A. V. 18 "Let no man beguile you of your reward"

1. The Lord told us in verse 16 "Let no man therefore judge you" and that means to condemn you or call in question what you have learned from the Holy Spirit through the word of God.

2. Here in verse 18 the Lord tells us "Let no man beguile you of your reward" or Let no man declare you unworthy of your prize or let no man cause you to be disqualified of from the game for failing to follow the rules.

3. Serving the Lord and serving in truth and in a truthful way should be something we do without even thinking of rewards, however to loose those rewards would be horrible. 1 Corinthians 3:8 "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

4. This is indeed gracious on the Lord’s part, to save us from wrath and eternal hell should be enough for us to serve Him and serve Him in a right way, but for the Lord to reward us for our labors also shows much more grace on God’s part.

5. Most believers serve the Lord and never think about our rewards just out of love and devotion to Him.

6. Just as hell has more harsh punishments, heaven will have more glorious rewards. Matthew 23:14 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."

7. Thomas Watson (1620-1686) once said "Though every vessel of mercy shall be full in heaven, yet one may hold more than another".

8. Example: will a person who is not a member of the Lord’s church receive the same glorious relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as one that is a member of a true church? Will one who never or very little to serve the Lord receive the same rewards as one who sacrificed and served the Lord greatly receive the same rewards?

9. One who leaves truth will loose rewards and have a less closeness with the Lord Jesus then those who were true. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14.) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15.) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

10. Remember the word "Let no man beguile you" or Let no man declare you unworthy of your prize" when one causes you to leave truth or a true church they have robbed you of your prize and you have allowed them to do it.

B. V. 18b "in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,"

1. The best I can understand this is the teachers of Gnosticism taught in order to go to God (since you were not good enough) you must go through another source and that would be an Angel. This is another one of Satan’s lies.

2. Satan will use anything to draw out attention away from the Lord Jesus Christ even Angels.

3. "voluntary humility" means to do it with humility and pride, as though it is proper.

4. The word of God has concluded there is ONE way to God, Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

5. Those who are searching for other ways are not summiting to God’s word.

C. V. 18c "intruding into those things which he hath not seen,"

1. That is to daringly and boldly entering into the worship of unseen things.

2. Jesus Christ lived, died, was buried, and rose from the dead. This is not unseen; the fact that Jesus did these things is not questioned even today. What has Angels done?

3. These people are acting like they have something when in reality they do not.

D. V. 18d "vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"

1. This person has without reason inflated his mind to believe a lie.

2. This is but a mere substitute for the true religion; we see this in Arminianism today.

3. They are puffed up (or have inflated) by their fleshly minds.