Christ is Where True Spirituality is Found

Intro

Colossians 2:16-23

Identify and beware of False Influencers

Colossians 2:16 CSB

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.

Who were these false influencers?

They may have been in the church.

They were likely from Jewish background.

They likely had had other spiritual influences and combed spiritual ideas.

Rituals:

“Food and drink”: Dietary restrictions.

Festivals - Feasts such as

Passover

Pentecost

New Moon - Monthly, special offerrings, trumpets, work stopped.

Seeking spiritual guidance.

Later Judaiism - symbol of renewal and resurrection.

Sabbath - Weekly

Don’t let them put those regulations on you.

Colossians 2:17 CSB

These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ.

Like a shadow of a person points to the real person, these older rituals were an indicator of Christ.

Example:

Food and Drink -

Festivals - Passover - Christ saved us

New Moon - Renewal - New life, resurrection and renewal.

Sabbath - We find our rest in Christ. Matthew 11:28–30 ““Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

Colossians 2:18 CSB

Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind.

What are ascetic practices - Strict treatment of the body for spiritual purposes. Possibly…

fasting.

restricting food and drink.

possibly sexual abstinence within marriage.

Goal:

Earning favor with God.

Attempting to acheive salvation.

Belief that this would lead to…

Visions

mystical experiences

participation in heavenly worship (possibly with angels)

Three possible meanings of “Worship of Angels”

Literally worshipping angels.

An obsession with angels.

With the angels themselves. or…

With the idea that God spoke through the angels.

The worship that the angels were doing.

Visionary realm - “I had a vision”

People are often impressed by that.

“How can I acheive that?”

“Inflated” - “Puffed up” by their unspiritual mind.

They seem so spiritual.

But they were leading people…

into false religion.

to focus on the wrong thing

away from the gospel

away from Christ.

The Big Error of the False Influencers was their Disconnect with Christ.

Colossians 2:19 CSB

They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

The head = Christ.

Real spiritual life and growth comes through Christ.

He died for us.

Forgave us.

Redeemed us.

He was our only hope for life. (John 14:6)

Watch out for things that…

Are alluring

Mysterious - Secret knowledge

Give a sense of superiority

Add extra-biblical practices

Ask, “Is this something that is contrary to the gospel? Or adds to the gospel?”

Real growth from God stems from a relationship with Christ.

Colossians 2:20–21 CSB

If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”?

What is the meaning of the word “Elements?” - Greek: Stoicheion

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. στοιχεῖον

basic components of something, elements

The basics of religion apart from Christ.

The basics of worldly existence apart from Christ.

The basic elements of the world. (Earth, air, water, fire)

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. στοιχεῖον

transcendent powers that are in control over events in this world, elements, elemental spirits.

Spiritual beings or powers.

Spirits of the elements.

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 2

The elements of the world were most likely astral deities, spirits, and/or angels commonly associated with pagan worship, astrology, and magical practices

What makes sense to me: Spirits behind the philosophies that lead people away from Christ.

The false influencers had been led astray from Christ by the “Stoicheion.”

They were in turn influencing others into their ways.

If you are done with the Stoicheion… why then are you submitting to the regulations that come from them?

The Regulations of the Ralse Influencers were Useless

Colossians 2:22–23 CSB

All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

Regulations about what you can handle, taste or touch are what Paul is referring to here.

The focus of these regulations is on things that will not last, rather than on the eternal things.

They are man-made/self-made:

Friend of my mentor David, tried to make up his own religion.

Most people aren’t bold enough to say that.

Many treat spirituality in this way though.

They appear wise by promoting…

Self-made religion - It can make them seem creative, enlightened, open minded, alluring.

False humility - They may act humble, but it is actually self-exalting.

Severe treatment of the body - This can seem admirable.

The same Greek word used in verse 18 for “ascetic practices” is used here. I

Application

1. Focus on Christ as the A-Z of your salvation.

Colossians 2:19 CSB

They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

Justification - Made you in right standing with God: Freedom from the penalty of sin.

Sanctification - He is changing you to be more godly: Freedom from the power of sin.

Glorification - Eternal life in glory with Christ: Freedom from the presence of sin.

2. Don’t be swayed or distracted from the gospel…

A. By a feeling of judgment from those teaching other religious practices.(Col. 2:16)

Mother-God cult. “World Mission Society Church of God.” “Truth” at SDSU.

Sabbaths

Festivals

Other Christian cults.

Some Catholic traditions - Certain things seen to aid in justification.

B. By the alluring nature of non-biblical mystical practices and beliefs. (Col. 2:22-23)

Crystals

spirit-guides

Tarot cards

Christ consciousness

C. By Syncretism - Trying to blend Christianity with other religious systems or spiritual practices. (Col. 2:18, 20-21)

New Age movement.

Neo-paganism

Post-modern idea - “There is no such thing as absolute truth; so I’ll believe what I like.”

3. Take rest in the freedom you have in Christ.

Colossians 2:20 CSB

If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations:

Sometimes it’s not even another person who puts the judgment on you. But you just have an inner nagging that you need to do more in order to earn something from God.

We should be hard workers. We are servants of Christ. But that should flow out of a place of gratitude and freedom, not out of a restless inward nagging that you haven’t done enough.

We have so much freedom in Christ.

Yes, we do need to call sin what it is. It’s wrong and hurtful to ourself and others. But God tells us what is sin so that we stay out of bondage.

We don’t need to put extra rules on ourselves that God never gave.

The Gospel Prayer by J.D. Greear:

In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less.

Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.

As you have been to me, so I will be to others.

As I pray, I’ll measure your compassion by the cross and your power by the resurrection.”

Conclusion