The Dangers of Legalism – Colossians 2:6-19
We previously studied about the biblical definition of legalism. It is not being too concerned about obeying God’s laws. It is binding man’s laws as if they were God’s.
Now, let’s take a look at the challenge facing the Colossian Christians. Read, in particularly, 2:8, 16, 20-22. We see that the Colossian Christians were being challenged by Greek philosophy and the Jews to keep laws that God had not given them.
You can’t make yourself holy. You can’t sanctify yourself. You can’t make laws where God has not made them. You can make laws for yourself but they won’t keep you in God’s good grace. Only obeying what God says is what makes us holy and we can be holy in obeying God’s commands only because God graciously allows it. Obedience is not antithetical to grace! Obedience is our response to grace! See Titus 2:11-14.
So, let’s take a look back at 2:8-16…
THE WARNING – 2:8:
This verse is Paul’s warning against man’s legalism. See that expression “human tradition”? That’s man’s laws. Man says, “You can do this to be spiritual.” “You can do this and God will be pleased with you.” No, no, no! A thousand times no! Paul says do not be deceived by man’s traditions!
Do not be deceived into thinking that you can be spiritual or in a right relationship with God by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ!
THE REASON – 2:9-10:
Verses 9-10 give us the reason why we should not be deceived by the traditions of men. Can angels make you more like God? How can they when the whole fullness of God dwells in Jesus Christ and we have been filled in him? Can avoiding foods and drink and observing festivals and other holidays make us more like God? How can they when the whole fullness of God dwells in Jesus Christ and we have been filled in him?
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OUR CONNECTION WITH HOLINESS – 2:11-12:
Speaking of circumcision, Paul gives circumcision a figurative meaning in this sentence. The whole fullness of deity dwells in Christ and it was in Him that we have been circumcised. “You were circumcised” is the main verb in this sentence. Everything else ties in with that main verb. This circumcision was made “without hands.” The putting off the body of the flesh, then, is not referring to physically removing flesh but removing the sinful works of the flesh “by the circumcision of Christ,” that is, the circumcision that is performed by Christ.
When does Jesus perform that circumcision? Pay attention to verse 12 – “When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ.” Notice the tense of the verb (the participle) – having been buried in baptism. When were we circumcised? When we were baptized by burial in water! This is not baptism in the Holy Spirit; Paul clearly shows that there is only one baptism valid for all time (Eph. 4:5) and that is baptism in water that washes our sins away (Eph. 5:26).
When we were baptized into Christ, we were circumcised by Christ and made fit for deity to dwell in us! What a wonderful thought. There is no reason to submit to the laws, rules, and regulations of man if baptism into Christ is what has circumcised the sins away from our hearts! What can man do that Christ has not done?
THIS CONNECTION OBLITERATES THE NEED FOR OTHER CONNECTIONS – 2:13-15:
The main verb in this paragraph is “God gave you new life.” We were made alive together with Christ, when God made us alive together with Christ after He forgave us our trespasses and after by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. That is a reference to the Law of Moses that stood against man because it could not bring about the total removal of the problem of sin.
Jesus is it. He’s all we need. We do not need man’s laws. We cannot be saved by man saying, “Do this or do that.” But, we also cannot set aside Christ’s laws. The grace of God has appeared to all men, teaching us that we are circumcised by Christ when we are buried with Him in the waters of baptism. That’s not legalism. That’s grace!
Paul informed the Colossians that they did not need to submit to the doctrines and commandments of men because they had already been circumcised by Christ when they were baptized into Him. What more could they need?
–Paul Holland
