We are continuing in our discussion of the mandate found in Col 2:8;

This is a mandate for the believer to be able to identify the kosmic lie so that they are not deceived and taken captive by it.

The imperative is found in verse 8 where the word translated "see" in the NASB is the second person present active imperative of the Greek word "Blepo" that means to "see" to "watch out for" to "beware" or to "pay attention" or to "be on guard" This is followed by the negative conjunction of prohibition, "me"

At the time the Bible was written, "Blepo" was a command to be alert to a present danger that in this case was threatening the spiritual lives of believers at Colossae. It is a mandate to be alert to danger that if not complied with will result in the hearers continuing to fall victim to it.

We have seen that the attack on the truth comes from all angles including Legalism, Antinomianism, Religion, and Anthropocentric Speculation.

The warning regarding false teachers is not about how they conduct their lives; because outwardly, false teachers are said to appear as the "apostles of Christ,” and at the same time to be directly under the power of Satan who himself is said to appear as an angel of light in 2Cor 11:13-15;

The attractive personality of the false teacher is used to their advantage as a basis for the appeal they make for their false doctrine.

In order to change the way people think, the false teacher will use the following procedure:

Get individuals, one by one, to believe the lie, by means of disinformation, resulting in their changing the way they think and they choose to believe the lie.

Propaganda and disinformation are what they do to you; brainwashing is what you do to yourself

Paul's instruction regarding this is found in 1Cor 16:13-14;where we have five words in the imperative mood of command related to our discussion.

In this case, the word translated " Be on the alert" is the second person present middle imperative of the Greek word "gregoreo" that means to "keep on watching" or to "keep awake".

The Abridged Theological Dictionary of the NT says:

"In a literal sense it means, "to watch" as in Mark 14:34; Mark 24:43; Mark 12:37.
It has the figurative sense "to be vigilant" as in Matt 24:42; Mark 13:35; 1Thes 5:6; Rev 3:3;"

So it is a command for believer's to be on the alert anticipating an attack.

The command to be watchful is connected with prayer in Col 4:2; Matt 14:38;

The word translated "stand firm" is the second person present active imperative of the Greek word "steko” meaning to keep on standing fast in "the faith" or Bible Doctrine when under pressure.

From the Abridged Theological Dictionary of the NT:

"Steko" is a Hellenistic construct from the perfect of the Greek word "hístemi" and becomes a substitute for it.

"Steko" is rare in the LXX but occurs for "to stand by" in Ex 14:13; and "rests" in Judg. 16:26; and" stand" 1 Kings. 8:11;

In the NT it is used in Mark 3:31; where it describes Jesus' relatives standing outside, John.1: 26; regarding John's witness of TLJC, in Rev. 12:4; where the dragon aka Satan was standing before the woman (Israel) watching for TLJC to be born in order to destroy him, and Mark 11:25; for standing before God in prayer.

The major use in the NT is by Paul, who uses it mostly in the imperative mood. Believers are commanded to stand firm in 1Cor 16:13; they do so in faith on the basis of God's promises. Standing in faith is standing in the Lord Phil 4:1; for faith looks to the Lord, and he enables believers to stand by means of doctrine.

When believers stand fast in the doctrine they are comforted 1Thes 3:7-8; Standing in the Lord gives sustaining power and creates fellowship and a unity in spirit and mind Phil 1:27;

Since the Lord grants freedom from sin and legalism, those who trust in him must stand fast in their freedom Gal 5:1;

2Thes 2:15 connects these various ideas with the command to stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that Paul has taught.

Believers stand or fall to their own master, TLJC Rom 14:4;

Paul uses "steko" to describe the standing that believers have that is established in God by means of faith in TLJC, that standing conveys fellowship and freedom.

1Cor 16:13;So we have the mandate to stand firm or to remain in position in the faith or "doctrine".

The word translated "act like men" is the second person plural present middle imperative of the Greek word "andrizomai" from the root word "aner"

The Greek word, "aner" refers to man in his noble sense, it is the highest word for man found in the Greek language.

By interpretation, it refers to Adam, who was noble before he sinned. By application, it refers to all believers in TLJC, regardless of gender, social status or nationality.

Consequently "andrizomai" refers to spiritually mature believers who are to "act as noblemen" that means that they are to keep on being courageous because of their confidence in Bible Doctrine when under pressure.

1Cor 16:13;cont...

The word translated "be strong" is the second person plural present passive imperative of the Greek word "krataioo" that means to "be strong"

From the TDNT…" krataióo". means "to make strong,” it occurs 64 times in the LXX. In the NT we find only the passive voice meaning "to become strong or to receive strength." from an external source.

In Luke 1:80; Luke 2:40; it refers to the strength received as one grows up, especially from the standpoint of mental independence.

It is used in 1Cor 16:13, with andrízesthe, the exhortation is to "be strong” Eph 3:16-17; ascribes this strengthening to the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit and the circulation of the thinking of TLJC in the believer's soul.

Since it is in the passive voice it refers to the strength that believers receive from God through the power options of the spiritual life The filling of God the Holy Spirit and Bible Doctrine resident and circulating in the stream of consciousness.

1Cor 16:14; is connected with verse 13 (no chapter or verse breaks in the original) we have the words translated "be done" is the third person singular present middle imperative of the Greek word "ginomai" that means "to begin to be" or to "become" or "to begin to be done". It is also used for "to be born".

Since it is in the present tense it means to "keep on becoming" and infers a "work in progress"

As we can see from the Nestle-Aland text a word for word translation from the Original would be: "all of you in love become".

Love is the integrity that is established in the believer's life with the power options of Personal Love or God and Unconditional impersonal integrity love that is established in Personal Love for God. 1John 4:19; Believers must receive love before they can express love. When love is expressed, it is expressed to God first then toward self and others.

So the passage in 1Cor 16:13-14; reads in a literal word by word translation as five commands: "Keep Awake, stand in the faith, be like noblemen, be strong, all of you in love become."

This passage is a command for believers who are "on the alert, acting like men, being strong and standing firm in the doctrine to begin to and keep on functioning in integrity love because if their hope or confident expectation that is established in faith or Bible Doctrine. Col 2:7; 1Cor 13:13;

Deception is not possible when the person's soul is guarded by the truth. John 8:32,36;

The unbeliever or ignorant believer can withstand some deception when they have a good foundation in establishment truth.

The advancing believer's soul is doubly guarded because they have both establishment and doctrinal truth in their soul.

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There is another warning for believers to" beware" found in Heb 3:12; Again the Greek word "blepo" is used in the imperative mood. In this case the believer is "to see" or to "watch out for" to "beware" or to "pay attention" or to "be on guard" against having an evil unbelieving heart or stream of consciousness.

Heb 3:12; "Watch out", brethren, (Church age believers today) that there not be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. Literally, to "keep standing off from the living God".

The verb translated "falling away" is the Greek word "aphistemi" that when used intransitively it means to stand off from, to withdraw from, to leave or to go into apostasy.

It is evil for believers to refuse to believe the promises of God and as a result depart from the living God.

It is possible for people to be eternally saved, to possess eternal live, and at the same time to stand off from God during their life in time.

If believers are upset and disturbed when they face difficult problems in life they standing off from God who is waiting to bless them.

God will not bless believers until they are willing to "Stand still, and watch the deliverance of the Lord" Exod 14:13; and they exchange their strength for His by waiting upon the Lord. Isa 40:31;

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; (Exchange their strength for His) they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary: and they shall walk, and not faint.

"To wait,” means to keep on trusting, or to trust moment-by-moment in faith rest.

The strength of the Christian life is in standing still and waiting on the Lord. It is in God's gracious provision of the moment-by-moment Sabbath, that is now called "rest."

The word "rest" is used synonymously with "Sabbath," because the Hebrew word "Sabbath" means rest.

Every phase of Christian experience depends on acknowledgement of sin, and understanding and using the faith-rest technique all the way to spiritual maturity.

We see that believing is the basis for entering into and for advance in God's plan which is why unbelief is characterized as an evil that believers are to be on guard against.

Unbelief is resisting the work of God the Holy Spirit who is convicting both believers and unbelievers regarding the next step in the spiritual life. John 16:8-15; Acts 7:51-53;