Not Helpful

Pondering Colossians Chapter Two

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. —Colossians 2:16-21

I love books. There are so many wonderful stories and expressions of truth written by people a lot smarter than me, I can’t have enough of them! Every bookstore has a large shelf of books called “self-help”. There are also “philosophy” shelves and “business” shelves. All of them are full of helpful advice, but so much of it is no help at all.

The Colossians had some teachers who were leading people away from Christ with really unhelpful teachings. Some seemed to be Jewish teachers who wanted to maintain the traditions of the Hebrew faith. Most of that was not a problem, but when Gentiles were feeling forced into observing special days or Sabbaths, Paul stepped in to say that they were not being helpful. He has already told us that Christ was all we needed. Christ is complete!

Other teachers seemed to be focused on spiritual experiences that they felt made them qualified to tell the younger Christians they were not “doing it right”. They filled their teaching with their experiences, the worship of angels, and even stringent ascetic dietary practices. None of that is helpful either.

He reminds them not to be pressured into following any of these teachers and to remember to follow Christ only. Christ is the one we died with, leaving behind the life where we were trying to find our way. We found it! So don’t get caught up in the advice of the world. His examples relate to those who practiced extreme self-denial to prove their spiritual superiority: “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!” Can’t you hear the wisdom of the world whispering in your ear?

• You’re Enough

• You be you.

• You only live once.

• Do what you want, just don’t hurt anyone.

• Live your truth.

• Follow your heart.

Paul says that living by the rules of the world or even teachers who seem to be so spiritual is not helpful. They “seem” wise, but in the end, they do not help us overcome the struggles of our lives.

This is a meaty section. Overall, it continues Paul’s strong emphasis and teaching on how Christ is above all. He’s even above the “helpful/not helpful” wisdom of the world.

Note: Thanks for reading this week. The next Colossians post will be Monday morning, Lord willing! See you Sunday night for a Check-in!

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