Hello Friends!
Welcome back! This week we’ll continue to work our way through the
powerful
book written by the Apostle Paul to the Colossians as we consider the PERSON and WORK of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “The Supremacy of Jesus
Christ!”
This
week we will begin our reading of verses 11-23
in chapter 2 as
we consider a life of NO Legalism! ONLY Jesus Christ…
Colossians: The Supremacy of Jesus Christ! (Chapter 2:11-23)
Colossians: The Supremacy of Jesus Christ! (Chapter 2:11-23)
The
Apostle Paul has been building a Biblical FOUNDATION
on the TRUTH of which PROMISES that when “we”
are IN our “Savior” and Lord
“Jesus Christ” He has made “us” a COMPLETELY brand “new creature” in spirit:
Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new – 2
Corinthians 5:17
In
other words, a NEW person doesn't need
the “old things” of this “wicked”
world! Therefore, “we” don't RELY upon human philosophy, Jewish
legalism, pagan mysticism or abstaining
asceticism. We do NOT
need ANYTHING else when we RECEIVED “Jesus
Christ” our Lord – Whole IN
Him!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Although the Apostle
Paul never officially names this damning “doctrine” of doom, there are FOUR
elements to the SPIRITUAL INTIMIDATION and “false teaching”
that threatened the “Colossian”
congregation:
ONE: The element of “philosophy” ~ (8-15)
TWO: The element of “legalism” ~ (16-17)
THREE: The element of “mysticism” ~ (18-19)
FOUR: The element of “asceticism” ~ (20-23)
Throughout
all of history, “man” has pursued an ultimate
“understanding” of the reason for
existence, the purpose of living and the phenomena of the
universe. And as we have already discovered, another great “mystery” that menacing “man” has also tried to “spoil” is regarding the PERSON and WORK
of “Jesus Christ” as God:
Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ – Colossians
2:8
Therefore,
this chilling chapter represents the culmination of “false”
human PHILOSOPHY, religious LEGALISM, pagan MYSTICISM
and fleshly ASCETICISM espoused by
these “religious” men – SPIRITUAL INTIMIDATION!
ONE: The element of “philosophy”:
To
begin with, Paul has this to say concerning the SPIRITUAL
INTIMIDATION of the “religious”
requirements of a quasi “salvation”
through “circumcision” according to “philosophy” of the times. HOW? By the trite TRADITIONS
of men:
In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins
of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein
also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath
raised him from the dead – Colossians
2:11-12
As
a true “Christian,” there is NO need to be physically “circumcised” by man’s hands. WHY? Because you have been SPIRITUALLY REBORN through
“baptism” and thus “buried”
and “risen” IN
“Jesus Christ” our Lord – No RAZOR or WATER necessary!
And you, being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made
a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it – Colossians 2:13-15
When
we REPENTED of our “trespasses”
and “received” Jesus Christ, we were COMPLETELY “forgiven”
through Him as we signed our confession of “sin”
against God. He “nailed it to His cross,”
paid the FULL penalty for the “handwriting of ordinances” that were “against us” but “contrary
to us” and He wiped them clean! We signed it and He erased
it. And thus, it was at His “cross”
where He made a public “show”
over the “principalities and powers”
of “evil” by “openly”
and eternally – Triumphing OVER them!
These
“religious” impostors were promoting another
gospel by propagating the LIE
of which wrongly “teaches” that along with “belief” one must ALSO
become “circumcised” through a surgical
salvation of sorts. However, as Paul says of the “Jew” to the “believers”
in Rome, “we” are NOT
referring to an “outward” surgery of the “flesh” here:
For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But
he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in
the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God – Romans 2:28-29
And he
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith
which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them
that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be
imputed unto them also – Romans
4:11
Rather,
we are placed INTO the “Lord Jesus Christ” by a SPIRITUAL “baptism”
of which the RISEN SAVIOR has “imputed” unto the “believer’s” life, resulting in a “putting off” of “sins”
within the fallen “flesh” through a SUPERNATURAL “circumcision”
– Of the HEART!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: All throughout the
Old Testament history of “Israel”
it was BELIEVED that if a “Jew” was simply “circumcised”
in the “flesh” they were AUTOMATICALLY placed into the “covenant” group of God’s “chosen” people and thus were SAVED. As a result, every little “Hebrew” boy was “circumcised”
after he was physically born on the “eighth
day” as a “sign”
of his BELONGING to the “nation” of “Israel”
itself. The physical is ALL
that was required…
And the
Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed,
to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou
mayest live – Deuteronomy 30:6
And
that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land
of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then
accept of the punishment of their iniquity – Leviticus 26:41
In that
ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and
uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house,
when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant
because of all your abominations – Ezekiel
44:7
And
thus, to the “Jew” it didn't MATTER whether he was good
or bad,
as long as he was “circumcised” as an infant.
Therefore, an “Israelite” had thought
he was good to go through – Circumcision of the
FLESH!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: Similarly, many throughout
the history
of the “church” have also adopted a
similar UNBIBLICAL system of “salvation” by WORKS
through the “false doctrine” of WATER BAPTISM REGENERATION! This approach
simply replaces a “circumcision”
of a RAZOR with a “baptism”
of WATER and thus they “baptized”
EVERONE!
In fact, it was the Emperor Constantine who initially promoted
this type of “religious” system by WORKS through the man-made requirement
of MAKING folks into a “Christian”
by simply getting folks WET
and as a result, were FALSLY
convinced they too were good to go. Conversely, Paul CONTENDS
for the TRUTH of “baptism” through the “death”
of “Jesus Christ” found in God’s Word:
Know ye not, that so many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we
are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life – Romans 6:3-4
The
Apostle Paul would NEVER have “taught” that the “believer”
changes from spiritual “death”
to spiritual “life” is a result of WATER itself.
WHY? Because to do so would CONDEMN Paul as much of a “religious” works-based “heretic” and RITUALIST
as those of whom he was condemning throughout his
letters! Rather, Paul was the “sound”
champion for true BIBLICAL spirituality by
“teaching” that – Jesus
Christ is ENOUGH!
TWO: The element of “legalism”:
These
“false teachers” were also infiltrating
the “Colossian” assembly with a tremendous
amount of SPIRITUAL INTIMIDATION
through “legalism” and thus the “saints” were “believing”
the LIE that they were inadequate for
God. HOW? By falsely THINKING
that “Jesus Christ” was NOT enough:
Let no man therefore judge you
in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of
the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of
Christ – Colossians 2:16-17
Here
Paul DENOUNCES the HERESEY
that preaches “Jesus Christ” PLUS absolutely anything espousing
the waning WORKS of self-righteousness.
This rouse of rank “religion” denotes the “Jewish” aspect for this flavor of “false teaching” found here within the “Colossian” congregation. WHY? Because these “men”
were attempting to “judge” others for what they
“eat” or “drink”
based upon the “statutes”
of the Old Testament:
Do not
drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever
throughout your generations – Leviticus
10:9
Whether
or not one attends a “holyday”
such as Passover, Pentecost, Feast
of Tabernacles, Feast of Lights or Feast of Weeks.
Whether or not one makes a sacrifice on the first “day” of the month or “new
moon.” Whether or not one prescribes to all the laws,
rules
and rituals
of the “Sabbath days” religion.
These COMMANDMENTS from God
represented signs and restrictions for the “Jewish” nation of “Israel”
and were a “shadow of things to come” of
which were FULFILLED in the PERSON of “Jesus
Christ” God incarnate! These “shadows”
simply anticipates the ARRIVAL
of SOMEONE and HE
is already HERE!
And thus the “church” is the “body” of – His
precious Bride!
POINGNANT POINT: Are you personally
“offended” or is your “conscience” violated
by those whom may celebrate the holiday “traditions” of
popular Christmas & Easter
celebrations Theologically and Doctrinally
speaking? The Apostle Paul speaks directly to this very issue
as he addressed the “Roman” congregation:
One
person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each
be fully convinced in his own mind. 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 – Romans
14:5-6
…for
the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and
joy in the Holy Spirit – Romans 14:17
Either way, “Let no man therefore judge you” and “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” as to
avoid ANY form of “legalism” in your
“walk” with our Lord Jesus Christ as we “give God thanks” to Him for – EVERYTHING!
And to further COMPLICATE things, there were PAGAN rituals mixed into this “religious” recipe of HYPOCRICY
exposed by Paul. Not to mention, these were both “Gentile”
cities and they NEVER kept “Jewish” patterns of “legalism”
in the first place! Therefore, ALL
this unnecessary nonsense became very CONFUSING
to the “Colossian” congregation – Jesus Christ is ENOUGH!
THREE: The element of “mysticism”:
There
were other “false teachers” who were
espousing a SPIRITUAL INTIMIDATION
of “mysticism” which espouses the need for a
so-called deeper and higher human “fleshly” fanciful EXPERIENCE
or intoxicating INTUITION of a silly SUBJECTIVE nature:
Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those
things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not
holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having
nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God – Colossians 2:18-19
Here
Paul again expresses his deep DISDAIN
for these menacing MYSTICS by pleading
that no one “beguile you of your reward”
from the Lord! These folks say it is “Jesus Christ”
PLUS a “vision”
from God. They say it is “Jesus Christ”
PLUS the “worshipping
of angels” in a false “humility”
and depraved
“mind” of which is FORBIDEN
in the Scriptures:
And I
John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell
down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, “See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the
sayings of this book: worship God” – Revelation
22:8-9
And
they say it is “Jesus Christ” PLUS the “intruding
into those things” of which these LIARS
have never
actually “seen” for themselves as they
clamor for more and more… PLUS,
PLUS, PLUS!
Therefore,
Paul declares these menacing “men”
to be “vainly puffed up” and “not holding to the Head” of Whom provides
“nourishment” and “increase”
from “God” above. We must “worship God” alone – Jesus Christ is ENOUGH!
FOUR: The element of “asceticism”:
And
there were yet other “false teachers”
of whom were promoting a SPIRITUAL
INTIMIDATION formulated in “asceticism”
by the “commandments and doctrines of men”
through a “religious” life of rigorous SELF-DENIAL:
Wherefore if ye be dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are
ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to
perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which
things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and
neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh – Colossians 2:20-23
These
ASCETICS insisted that true SPIRITUALITY was found in “Jesus Christ” PLUS
total self-abasement, was found in “Jesus
Christ” PLUS
total self-flogging and was found in “Jesus
Christ” PLUS
total self-impoverishment. Here again, Paul
expressly inquires “if ye be dead with Christ from the
rudiments of the world” why do you LIVE
as if you are “subject to ordinances” from
the world? In fact, Paul says further of “such”
men:
Having
a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away – 2
Timothy 3:5
All
this self-imposed
silliness of “Touch not” and “taste not” and “handle
not” and “neglecting of
the body” will one day “perish”
in FULL! And
although these “things” having a FORM of “godliness” and human “humility” will NEVER
really “satisfy” the fallen “flesh” of “sinful”
man. Therefore, we must TURN AWAY from
this fickle foolishness – Jesus Christ is ENOUGH!
QUIZZING QUESTION: In preparation for
our next study in chapter 3 of “Colossians,”
let’s ask ourselves THREE important
questions concerning our “walk”
with the Lord:
ONE ~ WHAT are the things we SEEK most
earnestly?
TWO ~ WHAT is on our MIND most of the time?
THREE ~ WHAT do we LOVE most in life?
These
inquisitive questions will serve as a mindful monitor to MEDITATE upon as to determine if our preoccupation
is “heavenly” or “earthly”
focused – GOD or SELF?
In closing:
We
live in a day of overexposure to everything. The mass media’s
transmission of ERROR is unbelievable. Turn on your
television or radio and you’ll hear something that is either WRONGLY represented or just WRONG. And the TRUTH
of God has a VERY difficult time
making its way into the WORLDLY
scene. In the Apostle Paul's day, the volume and intensity
of such ERROR may have been
somewhat less. However, the IMPACT
was still present – Ungodliness!
And
TODAY in the “church”
we are being inundated by a constant flood of “false doctrine” in a way that “Christians” throughout history have NEVER experienced. There are BOOKS to read that are supposed
to lead to TRUTH. There are TEACHERS of whom are supposed to be
speaking the TRUTH and there are
radio & television PROGRAMS
that are supposed to be telling the TRUTH. However, MOST
are NOT doing
so… Lord Jesus, HELP us!
Therefore,
the ONLY way to REMOVE
yourself from ALL of this rank “religious” NONSENSE
is to MOVE your “heart,” “mind”
and “motives” unto the OBEDIENCE
of “Jesus Christ” our Lord – For HIS Glory!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give
US the courage
and boldness to “contend
earnestly for the faith” that was signed, sealed
and delivered some – 2000
years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
this information as a foundation for your personal studies, please read through verses 11-23 in the second of the excellent book to the Colossians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
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