4/5/25 The Divine Understanding

Last week there was a revealing from Col 2:16-19 that the church of Colossae was being told that it is more humble to worship and speak to angels rather than to the Son of God. There was a great cost to this that we see in V19. Get all the notes at deadlifter.org We just covered tat they were worshipping angels that they were counting it as humility when it is actually avoidance. The world was coming into the church under the veil of Christianity pretending there are ways to God aside from his Son. Logic. Or at least things that seem logical. But they are not Biblical.

Today we cover V20-23 and come to a Divine Understanding.

²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?

Right off the top those who have been with us since the beginning may recognize this phrase that opens V20. Elemental spiritual forces of this world harken us back to V8.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

March 8^th episode of Dig Deep details this. The traditions of the world. Things that are culturally acceptable. Things controlled by the powers and authorities that Paul spoke of in V9 taught on March 22^nd. Now that this is understood, let’s go back to the preface of where we actually are in V20 since you died. You’re dead right? You’re done. We have detailed death also already in this series. This is the context for the spiritual forces of the world. You are dead to them. Notice the explanation -as though you belonged to the world. Again we see the failings of modern translations here.

This is how it is written-If you have died with Christ away from the principles of the world why as if living in world do not submit to its decrees. Let’s DIG. Died means to die. Physical to wither away to cease. Christ means anointed one Messiah. SO far you have died with Him that is the condition. To what the world. The World means the world. Away from principals this means the rudimentary principals. Rudimentary teachings that are foundational. Remember this is what you are to be dead to. Foundational worldly principals. Then it says as if living in the world then we conclude do not submit to its decrees. It is the only time that this phrase is used in all the Bible. It is derived from the GR word for dogma. Refers to the act of imposing or subjecting someone to decrees or ordinances. In the New Testament, it is used in the context of adhering to or being bound by religious or ceremonial laws and regulations.

But what decrees doctrines are in the churches now that we are submitting to that are entirely unbiblical? Paul continues V22:

²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

This is where we get Divine Understanding. What rules? Man made rules. These doctrines that contradict the word of God. Paul hones in on just what he means on what they deal with, things that perish. What perishes? Food? True food yes, some food product not really. The things of the world. Cultural norms perish. Societal acceptability perishes. Trends perish. Material things perish. But Paul goes tighter. The teachings that emanate from the pulpit from committees & boards or denominational mind trust that put faith in legalism, faith in their rules, faith in works and not faith in faith that Jesus fulfilled the laws of God not did away with them entirely. More on this in a bit. Paul expands this in V23

²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, in their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Paul moves from deceptive hollow deceptive philosophy and wisdom in V8 to rules in V22. He asserts that these outside forces push this that they look Christian, but they lack humility, they are now being asserted as having self-imposed worship that treats the body harshly. Logical but not Biblical. When he says body this is not the body of Christ. This is tied to the false teachings that harming your own body because it is the root and base of evil will pay you advantage spiritually, further this is coming from these teachers not the pastor of the church who are influencing the people of this respective church. Paul further says sensual indulgency is not the enemy, these teachings are because they are not Biblical.

In the modern age these claims would be met by a certain audience asking for a source. If they were credible they could be shown chapter & verse Biblically. There is your source. If the OT laws scare you or you think they are entirely done away with do the research! Are they still in the NT?

Remember if you call yourself a Christian you need to embrace you died with Christ to the things of this world. You don’t see how those of the world see because the Word of God shapes your vision! You values, your goals your attitudes your passions all are to be different than those of the world. But because you are in the world but not of it. Your purpose is different than your worldly friends. Even though you look the same you are not the same!