Sermon Tone Analysis

The last two weeks we broke down the previous passage from vv4-12 in seeking to understand how we avoid being deceived by persuasive arguments (v4) and how we don’t become captive to false philosophy’s from this world.

Our good and gracious God has given to us this wonderful testimony of what He’s done for us in Christ.

(vv9-12)

Then we received this very simple solution to walk in (v6-7).

Which we’ve received Christ Jesus as Lord, and so we continue to live that way for the rest of our lives.

Looking unto Christ and His finished work on our behalf as the way in which we

fight off persuasive arguments and

philosophies

that don’t lead to making Christ preeminent in all things.

So going from persuasive arguments and philosophies about what?

23 "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.”

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The false teacher have persuasive arguments and philosophies about how to curb your self-indulgence.

This is what this passage is about!

How do we fight sin??

Remember this: Bad theology leads to bad practice!

Some persuasive arguments and philosophies are laid out for us starting in v16.

16 "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.

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

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In the false teaching it was believed that the Colossians would progress as Christians to ‘fulness’

by keeping certain Jewish food taboos and rigidly observing their special days.

These severe regulations of a self-denying kind are, however, a shadow of the things that were to come.

Christ and his new order are the perfect reality to which these earlier commandments looked.

The reality has already come and the things of the shadow have no binding force; they are no longer a norm for judgment.

Any demand today to abstain from certain foods or to keep religious festivals as a requirement for

growing as a Christian

brings down upon it the same severe criticism.

18 "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.”

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Now, not much is known about the actual practice of the false teachers, but here’s what’s revealed.

These ascetic practices (or false humility) means self-denial and describes fasting and other bodily disciplines which were self-denying practices in Jewish piety that were supposed to open the way for receiving visions of heavenly mysteries.

Their (supposed) heightened experiences now gives them spiritual superiority.

Paul’s criticism is sharp!

These people are inflated by their empty notions of the unspiritual minds!

Their attitude and outlook is dominated by their flesh.

The teachers’ boast was that they were directed by the mind; Paul’s answer is ‘Yes, but it is a mind of flesh!’

To the suggestion that they were acquainted with divine ‘fulness’, the response is that all they are full of is their own pride!

19 "He doesn’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 most devastating criticism is that by using their own private religious experiences as the basis of their authority they were in fact rejecting Christ as their Head.

O’Brien, P. T. (1994).

Colossians.

In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.),

New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1271).

Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

He is the source of life and nourishment by which his body lives and the source of unity through which it becomes an organic whole.

20 "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: 21 "“Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”?” ()

If the Colossians were to fall victims to the false teaching and voluntarily place themselves under rules and regulations,

such as Do not handle!

Do not taste!

Do not touch!

which were imposed by the principalities and powers,

then this would be to go back into slavery again, a bondage to the very powers of the universe from which they had been freed when they died with Christ in his death.

O’Brien, P. T. (1994).

Colossians.

In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.),

New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1271).

Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

O’Brien, P. T. (1994).

Colossians.

In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.),

New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1271).

Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

Not all Christians are free from superstition, which can exert more influence than their faith.

22 "All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines.”

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The matters covered by the taboos were perishable objects of the material world (like food and drink) which passed away when consumed.

Further, these taboos, which had a Jewish flavor to them, were merely human inventions (lit.

‘according to the regulations and doctrines of men’.

13 "The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service— yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.” ()

7 "They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands.”

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O’Brien, P. T. (1994).

Colossians.

In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.),

New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1271).

Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

These human commands and doctrines contaminate the pure teaching of God with its liberating message.

23 "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.”

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Such regulations, like those mentioned in v 21, carry a reputation for wisdom in the spheres of voluntary worship, humility and severe treatment of the body.

But they lack the reality and this wisdom is a facade for true wisdom which is found in Christ alone (2:3; cf.

1:15–20).

The aims of these regulations, while appearing to be good and

involving considerable self-discipline,

actually had no value whatsoever.

The taboos left untouched the problems of sensual indulgence.

Rituals and ceremonies and religious performances cannot change or curb self-indulgence.

So how can we change then?

It all hinges on one word “Therefore” in v16.

The therefore at the beginning of v. 16 connects the theology about “fullness in Christ” in vv.

10–15 with Paul’s exhortation to resist the false teachers in this verse and following.

Because it is in Christ that you have spiritual fullness, Paul is saying, do not let anyone impose upon you a program of spiritual development that does not have Christ at its heart.

Let’s read again, vv10-15.

10 "and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

11 "You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 "when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

13 "And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.

14 "He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

15 "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.”

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We are filled by the One who has the entire fullness of God’s nature dwelling bodily and by the One who is over every ruler and authority.

Believers have had a spiritual circumcision performed upon them, having the power of our sinful impulses stripped away by the grace of God.

Being united to Christ in His death and resurrection we receive this forgiveness of our sin.

Paul is reminding us that our being raise with Christ provides all the power we need

to conquer sinful impulses, not an external ritual.

Moo, D. J. (2008).