31 August 2005 Devotion for Today “Odd Laws” Colossians 2:18-23
From the book, Odd Laws Still on the Books, [Citation: Robert W. Pelton in The Door. Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 5.] Young girls are never allowed to walk a tightrope in Wheeler,
Those are humorous until you stop to think about the fact that all of those had something to do with church. The sad thing about all of this is that there probably were some fierce arguments about such ridiculous things (with church people involved) before these laws passed. So the question is, Why do people who call themselves believers get so tied down in rules and regulations? Why do believers in Christ insist upon living by some set of man-made rules and regulations and then imposing those rules on other people? Why would the non-Christian community even care if someone wore red to church? It had to be church-goers who decided there needed to be a law against wearing red to church. It wasn’t non-Christians who decided people should wear suits and ties to church. It wasn’t non-Christians who decided that rock-n-roll music is of the devil. It wasn’t non-Christians who decided that playing cards was a sin.
Why do believers in Christ insist upon living by some set of man-made rules and regulations and then imposing those rules on other people? So today let’s look at what the apostle Paul had to say about all of this at the end of Colossians 2:18-23] 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 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.”
Man-made rules and regulations will disqualify you for the prize. Paul says man-made rules and regulations will disqualify you from the prize. The prize that Paul is referring to here is heaven. Paul is saying that human rules and regulations will disqualify you from heaven. Following merely human rules and regulations will keep us out of heaven- literally the original means “cheat us out of it.”
So let’s look at the rules and regulations that he’s talking about. The first one he says is false humility. These are people who appear to have all the answers and appear to be humble can lead you to hell. How is that possible? Because even though they appear to be humble, they’re not giving the glory to Jesus and Paul says they are really puffed up and falsely humble. They are “proud of their humility.” People draw attention to their supposed humility are not humble, but proud.
People who tell you how to run your life are not humble but proud. Unless they are teaching what Jesus said and unless they are giving all the credit to Jesus, they are not humble, but proud.
The second one is the worship of angels or I would paraphrase this as false spirituality. Folks who are proud of the things they have experienced are not godly. Folks who talk about themselves and the things they experience are not godly. Why? Because they are drawing the attention to themselves and not Jesus. You can tell by the way they talk what is in their heart. If they are telling of their experiences to tell how great Jesus is, then listen. But if they are just telling you about spiritual experiences and encounters with angels and the experience itself, then don’t listen to them. These people can cheat you from going to heaven by getting you to focus upon their experience or mystical wonder rather than Christ who is above all such things. If they are telling you that you need to experience these things and you need to tell others about your experiences, Paul is saying they can disqualify you from the prize.
How do they disqualify you? They disqualify because they don’t focus on Jesus and Jesus is the only one who can get us to heaven.Angels can’t get anyone to heaven.
Spiritual experiences cannot get anyone to heaven. False humility can’t get anyone to heaven. When people try to tell you that you need to have experiences with angels or you need to have some type of spiritual experience or you need to put on some kind of humility in order to be truly saved—don’t listen to them. Overturn those odd laws that can disqualify you. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, however, you will have your eyes on the prize.
Have a blessed day!
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