False Leaders (long article, but worth the read)
OF THIS WORLD; NOT OF CHRIST
Colossians 2:8 "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."
Beware is blepo in Greek, meaning to look at, behold, perceive, regard, see, or take heed.
Spoil is sulagogeo in Greek, meaning to carry off booty (to strip and rob), to carry one off as a captive (and slave), or to lead away from the truth.
Philosophy is philosophia in Greek, meaning 'love of wisdom'.
Vain is kenos in Greek, meaning empty or devoid of truth.
Deceit is apate in Greek, meaning delusion.
Tradition is paradosis in Greek, meaning transmission, or ordinance.
Rudiments is stoicheion in Greek, meaning something orderly in arrangement; element or principle.
World is kosmos in Greek, meaning orderly arrangement, decoration, or adornment.
False leaders love control and use 'orderly arrangement' to obtain and keep it. The order is brought about not by the Spirit of God in peace (1 Cor. 14:33), but according to the world's standards and the traditions of men through intimidation. False leaders love wisdom and knowledge, but rarely apply either to their actions. They create a religious delusion whereby they strip you of your dignity, your faith, and your resources.
Colossians 2:16-19 "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. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God."
Beguile you of your reward is katabrabeuo in Greek, meaning 'rule against', to decide as umpire against someone, to defraud or the prize or to deprive of salvation.
Vainly is eike in Greek, meaning idly; without reason, effect, or cause.
Puffed up is phusioo in Greek, meaning to inflate, to blow up, to cause to swell up, to make proud, or to bear oneself loftily.
Fleshly is sarx in Greek, meaning carnal.
The Old Testament laws were a shadow to lead people to the body of Christ. Jesus is our substance and reality and life. Their are legalistic leaders in the church today who want to require Christians to practice some of the Old Testament laws in order to be 'fulfilled' Christians. When faith in Christ alone is the essential of salvation, only Christ retains control of His Body; so those who wish to control you will add something to your relationship with Jesus in order for you to be in their club. Don't be deceived.
Philippians 3:2-3 "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Philippians 3:18-19 "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"
Earthly is epigeios in Greek, meaning existing upon the earth, or terrestrial.
False leaders have their mind on the things of this world, not on things of heaven where Christ is seated. They judge people according to their outward religious observances (shadows), and not according to works and character produced by faith in Jesus (substance).