August 24, 2003 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Colossians 2:16 - 3:1

East meets West in the region of Colossae and Laodicea, and Paul's warnings in this chapter would seem to indicate that false doctrines were creeping into these two young churches from both directions. It's not exactly clear what these false doctrines were, but we can surmise there were Judaisers teaching that the path to God required them to perform all the old ordinances in addition to Christian faith; there were influences from Eastern mysticism teaching that the path to God and a "higher conscience" could only be found through training one's body to neglect it's needs; and undoubtedly there were pagan and polytheistic Greco-Roman influences in the local population. As carnal creatures, we're always willing and eager to follow any new shortcut to reach our goals, but these dangerous paths will cause us to forfeit the riches we have in Jesus Christ for the hope of something better (Jesus + something else = a better way), or a shortcut to Jesus that some man has told us about. At the beginning of this chapter, Paul made it very clear that true comfort and unity of the church is bound together with the wealth of understanding we have of God, and this wisdom (gnosis) is only made complete (epignosis) through the Spirit of God. As we pick up verse sixteen, Paul has just completed a graphic description of the victory we share in Jesus through His work on the cross.

16-19 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: Which (the sabbath days) are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 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, 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.

Paul points out the progression of deception in this chapter very well.

Colossians 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you (or, delude you) with enticing words.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you (or, rob you and take you captive) through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you (or, condemn and punish you) in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Let it be perfectly clear: anyone who would say that you need more than Christ to be complete is deceiving you; they're probably trying take away your spiritual treasure, and don't be surprised if they act judgmental when you explain to them that anything and everything else they have to offer was nailed to the cross with Jesus, but only He arose from the tomb.

20-23. 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, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 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.

3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Jesus went to the cross as an apparently defeated man, but we know that the parade through the streets to the hill outside the gate was not what it appeared to be. The truth is that it was a conquering King leading the procession of principalities and powers in their open shame to a complete humiliation. Jesus showed us that day that Satan has nothing to offer, and he can only do what God allows him to do, and only what we allow him to do.

The Word of God to Moses, Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.