Since Christ is indeed God in the flesh and He is in you as your "hope of glory" and you are "complete in Him" with all that being complete in Christ (see note Colossians 2:10) entails (see notes Colossians 2:11;  2:12; 2:13; 2:14; 2:15)...then don't let someone try to bully you or say you are less spiritual bc you don't keep "kosher" or keep certain days, etc. Christ has BLOTTED OUT the IOU against us and we are no longer under the curse of the law (Gal 3:13) but we are under grace and should so walk (see note Colossians 2:6).

Ray C. Stedman entitles Paul's warnings in (Col 2:16-23) "The Things that Can Ruin Your Faith", those dangerous traps that await us on every side as we journey...there are no new heresies. We find the same things that can derail the spiritual life, repeated...Bad theology always leads to bad practice! The mistaken ideas about the work of Christ (which Paul corrects in Col 2:8-15) and His sufficiency have corresponding errors on the practical side and the first one Paul warns against is

DON'T LET SOMEONE PUT YOU UNDER THE LAW,
even the CEREMONIAL LAW.

This is ritualism, just a variant form of legalism. (Jesus fulfilled the Law, both it's moral demands and it's ceremonial - see notes Romans 8:3; 8:4).

So Paul says don't let anyone put you under legalism = trying to make yourself acceptable to God on the basis of externals -- by keeping certain laws, rituals or decrees).

Legalism is bondage! Peter called it a “yoke upon the neck” (Acts 15:10, Mt 23:10, Gal 5:1, 2:4, 4:9, Heb 9:8-11). If keeping the Law could not make us spiritual before Christ, why do we think that keeping the LAW can make us spiritual after we are believers? Sadly many genuine believers in America are living under some form of a yoke of bondage, thinking if I just do this or do that, I'll be more acceptable to God. They may not say this overtly but their actions betray them.

This area of "doing something" to become more acceptable to God is a persuasive ("red herring") argument (see note Colossians 2:4) that can derail your faith and rob you of your true spirituality. The flesh is weak when it comes to doing spiritual things truly pleasing to God (Mt 26:41), but it is very strong when it comes to practicing religion, especially religious rules and regulations. Somehow, adhering to the religious routine inflates the ego and makes a person content in his self-righteousness. But now as believers we are

"are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1Cor 1:30).

Christ's righteousness is the only basis of our acceptability when we stand one day before His holy throne (Jude 1:24,25). The false teachers were saying by their judging believers that Jesus Christ is not sufficient for all the spiritual needs of the Christian. They were claiming a “deeper spiritual life” for all who would practice the Law. Outwardly, their practice may seem spiritual; but in actual fact, these practices accomplish nothing spiritual, for Christ Alone is our "spirituality" and we please God by our faith and obedience (Heb 11:6, 1Sa 15:22).

True Christianity is living under submission to and in the power of the grace of God and realizing that you are acceptable to God because of the internal change God has wrought to so that "Christ (is) in you (and He is) the hope of glory" (see note Colossians 1:27) and that you are complete (completed filled to the brim) in Him (see note Colossians 2:10). So in the next section Paul again points back to our position in Christ (see note Colossians 2:20) and says let no one put you under legalism.

Jesus dealt with the law when He canceled out the debt consisting of decrees against us, for as Paul reminds the Roman saints

"you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh (i.e., our physical bodies which are themselves not inherently sinful but in the unsaved state are subject to), the sinful passions (controlling propensities/passions emanating from our corrupt nature inherited from Adam), which were [aroused] by the Law (not created by the Law which is itself holy but excited, called up or inflamed by the Law which forbids their indulgence), were (constantly) at  work (energized over and over again - imperfect tense) in the members of our body (referring to those sinful propensities made use of our members as instruments, (purpose clause) to secure gratification) to bear fruit for death ("Vivid picture of the seeds of sin working for death"). But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." (see notes Romans 7:4; 7:5; 7:6).

Why was the Law against us? Because we could not keep the law. Because you could not live up to them.

As James teaches

"whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (Ja 2:10)

God's requires absolute righteousness but our corrupt nature inherited from Adam prevents us from keeping the law perfectly. God said

"CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." (Gal 3:10)

That curse is death, so we have to die. But Jesus took on flesh and blood and

"redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us." (Gal 3:10)

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh" (see note Romans 8:3).

In light of what Christ has done on Calvary, the Colossians were to let no one "judge" their standing before God on the basis of their observance or nonobservance of the regulations of the Mosaic law. In such matters the principle of Christian liberty comes into play.

As Paul reminded the Galatians who were so prone to slip back into legalism

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free (effective aorist tense, active voice, indicative mood = at the Cross He completely liberated us from the power of the Law); therefore keep standing firm (our daily choice is to remain unwavering since Christ has set us free) and do not be subject (hampered, ensnared by a trap or coming into submission) again to a yoke (don't let "Judaizers" lasso you into the old yoke of legalism) of slavery (do not again become slaves to any rites, and customs, and habits)." (Gal 5:1).

Elsewhere Paul insists that under some circumstances Christian freedom should be voluntarily limited by one's respect for the tender conscience of a weaker brother (see note Romans 14:1ff.; 1Cor 8:1ff.). This caution is necessary for those inclined to assert their liberty regardless of the damage their actions might bring to another person. But at Colossae it is in fact Christian liberty that is to be asserted in the face of subversive attempts to undermine that freedom in Christ.

Everything that looks SPIRITUAL is not!

You've probably heard the expression "red herring." This term was coined from a method of training hunting dogs to follow the scent of their prey. Once the dogs were following the proper scent, their trainers would draw red herrings (a stinky fish) across their paths. Initially, the dogs would be diverted by the scent of the herring. They had to be trained to ignore that scent and instead stay focused on the scent of their prey. So a "red herring" is something that is introduced which diverts our attention from what we should be pursuing. Paul's thesis is that the key to authentic spirituality is pursuing Jesus Christ, because He alone is the Source of all true spiritual knowledge,

"in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (see note Colossians 2:3)

We pursue him (see note Colossians 2:6) by "receiving Him" into our hearts, and by "walking in Him" (which practically means learning about Him [read, meditate and memorize the Book], following Him [obeying His Word] and enjoying Him).

The Amplified version says

"As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him." (see note Colossians 2:6)

In order to effectively pursue Christ, you have to be able to identify spiritual red herrings and turn away from them. Paul identifies some of them in this section, which is very apropos to modern saints for the stinking herrings are still very much around today.

In Col 2:16-23  Paul take us from the truths primarily about Who Christ is and our POSITION in Him to our PRACTICE in Him and in this section he begins with the NEGATIVE SIDE of our spiritual practice by warning us about what not to do.

LET NO ONE ACT AS YOUR JUDGE (sit in judgment): Me oun tis humas krineto (3SPAM): (Ro 14:3, 14:10 14:13 1Cor 10:28-31; Gal 2:12;13 Js 4:11)

Act as...judge (krino) is used in the sense of pronouncing a sentence.

A T Robertson says the Greek here is a

"prohibition present active imperative third singular, forbidding the habit of passing judgment in such matters."

Stated another way, the negative particle ("me") used in combination with the present tense (continuous action) imperative mood (command) means they are to stop allowing this to happen, implying that some of the saints in Colossae were already recipients of this judgmental attitude.

Paul says

"Stop letting these certain ones keep judging you".

The false teachers were telling the Colossians that CHRIST IS NOT ENOUGH but that they also needed to keep the Jewish ceremonial rituals and legalism, as commanded in the Mosaic Law.

Paul counters with the argument that

"since you have thus been delivered by Christ from the evils which surrounded you and since you have been freed from the observances of the law, let no one sit in judgment on you, or claim the right to decide for you in those matters. You are not responsible to man for your conduct, but to Christ; and no man has a right to impose that on you as a burden from which he has made you free.” Paul conveys a similar idea to the Roman saints writing that "[there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus (denoting close and intimate union with Him, like that between the Vine and its branches) , who live [and] walk  not after the dictates of the flesh (who do not live to gratify the corrupt desires and passions of the fallen flesh nature), but after the dictates of the Spirit" (Amp, see note Romans 8:1)

As A T Robertson puts it

"the fire (Ed note: of judgment) has burned on and around the Cross of Christ. There and there alone is safety. Those in Christ Jesus can lead the consecrated, the crucified, the baptized life." 

The gospel of Christ does not pronounce condemnation like the Law. The function of the gospel is to pardon while the function of the Law is to condemn.

What Paul is warning about is still with us today. For example, some would say if you want to be "spiritual" then

"don't smoke, don't chew and don't go with folks that do".

Paul says don't let someone come along and say you need to keep certain laws, even "good" ones (like you must have a 15 minute devotional time every morning [it's not a bad idea but it won't make you any more acceptable to God for you are already "complete in Christ"], etc), if you want to be really spiritual.

Paul says these are "EXTERNALS" but you have true spirituality already resident within you, for you have Christ within you and He is the only One Who is truly spiritual. He is your (INTERNAL) Source of spirituality. That's your "position" in Him. Now put it into practice and walk by faith (which speaks of obedience) in Him and the Spirit will sanctify you. (eg see note Romans 8:13).

Although it has already been stated, it can't be said too often that as a believer, you are complete in Christ and have all the "spirituality" (and all the resources to be spiritual) that you will ever receive.

The goal of spiritual discipline now is to

"work out (a command to continuously, daily, as your lifestyle carry it out “to the goal”, to cultivate and fully complete it, work on it all the way to the "finish line") your salvation (not your mate's, not your child's, but yours!) with fear and trembling (not slavish terror, but wholesome, serious caution and a sense of self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, with watchfulness against temptation, always choosing to shrink from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ) for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (see notes Philippians 2:12; 2:13)

Lightfoot says believers should exhibit

"a nervous and trembling anxiety to do right."

As Robertson quips

"Paul has no sympathy with a cold and dead orthodoxy or formalism that knows nothing of struggle and growth."

Peter would add that

"if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth" (see note 1 Peter 1:17)

Our object is now not to please men by keeping certain externals but to please God by our obedience which is rooted in our love for Him and is enabled by His Spirit's power. Jesus summed it up by declaring that

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

That is true spirituality.

God has taken the "IOU" representing our sin debt owed to God because we have broken His Law and nailed it to the Cross of Christ. Don't let anyone delude you about this truth, remembering that because you are COMPLETE IN HIM, you don't need to "keep" certain days or "eat certain foods" to be spiritual or make yourself acceptable to God. Don't let someone come along and say that

"if you were really spiritual, you'd not eat meat on Friday", like "men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods" (1Ti 4:3).

As to meat and drink Christ Himself declared that

"I am the living bread that came down out of heaven" (Jn 6:51)

"Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."" (Jn 4:13-14)

IN REGARD TO FOOD OR DRINK: en brosei kai en posei:  (Lev 11:2-47; 17:10-15; Dt 14:3-21; Ezek 4:14; Mt 15:11; Acts 11:3-18;15:20; Ro 14:2,6,14-17,20,21; 1Cor 8:7-13; 1Ti 4:3-5; Heb 9:10;13:9)

Many saints today practice giving up certain pleasurable activities (especially certain foods) during the 40 day period ( "Lent") preceding First Fruits (Easter), because they think that will improve their relationship with God. Some seek to become more acceptable to God by wearing special clothing or uniforms. Many Jews keep a kosher kitchen although many of them do not even know why.

When one Jewish woman was asked why she kept a kosher kitchen she replied,

"I don't know. It is just part of our religion."

The Mormon cult teaches that a person cannot be a member in good standing if he drinks tea or coffee.

Seventh Day Adventists, insist that a person must keep the Sabbath in order to please God, forgetting .

Paul says don't let anyone judge your spirituality on the basis of these shadows because you have the "substance", the "body", Christ dwelling in you and He is your hope of glory.

What saith the Lord about food? Under the Mosaic Law certain foods were classified as “clean” or “unclean”

This is the law regarding the animal, and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters, and everything that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten. (Lev 11:46,47).

But Jesus made it clear that food was neutral. It was what came out of the heart that made a person spiritual or unspiritual, teaching that

"there is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man...for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man." (Mk 7:15, 21-23)

Peter had to be told three times that

 "what God has cleansed (referring to the command to kill and eat all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air), no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:9ff).

People who religiously observe diets and days give an outward semblance of spirituality (before men but not before God), but these practices cannot change their hearts. Legalism is a popular thing because you can “measure” your spiritual life—and even brag about it!

God does not condemn those who eat everything (see notes Romans 14:1; 14:2; 14:3; 14:4; 14:7). In fact, God says that all foods may be eaten since they were

“created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.” (1Ti 4:3).

Paul describes such teaching that forbids certain foods as the "doctrines of demons” (1Ti 4:1) whom Christ has disarmed (Col 2:15).

Self-denial can be merely a cover for self-promotion as the following true story illustrates: The proprietors of the “Worst Food in Oregon” restaurant say that what they serve in the “worst food you ever ate, and the service is even worse.” Actually, the restaurant is unusually clean and the food is very good. Diners are served generous portions, and the prices are very reasonable. The name is just a gimmick. It was the idea of the owner who, when tempted to call his food “the best,” figured he might get more attention by calling it “the worst.” His strategy worked. Customers who come the first time out of curiosity soon come back for more. They like the food so much that they even ask what the chef recommends. With a twinkle in his eye he tells them to “take their money and spend it at another restaurant down the road.”

OR IN RESPECT TO A FESTIVAL OR A NEW MOON OR A (the) SABBATH(s) DAY(s): e en merei eortes e neomenias e sabbaton: (Lv 23:1-44; Nu 28:1-29; Dt 16:1-17; Neh 8:9; 10:31; Ps 42:4; Ro 14:5,6)  (Nu 10:10; 28:11,14; 1Sa 20:5,18; 2Ki 4:23; 1Chr 23:31; Neh 10:33; Ps 81 :3; Isa 1:13; Ezek 45:17; 46:1-3; Amos 8:5; Gal 4:10) (Lev 16:31; 23:3,24,32,39)

All Jewish males were required to attend Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles but there is no such stipulation under the New Covenant. On the other hand keep in mind that Paul is not forbidding us to have ''special days or diets'' but just that we don't rely on those to ''make us spiritual'' or do them to please (impress) men rather than God, no matter how sincere we might appear. (See Ro 14).

The reference to "Sabbath day" points clearly to the Jewish calendar, for only Jews kept the Sabbath. That being the case, "religious festival" and "New Moon celebration" must also point primarily to the ritual calendar of the Jews. Paul's thought is that the Christian is freed from obligations of this kind (Gal 4:9-11). No one, therefore, should be permitted to make such things a test of piety or fellowship (see notes Romans 14:1ff).

John Eadie comments on true Christianity that

"Its feast is daily, for every day is holy; its moon never wanes, and its serene tranquility is an unbroken Sabbath". Amen!

In the early 1900's few Christians who were evangelicals would travel on Sunday because they were taught that Sunday was a carry-over of the Jewish Sabbath and that it was wrong to work or travel on that day.

The movie "Chariots of Fire" illustrates how strongly that view was held. These are modern day examples of what Paul is warning against (although clearly Eric Liddell's heart was right in refusing to race on the Sabbath). Any man-initiated performance that is done without meaning with the goal of seeking to please God or make one's self more spiritual is what Paul warns us about.

Commenting on the new moon, Vincent writes that

“The festival of the new moon is placed beside the Sabbath (Isa 1:13, Eze 46:1). The day was celebrated by the blowing of trumpets, special sacrifice, feasting, and religious instruction. Labor was suspended, and no national or private feasts were permitted to take place. The authorities were at great pains to fix accurately the commencement of the month denoted by the appearance of the new moon. Messengers were placed at commanding heights to watch the sky, and as soon as the new moon appeared, they hastened to communicate it to the synod, being allowed even to travel on the Sabbath for this purpose. The witnesses were assembled and examined, and when the judges were satisfied, the president pronounced the words it is sanctified, and the day was declared new moon.”

Those men who would bring Christians under the bondage of the Law make artificial distinctions between the “ceremonial” and “moral” law, and so they say the Sabbath has not passed away. That this is a false notion can be seen from the fact that

(1) The Sabbath command is the only one of the Ten Commandments not repeated in the NT.

(2) The early believers, following Christ’s resurrection and appearance on Sunday (Mk 16:1), met on Sundays (Acts 20:7).

(3) The Bible nowhere distinguishes between the so-called “moral” and “ceremonial” laws (this distinction was not made before the 13th century AD)

(4) This Colossian passage explicitly condemns those who command Sabbath obedience.

(5) As Paul put it, the OT Law (including the Sabbath) was only a shadow of the things that were to come. The reality or “substance” (“body”), is to be found in Christ (cf. Heb 8:5; 10:1). What the OT foreshadowed, Christ fulfilled (cf. notes  Matthew 5:17;Romans 8:3; 8:4). A “shadow” is only an image cast by an object which represents its form. Once one finds Christ, he no longer needs to follow the shadow.

SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES
(from Notes by Wayne Barber)

The devil wants our MINDS. He knows he can't have our HEARTS, because they already belong to Jesus (Colossians 2:15, Heb 2:14-15, 1Cor 6:20, etc). He wants to distract our minds from the completeness we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember the enemy works upon the minds of those who are not FIXED UPON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Satan loves to get a Christian who is not in the WORD, not focused on the Lord and who does not understand that he's complete in Jesus. He can use such an individual to bring DIVISION to the body of Christ. So we've got to be SENSITIVE to his schemes ---- it may even be that Satan will use a Sunday School teacher, pastor, or someone else in leadership (cf Paul's solemn warning in Acts 20:28-32). The key is not so much what they look like or how they speak, but WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, is it "sound doctrine" (XRef's). We need to be sensitive to the CONTENT (and the CONTEXT) of what they say...is what they are saying "according to Christ" see note Colossians 2:8) and what is ERROR.
 

THE KEY TO COUNTERING THE COLOSSIAN HERESIES THAT ARE "SLITHERING" INTO THE EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN AMERICA IN THE 21ST CENTURY IS TO REMEMBER THAT IN CHRIST YOU HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE!

LEGALISM

In Colossians 2:14 (see notes)  we learned that Jesus

"canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us".

He didn't do away with it, but He fulfilled the Law (see notes Romans 8:3; 8:4, Gal 3:13) by putting Himself in the place of the Law. When I obey the Lord Jesus, the Law is being fulfilled, because He is the embodiment of the Law. Since He is, now I don't need to relate to a plan or a formula, but simply to Him and to walk worthy of Him, pleasing Him in all things. So that as you obey Him, the Law is being fulfilled through your obedience, which equates with righteousness. Remember that the Law itself cannot produce righteousness, but Jesus can for He became to us righteousness (1Cor 1:30) and through my obedience to Him the "fruit of righteousness" (see notes Philippians 1:11) is worked out in my life.

Jesus has conquered all the forces of evil so it follows that no person has a right to JUDGE me as to whether I do or do not observe the tenets of the Law of Moses. No one can judge me, because the Law was already judged in Him. He became that curse for me (Gal 3:13) and when I receive Him, I receive what He did for me -- I died with Him, was buried with Him and was raised to walk in newness of life (see  notes Romans 6:3;  6:4) so that the Law no longer has claims on me (see notes Ro 7:4-6). Jesus has claims over me, but the Law does not. Beware when you hear someone say "Jesus is not enough...you've got to do this or that." Your spiritual "antennae" should stand up as you recall that you have been made COMPLETE in the Lord Jesus Christ and as you obey Him, He takes care of the righteousness that the Law demands but could never produce in my life. Keep in mind Paul seems to be talking primarily to Gentile believers. It may be that some leader was trying to draw them under the Law.


The false philosophers were saying that you can only eat and drink certain things if you want to be really SPIRITUAL. Lev 11 describes foods that were clean and unclean. The LAW had a definite purpose for the Israelites----to keep them SEPARATE from the other nations. The LAW also probably had them eat certain things for nourishment reasons. The Israelites couldn't even associate with the people of other nations because their diet was so different. Look out when you're sitting down and eating with someone--watch how quickly your convictions go out the door. How quickly you can become one of them when you eat with them. When we come to Jesus we don't look at things as clean/unclean because that has been done away with in