True and False

Christians face many temptations. If Satan can’t prevent us being Christians, he can distort our view of what Christianity is all about. Paul now describes some of the characteristics of that kind of false religion.

The first danger has to do with religious observance (16,17). We can have demanding religious scruples about certain foods or special days, but they can so easily divert us from Christ. Did the Colossians think that the movement of the planets could influence the way they lived? All of these things, Paul says, are just shadows (17); they’re not the real thing. It is Jesus who saves us, not religious activity. So don’t be deceived: hold on to Christ. The second danger is to think that religious experience is proof of religious reality (18,19). All experiences need to be tested according to what the Bible teaches, and the key test is: are they centered on Christ? If not, they result in spiritual pride. They are delusions. The third danger is to live by religious rules (20-23). Paul is concerned that the Colossians are not pulled back into the rituals that made them think they were especially holy. We should not make the mistake of thinking that human regulations will earn us merit before God. They lack any value in helping us to live as we should (23).

Instead, Paul speaks of the true freedom that belongs to Christians, giving us a trailer for the next chapter. “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?” (20). The way to freedom is to die to the basic principles of this world and to live according to our new status in Christ.

In what area of your life are you susceptible to getting caught up in rule-keeping? What can you do to confront those things that distract you from Christ?