Passage: Colossians Study | Lesson 05
COLOSSIANS 2:16-23Spencer Sun | February 1, 2015
Opening Question:
List out 10 qualities of what an "ideal" Christian looks like in college. What does he/she do on a regular basis? What does he/she look or dress like?
A word that sticks out in the passage is 'self-abasement'. Colossians 3:12 helps define it as false humility (NIV) or asceticism (ESV).
Across each piece of the passage, we will seek to answer these three questions:
What teaching was Paul warning against?
What were the original intentions of the teachers?
Why did Paul warn against this teaching?
Colossians 2:16-17 - Legalism
Legalism is defined as the overly strict or rigid adherence to the law, or to a religious or moral code. Paul was warning against rites, traditions and rituals borrowed from and steeped in Jewish law. There was also possibility of pagan laws or even a mixture of all things mentioned which placed their own man-made rules on the same level as God's laws. For instance, Pharisees were judging the disciples because they were picking grain to eat on the Sabbath and because they did not wash their hands before they ate bread (Matthew 12). There were also questions regarding the importance of circumcision in the Corinthian and Galatian churches. Although these traditions and rules were originally created with good intentions, the Pharisees took it to an extreme by following them to the tee.
One commentary says that "their false humility, revealed by self-abasement and self-denial, came from observances of rituals and regulations that had no bearing on salvation. This sort of humility was self-absorbing and self-gratifying, a kind of pretentious piety.
Ask yourself, does FCBC LA practice certain "traditions" without meaning?
However, this does NOT mean you should NOT be doing these things. Just be sure that you don't develop a sense of piety, a judgmental nature or feel that you are "more spiritual" than others for doing these practices. We do have the liberty to do the things that are taboo in our church (party, alcohol, etc.), but we should keep in mind that we should restrain ourselves to protect our weaker younger brothers/sisters in Christ.
Colossians 2:18-19 - Mysticism
Mysticism is defined as the belief in direct experience of transcendent reality or God, especially by means of contemplation and asceticism instead of rational thought. Paul was warning against using intermediaries as a way to get to God. He also warned against the used of good-luck charms, conjuring angels to ward off evil spirits and fascination of spiritual things other than God (like angels). People back then would try to do things like fast for several days in order have an out-of-body experience, a vision or a "high" of sorts. They would hope these extreme acts would give them a special revelation. They partook in these activities in hopes to grow in God and in their faith.
Although these acts of mysticism aren't in themselves bad things, it was the fact that they forced themselves to do them in hopes for change. Think of forcing yourself to speak in tongues when you have no idea what you are doing (or saying).
Colossians 2:20-23 - Asceticism
Asceticism is defined as severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
"Asceticism might make a person appear spiritual, because of its emphasis on humilty and poverty, but it serves only to gratify the flesh. It is a vain attempt to appear more holy than others." (Matthew 6:16-18)
-John MacArthur
The idea of self-denial included selling everything to be poor, extreme fasting of food, human contact, sex or "worldly living" in order to have visions or feelings of transcendence. The underlying theme of why the Colossian church was partaking in these things was pride. They wanted to be "more spiritual".
Good intentions gone wild (If anything, remember these things!):
Standards gone wild is Legalism
Spirituality gone wild is Mysticism
Self-denial gone wild is Asceticism
Refer to the list of qualities of an "ideal" Christian that you made earlier. Do you consider someone more "spiritual" it they did the things you mentioned? Do you carry for yourself and others a spiritual checklist? How do the things listed match up to your stances on worship, the elements in a worship service, how we pray, how we practice the Lord's Supper and baptism, how dress, dating, marriage and fraternities/sororities.
It's important to remember that Jesus is the substance and the real thing. Jesus is the head, as it is reiterated in 2:10. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5).
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