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Study: The Colossians EpistleText Next Sunday Morning (August 14th): Colossians 3:1-4 The Supremacy of Jesus Christ Over Human Ideology; Part 2Colossians 2:20-23 Colossians 2:20-23 (NKJV): 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using- according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. IntroductionLast week, we started a two-week study entitled, "The Supremacy of Jesus Christ Over Human Ideology." In came on the heels of our study regarding our absolute completeness in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ (viz., through His Circumcision, His Baptism, His Deliverance, His Cross and His Triumph). In short, for spiritual fullness (i.e., in salvation and sanctification), one need look no farther than Jesus Christ. It is encapsulated in v. 10: "you are complete in Him," Because true believers are absolutely complete in Jesus Christ, Paul has been warning the Colossian believers against the heresy being propagated by false teachers. It was a heresy which asserted just the opposite: that Jesus Christ was not all-sufficient. In which case, according to the false teachers, the Colossian believers were lacking and substandard. More specifically, this heresy included elements of: 1) worldly philosophy, 2) legalism, 3) mysticism and 4) asceticism. We studied Paul's warning against worldly philosophy back in verses 8-10. Then last week, in verses 16-19, we studied Paul's warnings against legalism (i.e., shadow/substance) and mysticism (i.e., veneer/vine). This week, we will study Paul's warning against asceticism. 1. The Supremacy of Jesus Christ Over AsceticismAsceticism- "The attempt to achieve holiness (i.e., gain righteousness) by severe self-neglect, self-denial and even self-infliction." There are two sides of this coin. First, there is the rejection of good and beautiful blessings bestowed by our gracious God. Examples include: the rejection of marriage and sex (viz., celibacy), rejection of material blessings (viz., vows of poverty), rejection of food and drink (as we studied last week within the context of legalism) and overall, denying one's self (and others) of enjoying God's beautiful creation and His temporal blessings. Second, on the other side of the coin, ascetics embrace self-infliction. Examples include: lashing one's own back with a whip, cleaning floors with one's nose even after it becomes raw and begins to bleed, suspending one's body in the air by means of hooks inserted through the flesh of one's back. In short, ascetics reject, forego and abstain from God's good and beautiful blessings and instead embrace severe mistreatment, including painful infliction, of one's self. As we will see this morning, asceticism is a man-made religion securely rooted in human independence from God (i.e., man thinks by mistreatment of self that he can get to God on his own terms, by his own effort). In the end, asceticism (i.e., this system of human effort whereby man thinks he can concoct his own righteousness before God through self-denial) has no merit in God's eyes and instead only serves to fuel man's pride and in most cases, heightens fleshly temptation and indulgence. Examples (MacArthur)- Anthony, the founder of monasticism, never changed his vest or washed his feet. Simeon Stylites spent the last 36 years of his life atop a fifty foot pillar mistakenly believing that the path to spirituality could be secured by exposing his body to the elements and withdrawing from the world. Even Martin Luther, before discovering the glorious truth of justification by faith alone, nearly wrecked his health through asceticism. A. The Folly of Asceticism If You Died With Christ- This likely connects to Paul's words and thoughts back in vv. 11-12. Colossians 2:11-12 (NKJV): 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Simply put, when Paul says here in verse 20 that we have "died with Christ," he is referring to how we, as believers in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, were spiritually united and identified with (i.e., baptized into) Christ's atoning death on the Cross and His subsequent bodily resurrection. We have become one in and with Jesus Christ! We see the same idea in: Romans 6:1-5 (NKJV): What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, From the Basic Principles of the World- In this phrase, Paul is likely referring back to his words and thoughts in verse 8. Colossians 2:8 (NKJV): 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. As we noted during our study of verse 8, the Greek for "basis principles" (Stoicheia) refers to elements or units in a row or series, like the figures in a column or the letters in the alphabet. Most likely then, Paul is using the terminology to describe the false teaching system as elementary, too simplistic for the spiritually mature. As such, these "basic principles of the world" are the same as "the commandments and doctrines of men" we see in verse 22. In short, it is a worldly system of religion, based on elementary principles. Why, as Though Living in the World, Do You Subject Yourselves to Regulations- Do Not Touch, Do Not Taste, Do Not Handle- As Hendriksen puts it, "Why submit to a series of Don'ts (i.e., restrictions) as if by adding enough negatives you would ever obtain a positive, or as if victory over sin and progress in sanctification would ever be achieved by basing all your confidence in sheer avoidance?" Galatians 4:8-11 (NKJV): 8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. Through our spiritual union with, and identification (i.e., baptism) into, Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed and set free from man-made rules and regulations vainly designed to promote spirituality but instead only draw the heart away from Jesus Christ as our only Savior. B. The Flaw of Asceticism So what is the flaw of asceticism? Asceticism focuses on the temporal to the exclusion of the eternal. In other words, asceticism focuses on temporal "things which perish with the using," which as such, are completely powerless to restrain sin or bring one to God (i.e., accomplish holiness or righteousness in God's eyes). As such, there is no eternal value in asceticism. Further, these things are, "according to the commandments and doctrines of men" (i.e., elementary and man-made rules and regulations). In short, asceticism (like all systems of human religion entailing human effort) is based on an empty, hollow, meaningless, man-made, foundation. This as opposed to the solid, eternal, foundation of the Person and Work of Christ. Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV): 24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (MacArthur- "The house represents a religious life; the rain represents divine judgment. Only the one built on the foundation of obedience to God's Word stands, which calls for repentance, rejection of salvation by works and trust in God's grace to save through His merciful provision.") C. The Futility of Asceticism Here, we see the futility of asceticism and the reason for its impotency. While asceticism might make one appear spiritual because of its supposed emphasis on humility and poverty, it only serves to gratify the flesh. As such, it has no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Therefore, in the end, it is a mere vain attempt to appear more holy than others. Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV): 16 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Self-Imposed Religion- The Greek refers to, "a worship which one devises and prescribes for himself, contrary to the contents and nature of the faith which ought to directed to Christ." False Humility- Just as we studied last week in verse 18, the false teachers "delight in their humility." Which immediately renders their supposed humility to be a false humility (i.e., it is ugly, deceitful, pride in disguise). Neglect of the Body- The Greek refers to, "hard treatment of the body with unsparing treatment or severity." All said, it is a sham self-abasement! A neglect of the body will never cure the soul! All to often, ascetics seek only to put on a public show of their supposed holiness. McClaren- "Any asceticism is a great deal more to men's taste than abandoning self. They will rather stick hooks in their backs and do the "swinging poojah" than give up their sins and yield up their wills. There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal within us and that is the power of the indwelling Christ. Ascetic religion is godless, for its practioners essentially worship themselves." Henriksen- "Any system of religion which is unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Savior is an indulgence of the flesh, a giving in to man's sinful conceit, as if he, by his own contrivances, were able to perfect Christ's imperfect work." What is the answer to the threats posed by worldly philosophy, legalism, mysticism and asceticism? Very simply, the Cross of Jesus Christ (i.e., the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross as our sinless substitute; followed by His literal/physical/bodily resurrection) all of which we have been united to, and identified with. And as such, whereby we are rendered absolutely complete in Jesus Christ! And in that, we have rest, joy, peace and contentment! We can truly glory in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ! Now at this point, some may be asking, "But as disciples of Jesus Christ, aren't we called to a life of self-denial?" In particular, some may be thinking of the teachings of Jesus Christ such as: Luke 9:20-26: 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." 23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. So what is the difference between the asceticism confronted by Paul here in Colossians and the self-denial commanded by Jesus Christ here in Luke? First, what does Christ mean in Luke 9? The cross meant one thing to His disciples: violent, degrading, physical death! So, Christ was demanding a total commitment, even if it meant physical suffering and death! In other words, Christ was demanding a complete, unconditional, dying to self whereby one's former way of life was abandoned (viz., all its selfish ambitions, selfish desires, selfish plans and selfish motivations) which was to be replaced with a desire to follow Christ in daily and unconditional obedience whereby God is honored/glorified and Jesus Christ is magnified/exalted. Put differently, it was a demand for a mindset unconditionally committed to a daily life-or-death devotion unto Jesus Christ whereby self is renounced. In its most simplistic form, it is: a) death to self and your will and b) devotion to Jesus Christ and His will regardless of the costs, consequences and/or circumstances. As Christ so perfectly modeled it in the garden of Gethsemane, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You Will." Second, in contrast, the ascetics confronted by Paul in Colossians did not desire to truly deny self, but instead desired to exalt self. How? By engaging in external self-denial and self-affliction to achieve a holiness/righteousness of their own making. Which in doing so, only served to: 1) exalt self and 2) indulge the flesh through fueling their sinful pride. So, a Biblical self-denial willingly slays self and all selfish ambitions/desires out of a desire to glorify God and obey/exalt Jesus Christ (viz., out of a spirit of gratitude for His grace and suffering on the Cross on our behalf). In which case, it is okay to want what God wants (Psalm 20; 37:4). Whether it be abundant material blessing or sacrificial loss of everything (i.e., self-denial), we glory in our good and gracious God either way! In sharp contrast, asceticism only seeks to gratify self (viz., through exaltation of self and the fueling of sinful pride). MacArthur- "God may call some to a life of self-denial. Many
missionaries, for example, have by necessity led ascetic lives. They did
not do so, however, as an attempt to gain spirituality." Teacher: Darin Lawson |