Restraining the Indulgence of the Flesh
Colossians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 138 viewsOnly in Christ is spiritual growth possible. Only in Christ is it possible to restrain the indulgence of our flesh.
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Paul has given these Colossian believers two commands that are vitally important in order for the church to avoid the false teaching that was creeping its way into their midst.
Command #1-
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Command #2-
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.
So they are to walk in dependent faith in Christ for spiritual growth, and they are to watch out for empty, deceptive philosophy.
Why should we do that? Paul gives the theological reasons for why one should obey these commands in -
Reason #1- Christ is our sufficient Savior
Look at all that is accomplished in Christ
The full measure of deity dwells in Christ bodily
You are fully complete in Christ
Spiritual circumcision- the domination of sin has been broken in Christ
Spiritual baptism- you have identified with the power of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
Spiritual life- you have been raised together with Christ so that you might walk in newness of life
All of this is possible because of the Cross
God made us alive by forgiving us all our trespasses. How did he do that? He blotted out the record of our sin debt that stood against us with its legal demands, by nailing it to the cross!
Reason #2- Christ is our sovereign Savior
Christ is head over all other rulers and authorities, and the Father has disarmed the rulers and authorities, he has put them to open shame, and he has triumphed over them and He did all of it IN CHRIST.
So Paul has given us the why- why should we follow these commands. Now, Paul is going to give us the how. How do we follow these commands.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 2. The Empty Promise of the False Teaching (2:16–23)
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.
Paul wanted the Colossian believers to know how to avoid empty deceptive philosophy in their Christian growth.
It is vital that we know how to avoid empty deceptive philosophy in our own spiritual growth.
In Paul gives to these Colossian believers several guidelines that they must follow if they are to keep themselves from being spoiled by empty deceptive philosophy.
I. Do not allow anyone to condemn your spiritual growth with standards that do not have Christ at the center
I. Do not allow anyone to condemn your spiritual growth with standards that do not have Christ at the center
A. Do not let them find you at fault
A. Do not let them find you at fault
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:
*16 Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω
Therefore do not let anyone pass judgment on you
Do not let anyone judge you
Judge- pass an unfavorable judgement upon you, criticize you, find fault with you, condemn you
This is an imperative- it is a command. Paul is so concerned about this that he commands them- do not let these false teachers with their empty deceptive philosophy that is according to human tradition, do not let them find you at fault.
By this Paul means more than they were simply criticizing the Colossian Christians, they were actually pronouncing God’s judgment on them. They were taking upon themselves the role of judge that only God can exercise.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
This is especially true because these false teachers were using standards that did not have Christ at its center. It is one thing to admonish a fellow believer on the basis of God’s Word, this is right and we should do this, but there were using man made criteria and thus placed themselves in the position of judge that only rightly belongs to God.
i. The false teacher’s criteria
i. The false teacher’s criteria
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:
Food and Drink
In meat, or in drink
In meat, or in drink
ἐν βρώσει ⸀καὶ ἐν πόσει
in eating and in drinking
These false teachers were advocating complete abstinence from certain foods and drink. We are not told what kinds of food and drink were being prohibited. The later mention of holy-days and the new moon and the Sabbath would lend us to see an OT or Jewish theme to their criteria. So perhaps these false teachers were placing a ban on all unclean foods, or upon meat sacrificed to idols (as is mentioned elsewhere in the NT), or to wine. We are not entirely certain. They could also be combining OT Jewish commands with other pagan religious rituals and coming up with their own unique list of foods and drink there were sinful to consume.
The point is- their criteria was according to human tradition- it was not Scriptural- and it did not have Christ as its center.
There are some today who try to somewhat follow OT diet laws- they won’t eat pork. If they want to avoid pork because of health reasons, OK that’s fine, but when someone starts to think, “Hey, I am way more spiritual that other people because I don’t eat pork and they do,” then we have a problem. Why? Because they are now taking on the role of judge. And they are seeking to become more spiritual by human, man-made tradition. Some people who get on the whole organic food craze, think it is horribly sinful to eat at McDonald's. Now if you don’t want to eat at McDonald’s for health reasons fine, no problem. But don’t become a judge of other people, don’t consider yourself more spiritual than other people because of your human, man-made criteria for spiritual growth. And do not allow these kinds of people to pass judgment on you. Now, you can’t stop them from saying these kinds of things, that is impossible. The point is, don’t give it any authority over your life.
Illustration: Parade with mock 50 cal machine gun- one guy yelled out mockingly, “Fight Isis.” This really bothered me for a long time, I felt guilty for daring to show respect for our military, ohh the horror. I was allowing him to pass judgement on me. I was giving his man-made human philosophy (guns are evil), to find me at fault. I needed to say, wait a minute, God is my judge.
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Romans
2. Observance of special religious days
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:
ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς
or in things concerning a religious festival
ἢ νεομηνίας
or in a new moon celebration
ἢ σαββάτων·*
or in the Sabbath;
And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the Lord:
These religious festivals could include things like Passover/Unleavened Bread; Booths/Tabernacles and Weeks/First-fruits and other special times of community observance. It could als include other pagan holy-days that these false teachers may have used to create their own program. In any case the idea was these false teachers were condemning the Colossian Christians because they were not following the same kind of religious days as they were.
Illustration: Coming to church through 12 in of snow- I am way more spiritual than you. Or carrying over OT Sabbath laws to Sundays- no work, no TV, only certain kinds of books or games. Now, if you or your family does things like this (sometimes we will tell our kids not to read secular books on Sundays), but we do it to keep our minds focused on the Lord- if you do some of these things for good reasons, fine. But, when we place ourselves into the position of judge over other peoples lives we get into trouble. I am way more spiritual because I stay at home and take nap on Sundays and how dare those people go out on the lake on a Sunday afternoon- they are so carnal. Now we have problems. Why? Because we are trying to impose a program of spiritual growth on others that does not have Christ at its heart.
ii. The problem with human-centered standards
ii. The problem with human-centered standards
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
17 ⸀ἅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων,*
These things are a shadow of the things to come,
These things- most likely referring to OT Jewish laws for food and drink, and for observing the special religious days- these things are just shadows. They were never meant to be the reality. They were never meant to and end, they were all means to an end. They all pointed ahead to Christ.
τὸ δὲ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ.*
but the substance is Christ.
BUT- the body is of Christ. The body or the substance (substantive reality, the thing itself, the reality in imagery of a body that casts a shadow, in contrast to shadow)- the reality is Christ.
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
The OT law was a shadow of the good things to come, it can never make those who would come to God perfect, but guess who can? Christ!
This empty deceptive philosophy that was according to human tradition was ineffective- it can never make one perfect or complete or mature. Only Christ can do that!
B. Do not let them disqualify you
B. Do not let them disqualify you
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,
18 μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω
Do not let anyone pass judgement on you
Do not let anyone beguile you of your reward
Beguile you of your reward- to rob of a prize, condemn, to decide against as an umpire or to declare unfit especially performed by a sports official who is expected to ensure fair play.
Illustration: Swimming- a race had several officials alongside the pool watching every part of the race to ensure the rules were bring followed. You could win the race and then find out after the event was over that one of the officials raised his hand and gave you a DQ card. That meant he deemed that you had broken a rule, and instead of getting a ribbon or a trophy you were DQed of disqualified and it was as if you never competed. You lost your reward.
Don’t let these false teachers beguile you or rob you of your reward by disqualifying you.
i. They are operating out of the wrong rule-book
i. They are operating out of the wrong rule-book
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,
1. In a voluntary humility
θέλων °ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ
delighting in false humility (self-abasement, asceticism)
Paul refers to visions later in the verse so perhaps here he is talking about ascetic practices such as fasting in order to prepare themselves for having a vision.
Illustration: Charismatic church, sang the same song over and over again for like 30 min. It was almost like they were working themselves up to have a superior spiritual experience.
2. Worshiping of angels
καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων,*
and in worship (religion; ; Ja 1.26-27) of angels
They delight in worship-
Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
So this worship was a vain religion/worship. And as part of their religion they worshiped angels.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 2. The Empty Promise of the False Teaching (2:16–23)
He notes the importance of invoking angels as a means to ward off evil in the ancient world in general and the geographic region of Colossae in particular. Paul would be characterizing this calling on angels for protection as tantamount to the worship of angels.
3. Intruding into those things which he hath not seen
⸀ἃ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων,
going on in detail about visions
Textual variant- things which he had not seen / or going into great detail about what they have seen.
In one case the false teachers would be charlatans- claiming to have visions but not really seeing anything. In the other case they are putting themselves into a trans-like state in order to have some kind of vision, and then they are going into great detail about their visions incorporating what they saw into their philosophy. In either case they were at fault.
4. Vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,
puffed up without reason by his fleshly mind,
Puffed up- blow up, inflate like one might blow up a bellows. Paul uses this imagery to express their arrogance. Their arrogance led them to believe that they had the right to stand in judgment over others. But this arrogance is without reason- it is vain- it has no basis in facts. And it originates in their fleshy or unspiritual minds. So their judgment is arrogant, not based on facts, and is thoroughly oriented to this world. This is the rule-book they are using to try to disqualify these believers.
Illustration: It would be like a judge at a swim meet using the rule book for a football game. He might disqualify me, but he is doing so based on rules that have no bearing on me. Thus, do not let them disqualify you!
ii. They are making a grave error
ii. They are making a grave error
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.
They are not holding fast to the Head- to Christ
This is a grave error. They are trying to disqualify these Colossian believers, because they are holding to religious practices that are absolutely unbiblical. And the worst part of the whole issue is that what they are trying to accomplish- to become more spiritual- to draw closer to Christ- they actually end up doing the exact opposite. They end up not holding fast to the Head- to Christ. And as a result look what happens.
From which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Here Paul uses the body illustration for spiritual growth. Only when a believer is connected to their head- like the body that is supported and knit together with joints and ligaments to its head- only then is real spiritual growth possible. The increase with the increase of God or the body grows with the growth from God. The only possible way genuine growth is possible- the growth that is from God- is to be connected to our Head- to be connected to Christ.
When we get away from Christ, and we become deceived by empty human philosophy we become disqualified from our reward. The growth that is possible in Christ and thus the reward that goes along with that growth is lost. Because while we seek to become spiritual, we do so through a program of spiritual growth that does not have Christ at its center. And that will never work.
Folks if you are going to keep yourselves from being spoiled by empty deceitful human philosophy you must follow certain Scriptural guidelines-
The first one is:
Do not allow anyone to condemn your spiritual growth with standards that do not have Christ at the center
How about you? Have you allowed other to pass judgment on you in areas of food and drink or in areas of religious days?
Have you allowed others to disqualify you by leading you away from your Head?
We need to recognize that kind of philosophy for what it is and realize the danger that it presents. You are fully complete in Christ and only in Christ- so seek Him.
II. Stop submitting yourselves to unbiblical rules and regulations
II. Stop submitting yourselves to unbiblical rules and regulations
A. Realize your spiritual liberty in Christ
A. Realize your spiritual liberty in Christ
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,
i. Your position IN CHRIST should cause you to think
i. Your position IN CHRIST should cause you to think
20 Εἰ ⸆ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ
If you died with Christ
ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου,*
from the elements of the world,
τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ
(then) why as if you were still living in the world
δογματίζεσθε;
Do you submit to rules and regulations?
Here Paul uses a conditional clause- If you be dead with Christ. Paul wants you to stop and think about your position. You, if you have put your faith in Christ, then you have died with Christ. You have identified with the power of His death, burial, and resurrection. You have been freed from the dominating power of sin. If this is true, and it is. And notice what you have died from. You have died IN CHRIST from the rudiments of the world or the elemental powers of the world. Paul used this same word back in v. 8
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.
If you remember this word is talking about the elements or the basic “components” of the physical universe primarily, and secondarily, to the spiritual forces often though to be associated with those physical components.
Many people in Colossae, before Christ, lived in fear of these elemental components and the spiritual beings associated with them. They had gods for the sea and the sun and the storms. They lived in bondage, in fear to them, so they worshiped them and sought to placate them. Here Paul states you have died with Christ from these elemental powers of the world. You are no longer in bondage to them. You are IN CHRIST and you share in His victory.
ii. What your position IN CHRIST should cause you to reject
ii. What your position IN CHRIST should cause you to reject
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,
τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ
(then) why as if you were still living in the world
δογματίζεσθε;
Do you submit to rules and regulations?
If you have died with Christ, then why, as if you were still living in the world, do you submit to rules and regulations?
If you have been set free in Christ, if you have spiritual liberty in Him, then why would we ever submit to the rules of this world’s system ever again? We no longer count the world as our true home or the place that dictates who we are or how we are to live. By dying with Christ, we have been set free from the elements of the world, we no longer belong to the world. How foolish, then, to continue to submit to the rules of the world!
V. 21 are some examples of rules that the false teachers were presenting to the Colossian church. You almost hear a bit of sarcasm in Paul’s tone here.
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Don’t touch that, don’t taste that, don’t handle that
B. Realize your spiritual futility without Christ
B. Realize your spiritual futility without Christ
In vv. 22-23 Paul gives his arguments for refusing to submit to the false teacher’s rules and regulations.
i. Don’t submit to rules that have no bearing on the heart
i. Don’t submit to rules that have no bearing on the heart
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
22 ἅ ἐστιν πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει,*
Which are all things that perish as they are used,
κατὰ τὰ ἐντάλματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων,
according to human commandments and doctrines,
Paul says two things about these rules.
They are destined to perish with use
They are according to human commandments and doctrines
There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Our focus should not be on the matters that do not get to the essence of true Christian spirituality. The elements of this world will perish with use, they have not lasting eternal bearing. Instead we need to focus on that which can change the heart and mind so as to produce true holiness.
And our focus should not be on the commandments of men.
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
ii. Don’t submit to rules that cannot restrain the indulgence of the flesh
ii. Don’t submit to rules that cannot restrain the indulgence of the flesh
23 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.
These rules have an appearance of wisdom
In will worship- self-made religion freely chosen by these false teachers. They willingly delight and follow these rules. They willingly worship angels and put themselves into trance like states in order to have visions.
And in humility and neglecting of the body- this is a false humility and probably a reference to their program of asceticism and harsh treatment of their bodies such as fasting and avoiding certain foods and drink.
But there is one major problem to these rules and regulations- they are not in any honor / better value in satisfying / restraining the flesh.
These rules have absolutely no value whatsoever is actually restraining the indulgence of the flesh.
Illustration: Diet- I have not been tasting certain kinds of food. Does that mean that I don’t crave pepperoni pizza just because I don’t taste it or touch it? NO!
Men you can get rid of your computers and you internet, but does that stop you hearts from lusting after things that it shouldn’t? NO!
There is only one power strong enough to stop the indulgence of your flesh.
Paul said it this way in the book of Romans
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 7.15
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
How does Paul answer his own question? I know, man made rules and regulations- that has the power to deliver me from this body of death right? Absolutely not. There is only one power strong enough to stop the indulgence of your flesh.
What does Paul say?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
How about you Christian? What rules and regulations are you following, are you depending on, are you submitting to to restrain the indulgence of your flesh?
Illustration:
Rule #1- Thou shalt ready thy Bible and pray when you wake up in the morning. Hurriedly read a chapter and pray a quick prayer. Done- I am now more spiritual.
Rule #2- Thou shalt always be in church. OK, put on my proper church attire, carry my approve Bible, and be early. Done- I am now more spiritual.
Rule#3- Thou shalt witness to the lost. OK, hand out 10 tracts this week. Done- I am now way more spiritual than those other guys.
How does your list go on? Eat the right foods? Participate in the right hobbies?
Now, do I want you all to read you bibles and pray and go to church and witness to the lost? YES! But those are byproducts of a proper spiritual life. They are not how you become spiritual. They are not how you restrain the indulgence of the flesh. They are not how you grow with a growth that is from God! How does Paul tell us to do this?
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
How do I do that?
Paul tells us how, in - which we will get to next week.
Here is the end of chapter 2 Paul wanted the Colossian believers to know how to avoid empty deceptive philosophy in their Christian growth.
It is vital that we know how to avoid empty deceptive philosophy in our own spiritual growth.
How do we do that?
1. Do not allow anyone to condemn your spiritual growth with standards that do not have Christ at the center
2. Stop submitting yourselves to unbiblical rules and regulations
Folks, we are spiritually complete only IN CHRIST. Let’s live that way.