I'm posting the sermon notes from last weekend because the recording didn't come out. In Colossians 2:16-23, we see three things that will stunt our spiritual growth. These are "red herrings" that will keep us from pursuing Christ. This phrase was coined from training hunting dogs to follow the scent of their prey. Once the dogs were following the proper scent, the trainer would draw a red herring (stinky fish) across their path. Initially the dogs would be diverted. But they were trained to ignore that scent and instead be focused on the scent of their prey. So a “red herring” is something that is introduced that directs our attention away from what we should be pursuing. There are 3 red herrings to stay away from in our text.
1. Empty Legalism
Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. V. 16-17
Legalism is trying to define your spirituality by external rituals. Paul highlights two: DIET and DAYS. Or CALORIES AND THE CALENDAR.
Don’t judge someone’s spirituality by what they eat or don’t eat. Or by what they drink or don’t drink. Now certainly there are foods that are good to eat and foods that are bad for your health. But what we eat or drink does not make us more spiritual or less spiritual. Jesus said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean” (Matt. 15:11). Same with keeping days or not keeping days. Paul doesn't say don't keep special days or diets, but rather don't judge another persons life in Christ by keeping special days and diets. Why? Because these days and diets are shadows – the reality is Christ. A shadow is an image cast by something else, something real. The real has come – Christ.
Legalism has a lure because it appeals to the flesh. I am doing something about my spiritual life, I am making something happen. Notice where the focus is - I. Legalism is joyless. Legalism brings uniformity but not oneness. Legalism produces surface faith, shallow self-righteousness. Legalism gives favor to the wrong person. Legalism puts focus in the wrong place – on people not Jesus. Legalism is a rip-off! It’s empty. Watch our for the judge!
2. Spiritual Elitism - Verses 18-19
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
These people have a deep, false, spiritual elitism that is not rooted in Christ. It's rooted in false humility, worship of angels or visions or deeper spiritual experiences. This puffs them up with conceit and makes others feel disqualified. Experiences become more sought after than Jesus Himself! The Gnostics were great pretenders. Their spirituality was based on pretense. Like the coach who told his players in pre-game…pretend you’re the best. They got beat by 27. One player put his arm around the coach and said, "Don't worry coach. Let's pretend we won". These people pretended to be humble, spiritual and made others feel intimidated by their false spirituality. The root of the problem is found in verse 19. They have lost connection with Christ. The Greek word for disqualify in verse 18 is where we get the English word umpire. So watch out for the umpire.
3. Binding Asceticism - the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification.
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules… (v.20)
These rules focus on personal denial. The ascetic would tell others that these disciplines were necessary to have fellowship with God. They were feeding the flesh by starving it. They were attempting to win God’s favor by earning it. Asceticism is temporary - v. 21 says these things are destined to perish. Asceticism is deceitful - 23 says these regulations have an appearance of wisdom. Asceticism is powerless - v. 23 it lacks any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Only the power of Christ can help us restrain sensual indulgence. Only an awareness and cultivation of our relationship with Him will allow us to grow spiritually.
Philip Yancey writes in his book, What’s so amazing about Grace – The church spends so much time building into people the fear of making mistakes that she has made us like ill-taught piano students; we play songs, but we never really hear them because our main concern is not to make music but avoid some flub that will get us into trouble.
Here are some things to consider:
Are we focused on self or Christ? Sin or grace? Anchored in personal experiences or Word? Free or tied up? Enjoying the music or playing the notes? Anything other than Christ – stunts our growth!