A True Freedom (Colossians 2:16-23)

Colossians 2:16-23

A True Freedom

Sunday, July 26, 2026 — Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

i. Introduction

Please open your Bibles with me to Colossians 2:16-23. If you are using one of the Red Pew Bibles there in your seats, you can find Colossians 2:16-23 on page # 1169.

While you are turning there, I want us to consider John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. This work by Bunyan is an allegory of the Christian life following a character who is named Christian. Christian has heard the warnings from Evangelist about what will become of the City of Destruction. He has been given a book to help him along the way and then pointed in the right direction that he must go.

Christian heeds these warnings and sets out on his way to the Celestial City away from the City of Destruction. But along the way there are those he encounters who would seek to point him in another way. One of which is that of Mr. Worldly Wisdom. Here part of the exchange between Worldly and Christian:

“World. But why wilt thou seek for ease this way, seeing so many dangers attend it? especially since (hadst thou but patience to hear me) I could direct thee to the obtaining of what thou desirest, without the dangers that thou in this way wilt run thyself into. Yea, and the remedy is at hand. Besides, I will add, that instead of those dangers, thou shalt meet with much safety, friendship, and content.

Chr. Sir, I pray open this secret to me.

World. Why, in yonder village (the village is named Morality) there dwells a gentleman whose name is Legality, a very judicious man, and a man of a very good name, that has skill to help men off with such burdens as thine is from their shoulders; yea to my knowledge, he hath done a great deal of good this way; aye, and besides, he hath skill to cure those that are somewhat crazed in their wits with their burdens. To him, as I said, thou mayest go, and be helped presently. His house is not quite a mile from this place; and if he should not be at home himself, he hath a pretty young man to his son, whose name is Civility, that can do it (to speak on) as well as the old gentleman himself: there, I say, thou mayest be eased of thy burden; and if thou art not minded to go back to thy former habitation, (as indeed I would not wish thee,) thou mayest send for thy wife and children to this village, where there are houses now standing empty, one of which thou mayest have at a reasonable rate: provision is there also cheap and good; and that which will make thy life the more happy is, to be sure there thou shalt live by honest neighbors, in credit and good fashion.”[1]

Mr. Worldy attempts to persuade Christian that Legality can help him remove his burdens sooner and more efficiently than the road to the Celestial City through the narrow gate. Christian is momentarily persuaded, but quickly does not find this to be the case. In fact, when he takes the counsel of Mr. Worldly and tries to ascend the hill, it is as the hill is so steep that it is going to fall back on him. Furthermore, the path up the hill has flashes of fire coming from it.

Like this path towards Mr. Legality’s house, are many other paths that promise to aide us in the path of true religion. They are even so bold as to promise to help remove burdens such as that Christian had upon his back. However, they are nothing more than counterfeit religion. For rather than turning our eyes towards Christ and his cross as the only means of salvation, they turn our eyes away from Christ focusing on other matters.

And so, Bunyan in his work of Pilgrim’s Progressseeks to show us the true path to the Celetial City that we are to walk in. And so, we see here in our passage this morning. Warnings to not swerve to the right or to the left but keep to the narrow path of life. Read Colossians 2:6-23 for context…

Main Point: True Christian maturity comes through Jesus alone, therefore do not be taken captive by the false promises of counterfeit religion.

1. Warning #1: Don’t be judged by Mr. Legality

2. Warning #2: Don’t be disqualified by the Mystic

3. Warning #3: Don’t submit to religious asceticism

4. Encouragement: Hold Fast to Jesus and Grow in Him

I. Warning #1: Don’t be judged by Mr. Legality

As we seek to walk in Christ, still continuing the exhortation from Colossians 2:6, Mr. Legalist will seek to judge us as we see in verses 16-17…

But notice what this warning starts with there in verse 16, therefore. Paul’s warning comes from the previous truths that he has been proclaiming. Namely that these Colossians have received the message of Christ. A message declaring that they have a hope laid up for them in heaven because of the Son of God. The Son whose kingdom they have been transferred into after having previously been in the domain of darkness. The Son who is Supreme over all things, both in the things of creation and in the things of redemption.

The Son who all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and as we saw last week, whose fullness now dwells in us through our faith in Him! A fullness that has brought us from death to life and cancelled the fullness of our debt that had stood previously against us.

A fullness, that is now being attacked by this false teaching. For as we previously saw back in verse 8 and even re-read a few moments ago. This false teaching is rooted in deceptive philosophy and in human tradition of this fleshly world rather than in Christ.

For Mr. Legality here as presented in verses 16-17, would have us walk not in Christ, but in the way of dos and do nots. Mr. Legality would have us take our eyes off the substance of Christ and keep our eyes on the things of the shadows, starting here with the issues of food and drink and days.

First, Mr. Legality was judging these Colossians on matters of food and drink. And while we are uncertain what the exact food and drinks were that brought such judgment, we know that the Old Testament forbid certain foods and drinks. Just consider that of Leviticus 11 forbidding the eating of camels, rock badgers, hares, the eagle, the vulture, owls, mice, lizards. I think we all could easily be okay with these being forbidden. But it would also have included that yummy rack of pork ribs, pork sandwiches, bacon, and sausage as pig was also forbidden.

Or maybe it was like the religious leaders accused Jesus of, of eating with sinners or with unclean hands. Whatever the exact nature of this food and drink, Mr. Legality wanted to produce the unity of the people in this matter rather than that of Christ.

Secondly, Mr. Legality turned to the issue of various days. We could consider that of Leviticus 23, and the various days mentioned. Festivals such as the Passover, the feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths and other similar festivals were being taught were still essential to being kept as one sought to walk in a worthy manner.

Even that of Sabbath’s is here mentioned to not let anyone pass judgment on them for. Of course, we know from the fourth commandment that Sabbaths were called to be set apart for the purpose of worship. Yet, even in Jesus’s own day, people were missing the point of the Sabbath, and Jesus was forced to correct them that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mk 2:27).

Mr. Legalist would have us keep these still or something along these lines. That in so doing, we rightly walk in a manner pleasing to God.

However, all of these miss the point of such as found in the Old Testament. Not that the Old Testament no longer matters, but in the coming of Jesus, we now can see what all the shadows of the Old Testament were pointing towards, to that of the substance, Christ Jesus Himself! For all of the Old Testament has Jesus as the substance.

The substance then of Genesis 3 is Christ! For it is written to show us our fallen nature and the curse in which we have fallen under and to point us to our great need in the coming Snake Crusher, Jesus himself!

Or in the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, it is Jesus who is the substance. For yes, David defeats Goliath. But the substance of the passage is not our need for more faith to face our giants like David did. The substance is that God saves, ultimately not through sling and stone, but through his beloved Son, Jesus! 

Even that of Psalm 1 in that of the blessed man, the substance is not teaching us the steps needed to be blessed but pointing us to the one who is truly blessed and we find our blessedness in, that of Jesus himself! For it is he who enables us to stand in the congregation of the righteous and to not wither.

Everything in the Old Testament finds its fulfillment and therefore, its substance in Christ! And so, we must be warned of those who would judge us from the shadow of things rather than the substance of Christ!

Let me give us three ways then that we can discern such legalism:

1. First, legalism is tied to a joyless obedience. One obeys the thous and thou shall nots out of obligation and duty rather than the joy of being united to Christ. Legalism labors to appear and earn one’s salvation rather than resting in the grace of God through Jesus!

2. Second, legalism demands conformity to matters the Bible does not have a clear consensus on. For instance, the Bible is clear and has a strong consensus that it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that our salvation comes! This is non-negotiable and Christians must be conformed to this truth! The same could be said about our understanding of God as one God existing in Three persons, this is clear throughout the Bible. However, one thing that legalism demands conformity on is how people dress, speak, act, and believe on the non-clear, non-essential matters. An example of such is when a church goes too far in their doctrinal statement of faith, demanding everyone have the same view of how the particulars of the end will play out or on matters of continuing in the practice of a true Sabbath day of rest. These legalism demands must be upheld for one to belong. And this is a gross unity rather than a true unity around the person and work of Jesus!

3. Third, legalism develops a shallow faith. A faith that emphasizes one’s morals, while at the same time allowing the lesser so-called sins of gossip, slander, bitterness, hatred, and covetousness to thrive. A perfect example of this is that I previously had an older lady in a church where I served who would get so caught up in particular words, that she would miss the substance of the message, Christ! She was so upset that I didn’t hold to the particular viewpoint of doing some formal altar call and that because of such, I was letting people leave and possible still die and going to hell, because they didn’t have the chance to come forward. All while missing that throughout the sermon, I was pleading, begging sinners to leave their sin and embrace Christ. 

Beloved, beware the legalist. Whether it is at work trying to condemn you or you yourself are in danger of becoming that of Mr. Legalist. Beware the one who loves the shadows of things, but misses the rich substance of Christ himself! That’s point #1.

II. Warning #2: Don’t be disqualified by the Mystic

We see this second warning in verses 18-19. And while the ESV here mentions asceticism in verse 18, we will deal with it shortly. For now, we see that there are these who labor to disqualify these Colossians who are carried away with various visions and puffed up with a false humility as they call these Colossians to walk in a different path rather than that of Christ.  

Their false humility comes because they are puffed up with their visions and great details about them. Visions regarding the worship of angels. Though we are not certain whether it was their worshiping of angels or visions of them being caught up into the heavens and worshiping of the angels. For this part is uncertain from the text.

However, these mystics are more impressed and want us to be impressed by these visions of theirs, and to seek to disqualify any who do not have such visions as these as being lesser than they as Christians or maybe even, no Christian at all.

And so, in these attempts to disqualify, they reveal that whatever attempts they had to show humility in being given to much prayer and likely that of fasting is with a false pretense. For they are puffing themselves up with these visions rather than seeking the glory of God!  

And the clear reason that we are not to be judged by such is that they are holding to these visions and the great details of them rather than holding fast to the head of the church, Christ himself! For it is not visions that nourish us and grow us, but Christ!

Beloved, every person that I have ever interacted with who is deep in this kind of mysticism is so certain that they have heard a word from God and telling others about it, while failing to sit quietly and listen to the actual words of our Redeemer! The words that are true and cut deep to the joints and marrows of our hearts.

For even where Paul speaks elsewhere of such visions, he does so in speaking of being given a thorn in the flesh to show that God’s grace is sufficient in his weakness to reveal the power of Christ (2 Cor 12:1-10).

Beloved, be not disqualified by such who are carried away in this land of mysticism, talking of such visions that come from the wildness of their own imaginations rather than that of Christ! That’s point #2.

III. Warning #3: Don’t submit to religious asceticism

The final warning of Paul comes in verses 20-23. Don’t submit to religious asceticism, to these regulations of man-made religion.

The regulations of the world would have us return again to the captivity of slavery in teaching us to not handle, taste or touch. Commands of men given with an appearance of wisdom in seeking to help restrain the things of the flesh.

Not only that, but these regulations also encourage that of asceticism. Asceticism as seen there in verse 23, is severity to the body, or as found in the NIV, the harsh treatment of the body. Such promise wisdom to help restrain from the indulgence of our human flesh. One commentator even puts it this way, “Asceticism feeds the flesh by starving it.”[2]

Yet, the reality is, this is a false appearance of wisdom. For such regulations, such harsh treatment cannot stop the things of the flesh and change the heart. Only in Christ can such change take place!

Beloved, if we have died with Christ, as noted there in verse 20 why would we submit again to such regulations of these worldly, these fleshly practices? Why feed the flesh in such a useless manner? Beware then of those who would lead you in such a deceptive path.

IV. Hold Fast to Jesus and Grow in Him

Having seen the warnings, let us consider then the implied instruction here from these warnings. For each of these warnings are given against those who love the shadows, but miss the substance, who are nourished by their sensuous minds and not Christ himself, and those who would feed the flesh rather than kill the flesh.

The instruction then for us is to beware these empty philosophies by continually looking and holding fast to Christ himself! Looking to the one in whom we have our fullness. Looking to the one in whom we are filled with!

For in Him, we are united to the one who has already disarmed the powers and authorities by his cross. Therefore, why should we as Christians, continue to try and put ourselves under their regulations in a different manner?  Jesus is our head, and in him we are being nourished and knit together, for this is how we grow in God and stop the indulgence of the flesh. This is how we continue to have our hearts reshaped more and more to be like that of Christ. We learn to be nourished in Him! Remembering who he is! That he is the substance, not all of these various rules and regulations.

But maybe you aren’t a Christian. Let me encourage you friend, to consider all the ways that you yourself have submitted to such man-made religion. Maybe for you, you are like those who are caught up in the shadow of things rather than the substance of Christ. And while it looks a bit different for you, you are caught up with the shadow of the things of this world and wanting to enjoy it and live life to the fullest.

Friend, because you are caught up in the shadows of this world, you miss that your delight is in a world tainted with sin. Your delight is in a world that is perishing. Your delight is in a world full of the very things you claim to despise God for allowing. Yet, because you are caught up in the shadows, you miss the substance of Christ and that God is at work making all things new through him, including us. And that in him true life is found.

Or maybe you are one of those who are caught up like the mystics in false humility and visions. Not visions of angels of course, especially if you deny God and any existence of him. But you are puffed up with your visions of how you think the world has come about and should be, making it up as you go as your imagination or as others tell you your imagination should go. Visions of no authority, but yourself, while at the same time submitting to the visions that others paint for you and growing more and more in their likeness as they lead you away from him who gives true growth and true redemption.

Maybe even further, you seek out various regulations and rules and ascetic practices to define how you live in this world. Not to stop the indulgence of the flesh though, but to thrive in the indulgences of your own flesh.

Friend, all of these are a snare for you and seek to leave you judged, disqualification, and in bondage. And yet, even now there is one who stands ready to save you. One whose willing to rescue you from this domain of darkness and declare you his own, filling you with himself to give you life! Jesus! Jesus stands ready to save you, friend! All that he requires is not your fitness, not your having it all together, not even a false humility, but for you to truly be humble and understand your need for Him! Make today, the day of salvation, my friend!

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Conclusion

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[1]John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), 40.

[2]R. Kent Hughes. Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon: The Fellowship of the Gospel and the Supremacy of Christ. Preaching the Word Series. (Wheaton, IL; Crossway, 2013), 292.