Col. 2:16-3:4

Paul has made his argument to the Colossians: they are complete in Christ because Christ, the fullness of God, is in them and they are in Him.  Now he seeks to apply this truth.  Before the specific application to character and to relationships he applies it to their way of thinking.  They must think in a renewed way before they can live differently.  This application involves an admonition against wrong thinking (2:16-23) and an encouragement to right thinking (3:1-4).

Admonition.

          Paul warns about 3 forms of false thinking.

·        They must reject the intimidation of legalism (v16-17).  People with detailed lists of dos and don’ts seem to be very spiritual.  But even laws from the Old Testament only foreshadow Christ.  Since Christ has come the foreshadowing laws are not the means by which believers are to live.

·        They must reject the intimidation of mysticism (v18-19).  Mystics may seem to be very spiritual people.  They appear to be deep and enlightened. Thus they deceived the Colossians with their great show of humility in their false worship.  Again, they denied the complete Christ, going beyond the One who gives life to believers.

·        They must reject the intimidation of asceticism (v20-23).  Ascetics, with their strong show of self-denial and self-discipline can appear to be very spiritual.  But Paul notes that while they appear religious their made-up rules are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. 

          All these must be rejected by those who have died with Christ (v20).  They are worldly approaches to religion but each denies the full provision of Christ.

Encouragement.

          In the marvelous beginning to Col. 3 (v1-4) Paul calls believers to thinking that is appropriate for those who have been raised with Christ.  The bottom line is that we are to set our mind on Christ.  The particular thought about Christ is that He is above, sitting at the right hand of God.  The believer has been raised with Christ (v1), the One in whom he died (v3) and in whom he lives (v4).  The believer’s life is bound up in Christ so the believer’s focus must be on Christ and not on the deceptive philosophies that deny Christ.

          It is clear that we are what we think.  We cannot live the complete or fulfilled life if we focus on ideas that deny Christ.  Let us submit our ideas about worship and discipleship to the Lord.  Are we seeking to impress God or others by our rules, our show of humility, or our strict lifestyle?  Let us reject these deceptions and instead seek and find satisfaction in Christ.