Christianity and Philosophy
Contrasted.
Mobile Conference, May 5, 2017.
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In Christianity, we find the full revelation of God in the Person of Jesus
Christ.
It is Christ the Son of God coming from the Father has revealed Him to us. John 1:18.
And furthermore, as a consequent of the atonement of Christ, all those who repent and believe in God's Son will not perish but have everlasting life.
And in virtue of the redemption too, we have been brought into the relationship with the Father. "Our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." (I John 1.)
Consider, how great is this wondrous
scheme of God’s salvation of sinners!
Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. And reconciled us in the
Body of His flesh through death to present us holy, unblameable
and unreprovable in His sight. (
Now, where do we find anything more excellent among the philosophers?
We need to remember that the Cross of Christ has judged all human wisdom and boast. It was its end.
The so-called "Christian Philosophers" and Christian Apologists today claim to defend Christianity against other religious systems, but in their attempt to contending for the faith, they present a mixture of Christianity and Philosophy rather than presenting the Gospel. But how contrary all this is to the apostolic witness. Paul declared, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect (I Cor.1:17).
It was the error of Colossians and Laodiceans, and Paul tells them that he had a great conflict for them against the efforts of the enemy to undermine Christianity – its power and distinctness and glory above the world. On the one hand, they were in constant danger of falling into Judaism and the other, the dangers posed by the gentile philosophy. So, Paul had to press on them the excellency and the supremacy, and the greatness of the Person of Christ and His saving work on the cross in Chapter 1 and 2.
These saints were in danger, for they had not yet understood "the mystery of God and of Christ" in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and thus in not holding the Head, they came under the effectuating influence of Gentile philosophy, vain deceit, the tradition of men, and the rudiments of the world. Further in the same chapter (Ch. 2), he deals with the dark spiritual forces of mysticism, occultism (magic) and other such demonic dark practices.
In Galatia, it was against the Judaisers that the apostle Paul had to contend with; whereas in Colossae and Laodicea he had to warn the saints not only against Jewish ritualism, but also against Gentile philosophy, vain deceit" and other elements of the world and against seeking knowledge beyond what Christianity has revealed, or outside of Christ. In the former case, the enemy was active to lower Christianity to the level of Jewish dispensation, by mixing Christianity with the Jewish principles, and in the latter case (Collosae), the enemy's stratagem was to use Gnostic philosophy to blend Christianity with the wisdom of the world; to mix Christianity --a heavenly system with that of the world, which is found in the philosophy. These are the two stratagems the enemy has used since Christianity was introduced into the world to cause great havoc in the Church, to undermine the faith of the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But these two systems we learn from the Scriptures have gone in judgment at the Cross. And Christ in the resurrection brought out an entirely new thing, a new order, that is Christianity --which is not of the world, but it belonged to heaven.
It is therefore a vain thing for us to seek knowledge and
wisdom anywhere but in Christ. In
Christianity alone, the way is made manifest by the death and resurrection of
our Lord Jesus Christ. All other systems of philosophy lead men on the "
18 For the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the
scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
This challenge has gone unanswered. The preaching of the Cross -- against this Gospel, there is nothing the philosopher could do or contend. It is Christ crucified, risen and exalted and soon coming, against this Gospel, no system, no philosophy, nothing could contend. All has been exposed and judged by the Cross.
The philosophers have led their followers astray. There is no revelation of God in all their teachings. There is no Gospel, no salvation, no redemption, no resurrection, no life. All these systems of philosophy tell us to "save thyself, by works" They claim to possess 'supreme intelligence' but "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" see Romans 1:21-23. Their conception of cosmos is very different from what is revealed to us in the Scripture. The apostle deals with this very error and exposes their false pretensions as to their possession of knowledge.
The "wise men" of the world, have given nothing to the people, though they pretend to teach men on moral principles, yet while preach virtue, they practice vice. They speak about reforming the man, to make something good of him, building a new world etc.. But the Word of God tells us man is a sinner, having sinned against God, and is seen as dead in trespasses and sins.
In the name of "inter-faith", many do indeed speak about different paths being right, and different saviours, and all paths -Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity finally leading to God, as all rivers from whichever source they originate flow into the same great "Ocean of love, light and life" But all this is a monstrous lie. "their understanding is" not enlightened but as the apostle reveals us "darkened" (Eph. 4:18). Christ said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6. And this at once and unequivocally shows that all others paths lead to destruction (see my meditation on Psalm 1). These systems of religion and philosophies do not offer salvation, forgiveness of sins, redemption; They cannot see the hidden wisdom of God as revealed in the Gospel. But Christ is “the power of God” -- He is “the wisdom of God.”
In Christianity, we have not only the revelation of God, but according to sovereign grace of God, He has brought us into relationship with Himself on the basis of the atoning work of Christ on the cross. In Christianity alone, God has made provision of salvation, free and paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ. “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" (Col. 1:14.)
True wisdom and knowledge are found in Jesus Christ alone. 'In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge'. He is the Subject, the Center, the Circumference, the Object of all Scripture. Christ says “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me” There is no coming to God but by Him.
Creation bears witness to Him. The Law and the prophets bear witness to Him. God Himself has spoken to us in His Son; the Father, opened the heavens to declare His delight in His Son. Christ is the full revelation of God. "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"
So brethren, we ought not seek
wisdom and knowledge anywhere else but in Christ. "In Whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom an knowledge." (
'..ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power:' (Col. 2:10.)