MR. D'S NOTES ON COLOSSIANS

COPYRIGHT 2002

Rev. Stanley L. Derickson Ph.D.

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CHAPTER FOUR

4. CHRIST OUR COMPLETER
Christ our Completer prepares us for perfect service (vss. 9-14).
Col. 2.9-23

Vs, 9 "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

(from Daily Bread)

"A preacher once met a cultist on the street who challenged his orthodox views. 'You say that Jesus Christ is co-equal with the eternal Father, but He cannot be, for no son is ever as old as the one who has begotten him.' The minister looked at his detractor for a moment and then gave this devastating reply, 'You yourself have just called God the ETERNAL FATHER. Have you ever thought that statement through? Don't you realize that God can only be the eternal Father if He has an eternal Son? If you' rethink your position in the light of the Scriptures, you'd see that ETERNAL FATHERHOOD of necessity demands ETERNAL SONSHIP!"

Christ is God in the most complete manner. Someone once said, "Christ is just as much God as if He had never been man and He is just as much man as if He had never been God."

ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD not just part of it!

Vs. 10 "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

We are complete in Him. We have no need of anything else in our lives. He is our all in all.

We are in Him -- the "head of all principality and power;"

He has the position that I want my Lord to have. He is Lord over all there is!!!

Let's look at some terms briefly.

CIRCUMCISION =

1. The Old Testament right of circumcision was done as a sign of obedience to Jehovah. This was a sign for Israel.

2. The New Testament idea that something of our old self or old nature has been cut away.

UNCIRCUMCISION

1. The state of not being circumcised in the Old Testament.

2. The state of not being regenerated or saved in the New Testament time.

BAPTISM

1. Water baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. When the believer realizes the significance of baptism, he wants to be identified with his Lord and Savior.

Some suggest that circumcision in the Old Testament is baptism in the New Testament, both are a sign that you have placed yourself under God's covenant. I have never figured out why only males took the sign of the covenant in the Old Testament and both male and female are told to be baptized in the New Testament.

Baptism is a voluntary step to signify you are Christ's while the circumcision of the Old Testament was a sign of the covenant.

2. Spiritual baptism. The baptizing of the newly saved believer into the body of Christ. This occurs automatically and you never know that it has taken place. We are told in the Word that it happens.

NOW READ VSS. 11-13

11 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:"

12 "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"

What is Paul talking about here?

Is he telling the Christians in Colosse to be circumcised?

No. Indeed there is no basis in the New Testament for physical circumcision.

Acts 15 tells of a discussion and decision on the right of circumcision in the early church. Gal. 2:3 is the outworking of that decision in that Titus was not circumcised. Indeed, Col. 2:11 states that this was a circumcision without hands so we know that it is speaking of the cutting away of the old flesh.

"in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh" Paul is stating that the flesh is gone due to this operation of Christ.

We can be free from the sins of the flesh if we desire it.

It is up to us to chose which way we want to live:

1. In the flesh serving the Devil.

2. In the Spirit serving the Lord.

In verse 12 what baptism is Paul speaking of? Verse 13 shows that this baptism is related to Spiritual baptism because forgiveness is not linked with water baptism unless you belong to one of the Christian church movements that make baptism a requirement for salvation.

The context is the old nature and it's being put off so water baptism would not fit. (Acts 10:44-48 show water baptism after they received the Holy Spirit.)

In verse 13 we are made alive "together with him,".

He has forgiven ALL TRESPASSES!

Not only did He forgive all our trespasses at salvation, but he also has provided I John 1:9 as the answer to those times when we fall into sin after salvation!

Vs. 14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"

"blotting" has two thoughts to it. First the idea of "erased" and secondly the idea of "cancelled". (New International Version uses "cancelled")

What is meant by the "writing of ordinances"?

1. Law of Moses

2. Divine Decrees of God.

3. The no no's of the day - those things that people thought were wrong. Is Paul trying to say that Christ nailed that sort of thing to the cross so that we wouldn't have to worry about it?

This fits the context quite well as we will see in later verses. The idea that all this is from the world and since we are free from the rules of the world by the death of Christ this idea would fit.

Vs. 15 "[And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Vs. 16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:"


He has set the principalities and powers to naught and is victorious over them all

SO

LET NO MAN JUDGE YOU IN FOOD!

NOW

Let's list some current do's and don'ts.

DO DON'T

Go to church four times a week. Movies
Act holy Dancing
Drinking
Smoking

Now. Why do people hold to these do's and don'ts?

1. They want to be weird.

2. They want to give up fun things.

3. They want to be a killjoy.

4. They want to be as close to what they feel the Lord wants them to be.

5. They want to refrain from things that might be mistaken by others that might cause problems of testimony.

I Tim. 3:2 "an overseer must be above reproach...respectable..."

I Tim 3:7 "He must also have a good reputation..."

They do not want to have anything in their lives that will detract from their testimony.

They are not seeking righteousness -- Christ gave that to them -- they are seeking to live righteously.

Will do's and don'ts vary from time to time? Yes, possibly. The pool table used to be a tool of the Devil! Indeed, in some areas of the country this may well be the case yet today. Yet in most areas it is quite respectable to have a table in your home. Indeed, some Bible Colleges have them for student recreation.

Why was the pool table wrong a number of years back?

The pool room atmosphere was not the type of atmosphere the Christian would want to identify with. Pool is now in many bowling alleys and other public places.

Sunday afternoon baseball was the Devils worst not that many years ago in Nebraska. (1940's I think)

How do you react to a believer that thinks MIXED SWIMMING is wrong?

Ridicule NO!
Make fun of NO!
Admire his conviction YES!
Understand his liberty to believe and practice this YES!
Ask him about his belief and LISTEN YES!

Can you think of why a person might have a strong conviction about mixed swimming?
a. Maybe he or she has a problem with lust.
b. Maybe he or she has a strong belief that the believer should be modest and that the current swim wear is not modest.

Do some Christians close their eyes to don'ts and ridicule to cover up their own conscience?

Some for years saw nothing wrong with smoking. Today we have proof that it is dangerous to your health. Some continue to smoke even though they know that they are to care for the temple of the Holy Spirit - their body.

Many things are held as okay by some Christians yet scripture tells us not to cause another to stumble. The mixture of these two items is hard to determine. Social drinking is again raising controversy in the Church.

Some of the problem may be the fact that we are cold and unresponsive to the sin that is around us.

Many years ago the movie "From Here to Eternity" was banned at most Armed Forces bases due to the beach scene. Today there is T.V. activity in the bedroom far more suggestive on prime time, yet Christians continue so soak up the trash. Some cities have independent stations that are showing movies with nude scenes in prime time.

Several years ago we went to the mountains for the day. As we exited the mountains into the valley, a large billboard was to be seen. A large woman in a bikini was pictured. I was somewhat shocked. It struck home to me that I had seen the billboard many times and didn't think about it. At that point in time after eight hours away from the world I felt uneasy about the picture.

I wonder if we took a month vacation to heaven and then returned if our do's and don'ts might be much changed. I have to wonder if our coldness to the sin around us wouldn't embarrass us!

Were the pastors of the 40's and 50's wrong to preach against the jewelry and makeup? Their approach was wrong often times yet they were dealing with the encroachments of worldliness upon their congregations and it was their place to warn their people.

Were these pastors saying that you had to follow their do's/don'ts to be saved? No, they were trying to teach their congregations as they saw fit. Some call this legalism - no, legalism is teaching a series of items to keep so that you might be saved.

Were the pastors of the 60's and the 70's wrong to condemn the short skirts? No they should have been dealt within many more churches.

I assembled some do's and don'ts relating to how to handle a person that has a questionable belief/practice.

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF DOING AND DON'TING

1. Don't offend the person on purpose. (By trying to change their mind with undue pressure.)
2. Don't place the person in a situation where they will have to say no.
3. Don't condemn, judge, or ridicule the person either to their face or behind their back.
4. Don't be a stumbling block. (I Cor. 8.9-13; Rom. 14.13)
5. Do apologize if you offend them and be sure not to offend them again.
6. Do honestly and sincerely seek to understand their reasoning and principles. (They have their reasons and you may find out that they are right.)
7. Do realize that this person is a child of God. (In earthly families different children like to please their father in different ways - one is no less important than the other.)
8. Do realize that if they are wrong it is not sin. It is however wrong for them to do something which they can't do in faith. (Rom. 14.23)
9. Do be sure the person is saved. An unsaved person can not properly distinguish the proper Christian life if they aren't a believer under the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit.

SEE, A DON'T MAN CAN HAVE MORE DO'S THAN DON'TS!

If someone comes with a don't, do check them and their don't out. If they have Scripture then don't. If they hath not Scripture then do.

vs. 17 "Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ."

"which are a shadow of things to come"

What is Paul getting at here?

1. These are only a hint of the don'ts that will come through the ages.

2. These are a vague picture of the substance of the things to come in Christ.

3. The New International Version states it this way "These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

18 "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"

In short don't let someone pull the wool over your eyes, don't let anyone hoodwink you, don't let anyone trick you, don't let anyone fool you into following their methods of being righteous - they are puffed up - full of themselves - arrogant - think they are smarter than the average bear.

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Darby "(which have indeed an appearance of wisdom in voluntary worship, and humility, and harsh treatment of the body, not in a certain honour,) to [the] satisfaction of the flesh."

American Standard Version "Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; [but are] not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh."

New King James Version "These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, [false] humility, and neglect of the body, [but] [are] of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."

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

King James Version "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

This is the only usage of the term translated will worship - it is one word meaning "1) voluntary, arbitrary worship 1a) worship which one prescribes and devises for himself, contrary to the contents and nature of faith which ought to be directed to Christ 1b) said of the misdirected zeal and the practice of ascetics" Thayer

Robertson believes Paul coined the term to describe the self designed worship of angels.

One said it meant sanctimony or unwarranted piety.

Gill takes it in a positive manner and suggests "being what was over and above that which was commanded by God, and so, like the freewill offerings under the law, must be acceptable to him; this was one of their colours, which had some show of wisdom, religion, and zeal:"

I surmised it was worship stemming from the will of the person - Jamison Fausset and Brown likewise suggest: "arbitrarily invented worship: would-be worship, devised by man's own will, not God's. So jealous is God of human will-worship, that He struck Nadab and Abihu dead for burning strange incense (Lev_10:1-3). So Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for usurping the office of priest (2Ch_26:16-21). Compare the will-worship of Saul (1Sa_13:8-14) for which he was doomed to lose his throne. This "voluntary worship" is the counterpart to their "voluntary humility" (Col_2:18): both specious in appearance, the former seeming in religion to do even more than God requires (as in the dogmas of the Roman and Greek churches); but really setting aside God's will for man's own; the latter seemingly self-abasing, but really proud of man's self-willed "humility" (Greek, "lowliness of mind"), while virtually rejecting the dignity of direct communion with Christ, the Head; by worshipping of angels."

It seems that most follow the thought that it is worship coming from the will of the person, rather than something stemming from God.

Since believers naturally worship God, it would take an active change of will to worship other than God.

19 "And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God."

They reject Christ, the head of the church! Don't you dare follow them and lose out on the reward that you might have from following Christ.

Note the body increaseth not by the work of the people, not by the prayer of the people, not by the giving of the people, not by anything the people can do, but by the will/acts of God Himself. Now, that is not to say that the works of the people aren't used of the Lord to increase the church - He does, but it is He that builds His church not us.

To me that is the biggest relief a pastor could ever have. He needs to be sure he is busy about the Lord's business, but if the church does not grow, it is because God does not have growth in mind for that body for that time.

20 "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances," 21 "(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?" 23 "Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh."

The New International Version states it this way: "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

So, having read that, can we eliminate all do's and don'ts from our life? NO WAY! The Bible is full of do's and don'ts! We need to be very careful to follow them. What we do not have to follow are do's and don'ts set forth by man from their own wisdom and knowledge.

Might I tread on touchy toes for a moment? Can we list some items of worship that are imposed upon congregations as the "in thing" to do?

How about dressing casually?
How about greeting times?
How about taped music?
How about children's church?
How about - you fill in the blank.

Are any of these wrong? No, not in and of themselves. Are any of these right? No, not in and of themselves. Are these things useable in the church? Possibly - but don't let them become the method to reach God - they are not! Nor, are old hymns and customs of the church I might be quick to add before someone reminds me of this.

Christ perfects us - not what we do or don't do. It is that perfecting process than allows us to serve Him in that perfect spot of service.