COMFORMITY TO THE TRUTH NOT TRADITIONS
Colossians 2:14-23
Paul wanted the believers of their churches to know and understand that their lives
could NOT be founded on anything but on JESUS.
V8. Paul says …WITH EMPTY PHILOSOPHIES AND HIGH SOUNDING NONSENSE THAT
COME FROM HUMAN THINKING AND FROM THE SPRITUAL POWERS OF THIS
WORLD.
Translations: “NO ONE TAKE YOU CAPTIVES THROUGH PHILOSOPHY & EMPTY
BASED ON HUMAN TRADITION”
The actual term used here by Paul begins with the Greek word AH-PAH-TEH which
is where we get our English word for Apathy- which means A LACK OF ENTHUSIAM
OR AN EMOTIONAL EMPTINESS.
But the Greek word means to DECEIVE OR BE DECEITFUL which when we look at for
APATHY…. THAT REALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING WHEN WE ARE APATHETIC, WE
ARE DECEIVING OURSELVES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MATTER.
THAT IS WHAT PAUL IS TELLING THESE BELIEVERS… HE IS STATING THAT THEY
CANNOT ALLOW THESE MEN TO DECEIVE THEM INTO BELIEVING SOMETHING THAT
IS NOT THE TRUTH.
The Good news of the gospel of grace is we no longer have to live under the rules
and regulations of OT law.
Consider the DANGER OF LIVING BY THE RULES RATHER THAN LIVING IN A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
The Danger of Living by the rules and traditions is REDUCES THE CHRISTIANS LIFE.
“LEGALISM CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN BE PROUD OF THE
WAY THEY ACT, BUT THEY CAN’T BE HAPPY”
To them: CHRISTIANITY IS NOT SOMETHING TO ENJOYED; IT IS A RELIGION TO BE
ENDURED.
“LEGALISM IS THE ATTITUDE I CAN ESTABLISH OR IMPROVE MY STANDING
BEFORE GOD BY MY ACTIVITIES”
Recognize Legalism by looking the 3 Rs:
RULES, RITUALS, REWARDS
A legalist is someone who has list of rules longer than God’s list.
They carefully followed the prescribed rituals and regulations, because
they believed God will reward their proper behaviour.
Paul wrote to the church at Galatia, he wrote “ARE YOU FOOLISH?”
After Beginning with the Spirit and are you now trying to attain your goal by human
effort? (Galatians 3:3)
“YOU MAYBE A LEGALIST IF YOU STARTED OUT YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE BY
BELIEVING YOU WERE SAVED BY THE GRACE BUT THEN YOU STARTED TRYING TO
EARN POINTS FROM GOD BY FOLLOWING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND
NOT LIVING ACCORDING TO YOUR RELATIOSHIP WITH HIM.”
LIVING ACCORDING TO THE RULES:
A. IT CAN BE IN A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2 kinds of faith system in the world.
a. Performance-based religion
b. Pardoned based faith.
Legalism devolves the Christian faith into a quasi-old testament system of
performance-based rules.
We want to act like we’re working hard so the boss won’t reprimand us.
B. IT CAN BE ATTRACTIVE-PLEASING APPEARANCE
Because people want to know exactly how to act and what will be
the result of the behaviour.
C. IT CAN BE APPRECIATED- ADMIRE AND VALUE
Impress the heart and the eyes of the world not the GOD.
The trouble with doing things to impress God is it forces you to keep
coming up with more and better things to do for God.
v. 23 Paul says: HARSH TREATMENT OF THE BODY. - Those kinds of acts
may appear “VALUABLE” but the BIBLE SAYS THEY ARE WORTHLESS.
WHY DO PEOPLE TREAT THEIR BODIES HARHSLY FOR THE RELIGION
REASON?
They are trying to show God how much they have Him in hopes
He will bless them more, because of their SELF-IMPOSE PAIN AND
DISCOMFORT. But sadly, the Bible teaches this kind of Legalism is
WORHTLESS!
CHALLENGE:
LIVING IN THE RELATIONSHIP IN THE LORD IS MORE IMPOTANT THAN LIVING IN
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT BASED ON HUMAN TRADITIONS.
“A LIFE THAT IS CENTERED ON JESUS AND WHAT HE DID ON THA CROSS HAS NO
PLACE FOR LEGALISM”
QUESTIONS:
ARE YOU LIVING IN THE RULES OR IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD?