See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

Our English word Philosophy comes nearly directly from the Greek, “philosophia”.  It is a compound word made up of two Greek words, “Philo”, which is the affectionate love for something, and Sophia, meaning wisdom.  Quite plainly, “philosophy” means “love of wisdom”.  It is a love of thought, rational thinking and the laying out of things, and ordered structural analysis.

While this might sound very noble and the very thing a Christian would want, and in some capacity, it may be, Paul warns directly of being taken captive by it.

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Ephesians 4:17-19

Read more…

Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:11

Somewhere, we have picked up some really heinous ideas and called them wisdom.  Take John…  He lived in the wilderness his whole life, fasting and praying, and preparing for Messiah.  He was to be the messenger, and he was to prepare the way for Jesus, so through him, all the world might be saved.  This was his mission, his job, and he knew it.  He knew it so well, that when Jesus’ “ministry” started to outshine his own, he didn’t even care.

Read more…