to be humble and ready to learn from others, transformation comes when my mind is renewed and I become more like him. This type of thinking is present when it comes to the way we should do church, philosophies about finances or business, and even the way we disciple others. I am most concerned though, by watching the waves the philosophy of good men can influence the way that we love and lead our families.
The writer of Hebrews beautifully lays out throughout the first 11 chapters of the book how Jesus is superior to everything else. How the new covenant is better than the old covenant, how Jesus is better than the angels. In fact , He is the exact representation of the Father.
In chapter 11, we start out with a definition of what faith is, how it is substance and evidence of what is unseen. We are then told that faith is necessary to walk a life that is pleasing to God. Person after person is listed as examples of people who walked with God by faith.
It seems in our current age, that walking out the unseen feels unsafe and irresponsible. Yet there are many who have a desire to truly follow Jesus and still somehow have sought after a pattern that would please their quest to be responsible and walk with God. I think that being responsible is a good desire, as responsibility is an important part of walking with God, but I’m concerned that in our quest to make sure that we are safe and responsible that we have ascribed to the philosophies of good men who have shared their own thoughts of what it means to walk with God and lead your family as well.
This happens, I believe not intentionally, but because we are so hungry for something that really works. The problem is, in our quest to lead our families, I find that we are often left looking at the philosophies that have been formed as an incomplete part of someone else’s journey.
I recently met with seven young men that I love, and that are committed to following Jesus and loving and leading their families well. I realized as we shared with each other the joys and the struggle of the journey, how easy it is to create perspectives and philosophies from our current perspectives.
In Hebrews 12, we are told that the way we live this life of faith and endurance is by actually engaging and looking at the life of Jesus. There’s a difference between following through on the philosophy of what someone thinks is the right way to lead your family, and fixing your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of your faith.
Let us never settle for even the best of philosophies, when it comes to loving and leading our families. Following Jesus looks like something specific. It is more than just something we say, it means that we have fixed her eyes on him and are committed to move after him. There’s not a checklist on the planet that can allow me to love and leave my family well, regardless of the quality of the checklist.
If I have step-by-step directions on how to get to the destination, then I really don’t need to follow anyone because I already know how to get there. Let us guard ourselves from thinking we have come up with a list of directions to lead us to a version of success that would ever allows us to take our eyes off the living, moving, breathing Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Written by Brad McKoy
