Colossians 2:18-21 - Don't Get Disqualified

Today, Monday June 7 Don’t Get Disqualified Colossians 2:18-21 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”…. Remember the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the saints at Colossae mainly because they were being led astray by some false teachers who came into the church sounding very intellectual and spiritual. It is so interesting today that every church, not only here in America but around the world faces the same danger. These false teacher will appeal to both the intellect and to the flesh. So Paul warned, beware of the vain philosophies of these teachers who make Jesus just like another man. Beware of mixing your faith in Christ with Jewish rituals and ceremonies. And finally, beware of man-made disciples. (2:18-23) If we are not careful we can get disqualified by following those who teach that by doing certain things and also avoiding certain activities we automatically will be “spiritual”. Paul is saying, “Let no man sit as an umpire in your life” (beguile you, v. 18). Beware of affected humility, a counterfeit that try to imitate genuine spiritual humility. There is nothing wrong with exercising discipline in the Spirit of God, to the glory of God; but when it is done in the flesh and for our own praise, then it becomes sin. For a fact, the giving up of certain habits or pleasures do not automatically make a believer spiritual. Our relationship to Jesus Christ is a living union. He is the Head, we are members of His Body. A body functions through nourishment, not legislation. If you would have heard me teach and preach in my early days of ministry, no doubt you would have called me a legalist. I got caught up into thinking that a believer was more spiritual by what they did or did not do. Of course, I still believe in standards for the believer, but I reject the idea that outward obedience to standards produces inward spirituality. Obeying man-made religious regulations (vv. 21-22) might impress some people as spiritual, but Paul clearly states that these practices cannot control or overcome the flesh! We are alive in Christ as He controls our lives by His Holy Spirit. Seek an intimate and personal relationship to Jesus and you won’t have to fight bad habits or sinful activities, you will lose your desire for them! God bless!