Colossians 2:16-23 - The Deadliest Form of Legalism

Colossians 2:16-23

16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Message: The Deadliest Form of Legalism

Time: In AD 60–61, during his first imprisonment in Rome, Paul penned this letter to the Colossian church after he had received a report that they were struggling with a christological heresy. Paul wrote this having not been to this church. False teachers in the church were denigrating the deity of Jesus.

What the Lord is Saying:

August 30

My Current Condition
I'm back again, looking at this lesson, trying to wrap my head around it. We got a puppy 2 weeks ago and my morning routines has been sidetracked once again. The puppy demands attention so my wife is showering now and getting ready for work and I am with the dog, basically trying to make sure he doesn't poop in the house, before I have to leave for work. I try to keep him busy while stealing a second here and there to look at this study. 

Plus, my brain is not thinking well it seems lately outside of work. Concentrating lately has been tough. I've done 8 of these lessons now on the law and its correct use. 

Getting Into This Lesson

In thinking about the law, I am often reminded that on the subject of religion and acceptance there is often the idea that our life each day is more about doing religion or doing good works and yet Jesus was about repenting and turning from sin, and then believing in Him. Jesus came on the scene and was drawn to John and his message and submitted to baptism and saw that He was about His father's business. Jesus on this earth would eventually fulfill the Law by how he lived his life; this means my acceptance by God is not about fulfilling the Law but accepting or believing in Christ. Jesus became my substitute by living the perfect life, dying on the cross and conquering death by raising from the dead. I am justified by faith - I repent and believe (Mark 1:15). But the Law is still a part of life and living. And as a child of God loving Him means I will keep His commandments (John 14:15).  

August 31

Judaizing Legalism

The error of Judaizing Legalism is the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation. This is the way of our world which preaches to work hard so you can get rewards. God actually calls this way of living before Him a curse. Deuteronomy 27:26 -- ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ Later Paul will speak of this further as recorded in Galatians 3 and was studied in the last lesson. Paul quotes from 4 different Old Testament passages in those verses in Galatians 3:10-14. This curse is a problem because perfection is required and yet perfection cannot be attained so it is a curse because man on his own is incapable of earning salvation. Man without God on the throne of his life is cursed as it says in Deuteronomy 27:26, but Jesus became a curse and it was necessary because of Deuteronomy 21:22-23 for it says -- “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God)." Jesus hung on a cross for each of us and though without sin, he was thought to have done something worthy of death and he became cursed by God for hanging on the cross (tree).

When we think we can use the Law to justify us, we come under God's curse. No one can keep the law perfectly. Romans 2:13 -- for not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. Only those who are always doers of the Law will be justified which means none of us can be justified. Only Christ. Galatians 3:13 -- Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree."

September 1

Deadly Legalism

On one hand legalism is motivated often by good reasons -- with the hope of denying sin in a person's life and living a life of righteousness. The problem comes when it does this with fear when it gives people the perception that certain sins (abortion, homosexuality, drinking, divorce, etc.) when committed banish a person from God's acceptance. This is distorting God's plan. God hates sin but loves sinners. And Jesus can still restore a person to being totally accepted by God. Legalism is often rules that have been created through a combination of elements of Judaism, Christianity, and paganism. This is a problem in our day and was a problem in Paul's day with the Colossian church. 

The concern with this legalism is that one would get too focused on external practices instead of focusing on the heart. What happens is we think it is good enough to look the part of a religious person. It is hard often because this is what people see. They don't see what is on the inside of us. We protect people from what is on the inside, what we do in secret, in the dark. 

Psalm 58:2 - in heart you work unrighteousness - I think this is a telling verse as it mentions that in me is unrighteousness and more specifically in my heart. Jesus said as recorded in Matthew 12:34 -- "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." Jeremiah 17:9 - “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" This is the problem with the over-reliance on external acts as it has a tendency to evade the real source of our sin - the heart. 

And so we return to our text today -- Therefore no one is to act as your judge - Thus we often get fooled into what holiness is really about -- not drinking, only watching the right TV shows and listening to the right music, attending church whenever the doors are opened. This is not holiness. Rather holiness is bearing the fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23 - the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

September 2

Thus it seems to me there are a couple of problems with legalism. (1) I think it has the problem of being too focused on doing and not on examining our motives and our heart on issues. (2) While people are concerned about the effects of sin, we start to think that certain sins not even mentioned in the Bible are sinful. (3) Christianity starts to be viewed only as a religion of do's and don'ts. (4) We diminish the power of God in people's lives as the outcome of a surrendered life is the Spirit in us, producing fruit. 

Summary: The danger of legalism is it trains us in external obedience rather than surrendering to the God who produces in us fruit. 

Promise: God is not interested in mere externals but in transformation that conforms our heart, mind, body, and soul to Christ. 

Prayer: God, you are love. You are to be praised. Your word is true. Help me God to remember my heart and examining it and helping others to this as well. Give me sensitivity to convictions people have for things they see as unlawful. Help us all surrender to you and let the natural work of your Spirit reign in our lives. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

Bringing me to Christ

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin. The Law our Guardian - The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. 

Guiding our Lives

The Guidance of the Law - The Law is a guide in our lives for what pleases God and what it looks like to walk in holiness. The Antinomian Error - We were slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to obedience and righteousness. Judaizing Legalism - The error of Judaizing Legalism is the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation.

Galatians 3:10-14 - Judaizing Legalism

Galatians 3:10-14

For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written," “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Message: Judaizing Legalism

Time: Paul wrote to the churches in southern Galatia after having a hand in starting them on his first missionary journey to Asia Minor, making sure they were on the path of truth and not led off into deception. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49.

What the Lord is Saying:

I started this study on the Law over 2 months ago. I haven't posted anything in the last month. I don't know why other than I wake up late and have been prioritizing a morning prayer walk and sometimes that is all the time I have to do something before I head off to work. Plus I've been working more. And trying to stay on top of my online missionary duties. And then I haven't been studying much lately on the weekend. 

But this has been an interesting study about the Law. Everyday it seems I engage with the Law in my life. The message this past Sunday was about the mission field. I got home last night so overwhelmed with work and wondering what I was doing of late to reach my mission field. And so I wrestle with these commands God has given me. At work, I'm trying to do the best I can with my job. But, I fail, continually. Life is about performance, doing things. I need the Law in my life to remind me what I shouldn't be doing and what I should be doing. 

I know often I wish at times there was no law and all I had to do each day was take it easy. I get used to rest. But after a while rest doesn't get me much and I wonder if I'm resting too much. 

This lesson today brings up the "law of Christ" as it is referenced in several New Testament verses. The thought by Ligonier is the moral commandments of the Mosaic law are included in this Law of Christ. There are 3 types of laws it seems mentioned in the Bible: Moral commandments or laws, Ceremonial Laws, and Civil Laws. All 3 laws are in the Old Testament but it is the Moral laws that are focused on in the New Testament and that Jesus mentioned and Paul later wrote about. 

I found this description of the three here and here. 

• First, are civil laws. These were specifically given for the culture of the Israelites, which includes everything from murder to restitution and dietary restrictions.
• Second, are ceremonial laws. This literally stands for the customs of a nation. These would have included sacrifices of perfectly good animals, and rejection of food sources such as pork and rabbits. These laws were specific only toward the Jews.
• Third, are God’s moral laws. These relate to justice and judgment. They are based on God’s own holy nature. As such, these ordinates are holy, just and unchanging.

The lesson from Ligonier's devotional today is that "believers are bound to the law of Christ (I Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2)." Those verses speak of the law of Christ. This "law of Christ includes the moral commandments of the Mosaic law (Matt. 5:21-30; Rom. 13:8-10; 1 John 3:12,15)." Matthew 5:21-30 is where Jesus brings up personal relationships and takes the Mosaic law to a new level or different level. Thus, it includes it, but Christ explains that the laws which have clear outward results when violated (you can see a person murdered, you can see adultery), but they also have a component that can't be seen as clearly (hatred and lust). 

This reminds me of something. Last week we discovered that one of our employees had been convicted of crime of rape. It was shocking to see how this one act changed their lives. But, I think we often stare at the acts and forget that there was a heart issue present. Sin begins in the heart in how we view women in this case and sex in this case. In this case, it starts with a desire that turns into an action that we have difficulty controlling. I think that is what Jesus is talking about here in Matthew 5 that we must look at our heart. And I John 3 further speaks to the idea that these internal acts are viewed in the same way as the outward acts, meaning that doing them negates your ability to make it to heaven. Once again showing that any disobedience results in losing the promise of eternal life. 

And so Paul rightfully takes this thinking that Jesus puts forth in the law of Christ to show us that overriding thought is one of love and how we love our neighbor. If we truly love people we will not break the commandments of adultery, murder, coveting, theft. Thus, we should desire to keep God's commandments -- in all of the ways they are presented. 

But, we must never think that law obedience then results in God's acceptance and salvation. God saved them from slavery and then gave them 10 commandments (Exodus 20:2). Our obedience is a response of God's love not a condition for receiving it. And so the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation, this is the error of Judaizing legalism. And thus obedience is intertwined with justification. It is, but only Christ's obedience matters because only his obedience was without sin. Any sin nullifies our ability to be saved. But being obedient is how we live life. 

And so this leads us to today's passage in Galatians 3:10-14. If one subscribes to the idea that working the Law or working obedience then that person is under a curse. For a person is cursed because law obedience for salvation is based upon doing "all things written in the book of the law." Deuteronomy 27:26 records these words -- "Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ Thus, true righteousness is obtained in living by faith or being a person of faith. And law living is not faith living. What Christ did on the cross is He redeemed us from Law living; He redeemed us from this curse. We are cursed because law living is impossible. The curse got transferred to Christ and only Christ can fulfill the Law. 

To me, once someone acknowledges God this idea of Judaizing legalism enters lives in very subtle but profound ways. We must always re-focus ourselves on the idea of obedience in response to God's love and not as a condition for God's love. I think the area that I struggle with is whether obedience results in God's blessings for our life. I mean, once we understand salvation is by faith alone, does obedience impact blessing? Most definitely to receive any blessing we must be in Christ, surrendered to Him, accepting His justification. 

Promise: God saves us to make us obedient. We are not obedient in order to be saved. 

My Prayer: O God, the riches of your love and the riches of this message never ceases to amaze me. I have to place it at the forefront of my thinking all of the time because it is so opposite to the way in which life is lived in the world in which acceptance follows good work. But, you show us the better way. Help me to always keep this supreme in my thinking. And Lord help me to understand also your blessing and what it means to me and how obedience is related to normal day to day blessings. Lord, forgive me for letting the busyness of life get a hold of me. Help me to do my best at work while also do my best 

in the areas of ministry you have called me to be in. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God.

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin. The Law our Guardian - The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. The Guidance of the Law - The Law is a guide in our lives for what pleases God and what it looks like to walk in holiness. The Antinomian Error - We were slaves to sin, but now we are slave to obedience and righteousness.