If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations…
Colossians 2:16-23
Having been transformed by the grace of God and given a new desire to obey Him, Christians who believe in Christ understandably have a desire to keep His commandments. Yet, Christians must take care not to fall into legalism. Legalism takes several forms. Regardless of legalism’s form legalism, it says that our obedience to the law is part of the basis upon which God declares us righteous. Using the law in such a way means coming under God’s curse. Scripture does say that only those who keep the law perfectly can be justified by the law, and no sinner can keep the law perfectly. The most common and deadly form of legalism is that which makes human regulations and traditions the measure of true holiness and salvation. This type of legalism is what Paul deals with in the Colossian church. Teachers came into the church who developed a heresy that combined elements of Judaism, Christianity, and paganism. These teachers imposed certain practices and other rules they created on their followers as marks of true salvation. Their goal was to help people deny sin and live lives of righteousness. But, Paul repudiated these practices writing they, “are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” This deceptiveness is deadly spiritually. Such legalism tempts Christians to believe that sin is an external problem. Ergo, if one can deprive himselves of certain bodily pleasures, one can be fooled into thinking one is holy. Just before the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholic teaching said the holiest people were the monks and nuns because they took vows of celibacy and followed mandatory fasts and rigid rules and they still teach that today. After the Reformation, many groups taught that true holiness consists in not drinking alcohol; not smoking, dancing, or watching movies or television; etc. Not so. Holy people bear the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” By making traditions the mark of holiness, Christians can be fooled into thinking such obedience is evidence of saving faith in our lives but, all that has been accomplished is external conformity to non-divinely inspired regulations. A 16th century theologian wrote, “The worship of God, true piety, and the holiness of Christians, do not consist in drink, and food, and clothing, which are things that are transient and liable to corruption.” God is not interested merely in externals. God transforms the Christian to conform the heart, mind, body, and soul to Christ. Let us seek not to impose man-made traditions on ourselves or anyone else.
Source: S C Ball February 26, 2024
Leave a Reply