The Anabaptist movement has always emphasized practical, everyday obedience. This results from our focus on a literal interpretation of the Bible in addition to our particular cultural background. This is a valuable emphasis, but is there a danger of this becoming a legalistic trap in which we miss the main point of the Christian life? The danger is not unique to Anabaptism; the church at Colosse in the first century apparently faced the same threat.
Paul opens his Epistle to the Colossians with his customary greeting and an expression of appreciation for the good report of how the Gospel had impacted the lives of the believers there. He prays that this good work will continue to grow and bear fruit. The main thought in Chapter 1 is the truth that Christ is supreme or preeminent. God’s purpose is that the truth of the supremacy of Christ would be evident in all of creation (v. 15-20); that is the big picture. But equally important is that Christ be supreme in the local church and in a believer’s personal life (v. 21ff). Paul applies this concept throughout the rest of the epistle.
In the second chapter of Colossians, Paul addresses several things that were threatening the gospel fabric of the church at Colosse. First, there was the threat of worldly Greek philosophies intruding from the surrounding culture (v. 4, 8). Secondly, there was pressure from the Judaizers to obey certain feasts and Old Testament regulations (v. 16-17). These things pointed forward to Christ, but they could be a distraction if more attention were given to them than to Christ Himself. The third thing Paul warns against is a fascination with angels and spirits (v. 18-19). This may have been an influence from their native beliefs and superstitions, or it may have been part of the Gnostic ideas that were becoming popular.
In the last part of chapter 2 (v. 20-23) Paul addresses a problem we all face. How do we deal with the desires and indulgence of the flesh (sin nature)? The Old Testament Law was an outward approach to morality and righteousness. It was the method God used in the Old Testament to reveal His expectations to the children of Israel. God still uses the outward approach in earthly governments to punish evil and praise good. The world primarily depends on external regulations to produce morality. Because of this, Paul refers to this approach as a principle of the world. Paul calls them “commandments and doctrines of men”. Yes, God did use this method in the Old Testament with His people, but partly with the purpose to demonstrate its insufficiency
Paul instructs the Colossians that to restrain these fleshly desires with regulations – “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle” – is a worldly approach. It is using the “commandments and doctrines of men” rather than the power of God to accomplish transformation. While there may be a time and place for such an approach (e.g., children), it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Paul uses the phrase “basic principles of the world” to describe these outward solutions. He asks the church “Why do you operate this way as though you lived in the world”? Obviously, we do live in the world in a physical sense, but we are not to be like the world in the way we approach moral issues.
These regulations usually relate to material and temporal things, things which perish (v. 22). Adherence to these regulations do get people’s attention. Strict adherence to regulations, even to the point of neglecting the body can make us look wise, humble and pious. But Paul warns that these regulations “are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” A person can appear proper on the outside, but be full of anger, pride or lust on the inside. Jesus pointed this out when He likened the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, beautiful outwardly, but full of uncleanness on the inside.
How do we identify a legalistic mindset?
What are some practical ways in which we can evaluate our own lives to see if we are operating with a legalistic mindset? I suggest a number of questions we can ask ourselves.
1) Do I view the Christian life as a list of do’s and don’ts? A legalistic mentality loves lists. It measures by doing or not doing. It operates with the mindset of “once I have ‘checked the box’, that is all that is expected of me.” It sees only the requirements but lacks grace (i.e. the power to be and to do).
2) Do I think I am better than someone else because I hold to standards they don’t? Paul warns us that comparing ourselves to others is not wise (2 Cor. 10:12). “To His own Master he stands or falls” (Rom. 14:4). Comparing ourselves is often not accurate because it often focuses more on the outward than the inward.
3) Do I try to be extra good in one area to make up for a lack in another area? This is the mentality that assumes God puts our good deeds and our bad deeds on a scale to see which is more, rather than looking to Christ for one’s righteousness and entirely pursuing faithfulness to Him.
4) What is my reaction to problems? Do I think leaders should make/enforce rules so that others meet my expectations? I think this is particularly revealing about our mindset. What is my first reaction when someone does something I do not think is right? Do I think there should be a new rule created, or do I recognize that the person needs to grow in their spiritual relationship with Christ?
What is Paul’s approach?
Remember that Paul began the epistle by presenting Jesus Christ as supreme. A corollary truth is that if Christ is supreme, then Christ is sufficient. A proper understanding of Jesus Christ is the antidote for the wrong ideas that were threatening the church at Colosse. Paul’s answer for the worldly philosophies is not more or better philosophy, but rather the truth that all the fullness of God dwells in Christ. He is Who we need. We are complete in Him, and worldly philosophy will only draw us away from Him. Paul’s answer for overcoming the depravity of our flesh is not to add more rules, but rather to point to Christ as the One Who “has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13, 14).
Paul speaks more of this in chapter 2, verses 9-15. All the fullness of God dwells in Christ (v. 9). We are complete in Him (v. 10). Paul refers to the removal of the sins of the flesh as a spiritual circumcision (v. 11). Numerous Old Testament passages spoke of a circumcision of the heart[^1], a work that God would do in the hearts of His people. Jesus referred to this in the Gospels; the things that defile us are the sins that proceed from our hearts – “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies”.[^2]
In v. 12-13 of chapter 2, Paul uses the image of baptism to further illustrate the inward work of God in our hearts. We are buried with Him, picturing the death of our old man and its deeds and the forgiveness of our sins, and we are raised or “made alive with Him”, picturing a new way of living according to the way of Christ. That is the message of the Gospel, and it is a truth that not only describes our initial coming to Christ, but our continuing walk of faith and obedience (v. 6).
In understanding Paul’s approach to holy living, it is helpful to remove the chapter division between chapters 2 and 3. Since we have been raised with Christ (compare 2:12 with 3:1) we are to seek and set our minds on things that are above. We are to put to death the actions or our old man listed in v. 5-9. (Notice how similar this list is to Jesus’ list mentioned earlier.) We are to put on the actions consistent with the life of Christ (v. 12-17).
Paul allows no room for ungodly living. But this transformation is accomplished, not by the application of rules and regulations, but by the power of God, and the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit. In this way the prayer of Paul in Chapter 1 is fulfilled. “We … ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, [and] that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
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