Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (Colossians 2:20-23)
Paul continued his letter to the church in Colossi by sharing how concerned he was for them, even though he had not been able to come to them; For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, [Revelations 3:14-22] and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. (Colossians 2:1-3, 5)
God speaks through Paul to address three major concerns regarding false teaching that was being brought into the church by non-believers, or believers who were weak and immature in their faith, who were trying to bring some of the practices of the culture into the church also. The first warning is to beware of false teachers, someone who was not taught by God or Christ, nor had studied the scriptures and been led by the Holy Spirit or taught by the apostles, but just say what they think and feel based on their own opinions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs: Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:4, 8)
We must keep the following thing in mind when studying and hearing the Word of God; Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:12-14); Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (I John 4:1-3)
Our faith is based on one thing and one thing alone, the Word of God, Christ Jesus; As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (Colossians 2:6-7, 9) Because of this Truth, the second warning is to stop trying to "do" anything to "look" holy and pleasing to God: So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. (Colossians 2:16-19)
Paul explains this very clearly to the church in Rome also. Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:1-5)
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:6-9) Especially be careful of anyone teaching to worship angels or anything and anyone other than God alone, because God hasn't even given celestial beings the knowledge and power he has given us, the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. (I Peter 1:12)
The conclusion to these issues is this, we can't "make" ourselves right with God. Only through our faith in Christ can we be reconciled to and have an eternal relationship with God; and you are complete in Him [Christ Jesus], who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:10-15)
Christ Jesus has done all that was required of God for us to be reconciled back to Him. As Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34) What cross do we have to take up, if God has reconciled all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20)? Our "cross" is to deny yourself! Non-believers don't want to believe in God because they don't want to deal with guilt and accountability, admitting they are sinners and trusting in Christ so that they may be forgiven of their sins. Immature believers want God to change so that they can continue doing what they want, but God has said, “For I am the Lord, I do not change;" (Malachi 3:6) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
We who are Christians know that we have to deny yourself against the indulgence of the flesh. The only way we will navigate this life, with all the false teaching with persuasive words, philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ, is by studying the Word of God and following Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15 KJV) "[God] Your word is truth!" (John 17:17) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word became flesh... (John 1:1-2, 14) Let's not follow the world any longer, but let's commit to submitting to God and the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God!
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