Good day, let's delve into the second chapter of Colossians. The theme here is, See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy. To be robbed of Christ, to lose Him entirely. So, be vigilant, for people often get confused and lose their way; it is a common occurrence.

Do Not Trust in Things That Lack Efficacy

If you present something to me, embellishing it grandly, and claim that upon death, one ascends to heaven, I would ponder: If it exhibits no efficacy during life, how can I believe in it after death? Do you grasp my logic? If it solves no problems in life, how can it grant access to heaven after death? Is this not absurd? Therefore, I am particularly wary of things that manifest no effect while living, and there are many such things, especially those propagated online by individuals with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers, yet they are essentially useless.

Let us consider how many futile things have ensnared us. For instance, the notion of ascending to heaven is quite misleading. Can you genuinely ascend? No one can know. Even more intriguing is the propagation of a gospel devoid of efficacy, where one believes in the Lord only to be afflicted with cancer. What kind of Lord is this? Is it a gospel of salvation or a harbinger of misfortune?

A few days ago, a zealous sister contacted us. She resides in a place where her entire family belongs to a church. Subsequently, one of her relatives suffered a stroke. After undergoing surgery, he became hemiplegic. However, many believe that the gospel cannot resolve such issues. She has believed in the Lord for over thirty years and finds this perfectly normal. Does this not strike you as odd?

Many years ago, her husband also contracted a life-threatening illness, likely a form of cancer. Consequently, the entire family fervently engaged in prayer. After his recovery, his wife soon fell ill. We believe in a Lord who transcends all things. Everyone seems to read these four words, transcends all things, yet few grasp their meaning. Is this not peculiar?

Later, I discerned that many people have a penchant for engaging in futile activities. Just last night, one of our pastors remarked to me, Teacher, there is a person whose problem I cannot resolve. I responded, Then entrust it to me. Coincidentally, this individual was in my office. Upon hearing their situation, I realized they had a penchant for engaging in futile activities.

For example, rushing to pray for a patient without invitation. Have I ever witnessed Jesus Christ rushing into a hospital, touching everyone, and healing them all? Jesus even stated that only Naaman the Syrian was cleansed of leprosy during that time; others were not. The Israelites were quite incensed, but such was the reality, for only Naaman sought out Elisha; the other lepers did not.

Presently, there remains a significant misconception: intercessory prayer. It is a highly corrupt practice. For instance, I am here interceding on his behalf while he watches television. I frequently receive such requests: Pastor, please intercede for me. What should I do then? I respond, Yeah, okay, yeah, I will pray for you. Fine, that's alright, I will pray for you. Yet, in reality, he himself does not desire to pray.

Remember, many things are ineffectual. If something proves ineffective after our own trials, I will not persist. I will not cling to something that yields no results. I lack the faith to persist indefinitely, and such faith is an absurd faith, devoid of any reference point. This matter introduces a profound dilemma: Are you propagating a gospel of efficacy or a gospel devoid of efficacy? Today, people deem a gospel devoid of efficacy as perfectly normal.

Someone left a message on YouTube, asserting that I am a proponent of hyper-charismatic theology, success theology, and prosperity theology. Is it not preferable for everything to proceed smoothly? Yet, some prefer to believe in a gospel devoid of any efficacy. They encourage others to listen to David Pawson, not to this pastor, but to that Tang pastor, and so on. My counsel is to diligently read the Bible, to listen to nothing else. Immerse yourselves in the Bible, and you will discern what God is saying.

Do not trust in things that lack efficacy; this is a fundamental principle. Even before I embraced faith, I knew to seek something efficacious. I had a close friend who collaborated with me on computer software. After completing the work, I would visit him to discuss Buddhist scriptures, although I struggled to comprehend them fully. I would inquire, Can this alleviate misfortune? He would respond, Not quite.

I would further inquire, Among your acquaintances, has anyone attained enlightenment? He would respond, It seems not. I would then ask, Among your acquaintances, inquire if they know of anyone who has attained enlightenment. He would respond, It seems not. I pondered: If only one person attained enlightenment out of a multitude, the probability is too low. I am not enamored with low-probability events.

At the time, I approached faith with a relatively open mind, exploring various avenues. Upon visiting a church, I would inquire, Can one's misfortune be altered? For I was in a state of misfortune and yearned to resolve my problems, to escape those trying times when even drinking cold water caused toothaches. They would respond, Yes. I also visited a traditional evangelical church, which primarily directed me to doctors. When one is afflicted with misfortune, illness, inner turmoil, poverty, and unemployment, they simply referred me to physicians.

Later, I arrived at a church where everyone adamantly declared that all problems could be resolved in Jesus Christ, that altering one's destiny was easy. Consequently, I resolved to explore and learn more. Ultimately, I discovered that the concept within me was correct: If one cannot witness God's grace during their lifetime, they certainly cannot witness it after death. Hence, I do not believe in the notion of seeing only after death what one cannot see during life.

Upon reading the Bible, I realized that our God is the God of the living. If you went to that church before contracting cancer and subsequently contracted cancer, I would ask you, can that church still be attended? Clearly, something is amiss, is it not? For example, in establishing a church and serving people, have I ever driven out demons? Yes. But in the process, I ended up unemployed. Because in establishing the church, I did not properly comprehend how to build a church but employed roasted chicken, roasted duck, and ham. Can such a thing escape a curse? Thus, ending up unemployed is only normal.

However, I was quick to react, returning to the Bible and re-examining how to build a church. Therefore, if an aircraft cannot fly, it indicates incompetence. If a car cannot move and must be pushed along, it also indicates incompetence.

Thus, brothers and sisters, begin to re-examine; be wary of things devoid of efficacy. Because he established a church, but he did not do it correctly, thus it has no effect. It is not that the gospel of Jesus Christ lacks efficacy; the gospel of Jesus Christ is highly efficacious. Let me tell you, even the concept of salvation in Chinese Mingding Doctrine has been rediscovered from the Bible. The original gospel was about ascending to heaven after death; today, our gospel emphasizes living out the image of God during life. This is what salvation truly means.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Powerful and Hopeful Gospel

Why discuss efficacy?

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:23)

The Colossians were deceived and thus taken captive from Christ. We must return to a fundamental point. The Apostle Paul stated:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4)

The Jesus Christ we believe in is highly powerful. If you suffer from depression, are you not healed when you come to me? If you suffer from cancer, are you not also healed when you come to me? After receiving healing and grace, repent quickly, or else you are doomed, certainly doomed. You cannot continue to live according to your old ways. Thus, the gospel in the days of Jesus was highly efficacious. You must do as Jesus Christ did, and today it remains efficacious.

What astonishes me is that someone believes in a gospel devoid of efficacy and yet adamantly considers themselves orthodox. What kind of orthodoxy is that? It is a garbage bin. Even if the garbage bin is placed upright, it remains a garbage bin; it is not orthodoxy.

If the gospel of Jesus Christ lacks efficacy, we must understand why. It is because something is amiss. First, what is amiss is unbelief. The words faith are too magical. You ask many people if they believe. Do you believe you will ascend to heaven? I believe! What kind of belief is that? It is superstition.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a powerful and hopeful gospel. If you read all of Paul's epistles, you will arrive at this conclusion, a formidable conclusion. This conclusion is: full assurance of understanding.

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:1-3)

Jesus Christ is truly a treasure. In Jesus Christ, one lacks no good thing. Never stray outside of Jesus Christ. Why do we continually encourage everyone to learn? It is not in the hope that you can pass an accounting exam, nor is it in the hope that you can pass a bar exam or become a civil servant. We hope that you can have full assurance of understanding, not a superstitious faith. It is knowing how wondrous the power of Jesus Christ is and then being filled with hope in Jesus Christ. This is full assurance of understanding.

How to build a church is a crucial concept, one that you must understand. What exactly is the mystery of God? The mystery of God is building the body of Jesus Christ, seeing the glory of God, that God may be with us. Do not misunderstand.
Yesterday, as I ministered to a sister, answering these questions for her, I thought to myself that traditional theology is deadly. I dare to tell everyone straightforwardly, you may believe or not believe; I do not compel you. Chinese Mingding Doctrine is indeed correcting many absurdities in Christian belief, things that are not the truth of Jesus Christ, not faith in understanding, nor the kind of faith that can see the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chinese Mingding Doctrine is a theology of building the church, a theology of seeing God's presence in Jesus Christ, a theology that allows the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection to be manifested among us. We are still pushing forward, recently dealing with the spirit of religion, which appears lofty and grand but is utterly ineffective. When you see that person, you are filled with compassion, rushing to pray for the sick, yet you feel perplexed that your prayers have no effect. It is impossible for them to have any effect.

I once again draw everyone back: God brought us into this world to do one thing, to build the glorious church of God. God manifests His omnipotence through His church, allowing all things to be trampled underfoot. Do not rush forward to pray for someone unless they ask you to.

Our greatest responsibility is not to heal the sick, for the illness itself may well be God's wrath. Our paramount duty is to build the body of Jesus Christ, to bring these precious souls into the Kingdom of God. Cast the net, gather what it yields, keep the good in containers, and discard the bad. These are the words of Jesus Himself.

Ample Confidence in Understanding

Everyone should possess at least an elementary school level of understanding. Whether you believe or not is a separate matter. After reading the scriptures, you must grasp what the Bible is saying, the theme it conveys. At least you must know this. If you are ignorant that things without effect are absurd, if you do not know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a powerful, hope-filled Gospel, and if your understanding is dim, without ample confidence, and full of disbelief, will you not be deluded by persuasive words?

Even those who have experienced these things are still deceived by persuasive words. I am deeply moved. For example, if I pray for a cancer patient, will it be effective? Someone who could not even get out of bed is healed and jumping around after prayer. Yet, they return to their old beliefs. I find this astounding. What kind of mind is that, filled with nothing but persuasive nonsense?

Do Not Be Deceived by Persuasive Words

If you have not yet experienced the power of God, you had better have ample confidence in your understanding. The brothers and sisters of the Colossian church had seen the power of God, yet they were still deceived by persuasive words. Who could deceive the Colossians? Only those who build themselves up to be very lofty. I suspect Peter and James were involved.

The Colossians revered circumcision. Who promoted circumcision? Moses. But after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, who promoted it? James, the fleshly brother of Jesus Christ.

Imagine, two great pillars arrive in Colossae. First, Peter, the great disciple of Jesus Christ, a mighty pillar. Second, James, the fleshly brother of Jesus Christ, another great pillar. The Colossians are immediately dumbfounded. Epaphras, upon seeing these two great pillars, worships them incessantly.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Furthermore, in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they’re puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. (Colossians 2:16-18)

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)

I can apply this to you. If not Peter and James themselves, then those trained by them. Is their adherence to circumcision so great? Keeping the festivals of the Old Testament, observing New Moons and Sabbaths. Be careful today when we say you must keep the Lord's Day; I think it may be better not to. Why? Because the most important thing is the human heart.

Then there is diet: this is edible, this is clean, that is unclean, this is clean, that is unclean. I know a very famous pastor who came to the home of one of our sisters, eating organic food every day. Having read the words of Jesus Christ, does he not know that what enters the mouth does not defile a person, but what comes out from the heart, this defiles a person?

Do not assume that Peter’s theological system is correct. Peter taught that angels are greater and more powerful than humans. This is a false teaching. Worshiping angels, exalting angels, is a Jewish custom. Jude, the fleshly brother of Jesus Christ, exalted angels, and Peter, the great disciple, exalted angels. We are made in the image of God, while angels resemble chickens, ducks, geese and dogs.

One was raised with Jesus, the other was the great disciple of Jesus Christ, yet they were puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. Do not blame me for bringing up Peter and James. I do not admire their theology, not because they have offended me, but because their theology is not the theology of Jesus Christ.

Peter himself had a bad habit of catering to human intentions: Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch! puffed up with idle notions, a mass of regulations and philosophies. Many churches bring psychology into the church, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is far more powerful than psychology.

One of our sisters went to study psychology because she wanted to overcome her depression. But after studying, her depression worsened. Later, after joining us, her depression has improved considerably. Recent news focuses on the tariff war: you add yours, I add mine. Then a sister told me about tariffs and the economy. After listening, I truly did not understand.

But everyone diligently tries to understand, becoming economists. But what can you do after paying attention? You can do nothing, can you? Already suffering from illness, with poor lumbar and cervical vertebrae, scrolling through the tariff war on the phone is extremely easy to be deceived.
We must know that these things are without effect. Some Christians are foolish, thinking that the end of the world is coming, so they quickly buy many boxes of canned goods and mineral water. Are these things useful? They will eventually run out. Whether you eat them a few months sooner or later makes little difference.

Therefore, the condition of being deceived by persuasive words is very common. Why are people deceived by these things? I have never understood: having Jesus Christ, why do you need these things? Because people still live within the logical systems of this world, which lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. So they stock up on compressed biscuits, mineral water and canned goods. When nuclear war comes, where can you hide?

Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not let anyone take you captive from Christ. If you have not yet entered, hurry and enter. In Jesus Christ, there is no lack of good things. Do not stop pursuing; strive to pursue and continually know God. Do not be afraid. Do not bring in those useless, complex things.

I want to convey to everyone a concept: how simple is the salvation of Jesus Christ? It is simply believing. Then, continually elevate your understanding and continually know God. It is that simple. Some people, when they ask, make things complicated. Why complicated? Because they lack the ability to make it simple. Jesus Christ made it very simple, yet they still prefer to complicate it. Remember, making things complicated is not complex, making things simple is not simple.

Chinese Mingding Doctrine is a very simple theology, very straightforward. Especially the 101 Course is the basic framework of Chinese Mingding Doctrine. Build the church, because Jesus will build His church on this rock. Built on this rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. God will give us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. How simple a principle!

Why do we complicate things today? Because we are filled with rules and the things of men. The elementary spiritual forces of this world are complex studies. When we pray for healing, we first cast out the demon, then teach the truth, and it is done. But if you study medicine, you study until you are covered in sweat, toiling to death.

How simple is our method! Cast out demons in the name of Jesus Christ, speak in new tongues, take up the full armor of God, and trample upon the authority of the devil. How simple! Doctors study what to eat and what not to eat. I cannot study those things. This is poisonous, that is poisonous. I do not care. I go to the restaurant downstairs, order this and that, and eat. As for whether the chef washed his hands after using the toilet, I do not know.

Therefore, be careful with what I cook. If you have no faith, do not eat it. I do not care about these things, but when I make it for you, I do care a little. I will consider your psychological capacity. If I just came out of the toilet, I would consider if you saw me wash my hands, if not, so be it.
Do not be deceived by persuasive words. Brothers and sisters, return to Jesus Christ and regain freedom. People filled with worldly things are full of fear. Because if problems cannot be solved, can you not be afraid? Eating this causes cancer, eating that causes what? Pollution is so terrible now. It sounds very complicated.

Jesus Christ has solved all our problems. Do you love God enough? I encourage you to learn to be a good person, but at the core, be Jesus Christ. Do not show partiality to people, do not cater to human intentions, but cater to the intentions of God, because catering to human intentions is catering to demons, which leads to great suffering.

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:11-15)

Rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

We must be careful not to be deceived by these persuasive words. Because these persuasive words are according to human commandments and teachings, and all these things are destined to perish with use. Therefore, if we use those things, it is no wonder they corrupt us. Without the power of God, they corrupt people and are completely useless. Let us restore our faith in God in Jesus Christ once again, and be filled in our understanding with the knowledge of God’s will.

Conclusion

Reject those useless things, and receive the promises that Jesus Christ has accomplished for us. No longer be deceived by these things. Let us strive to pursue and continually grow, and may the good will of Jesus be accomplished in our brothers and sisters. Amen!

May God bless you all!