Some thoughts on Col 2:8-23

Tim Chang • April 19, 2021

re: spiritual warfare and the world religion

 


 

 

 

Col 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

 

 

 

A human tradition based its foundation on the elemental spirits of the world. These are the basis of philosophy, and it is deceitful because it is not according to Christ. However, it is part of the enticing spirit that deceives us.

 

 

 

Col 2:9-10: “ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

 

 

 

Christ is the manifestation of God, and we are filled with Christ, who is the head of all rule and authority. Paul is establishing the basis for Christ ruling over all things, including human tradition and elemental spirits of the world.

 

 

 

Col 2:11: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

 

 

 

Christ’s circumcision became our circumcision, Christ’s burial became our burial, and Christ’s resurrection became our resurrection.

 

 

 

Col 2:13: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

 

 

 

God circumcised the flesh by forgiving all our trespasses by nailing them to the cross with Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Col 2:14-15: “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

 

 

 

God has canceled our debt on the cross, it has been nailed to the cross, and it disarmed the rulers and authorities. The rulers and authorities have no rights over Christians as they have been put to open shame on the cross. By being united with Jesus, we have the authority to proclaim the shame of these rulers and authorities and proclaim our victory, as Christ’s victory became ours byunity through Christ.

 

 

 

The spiritual warfare is deception portrayed by the rulers and authorities to the Christians unaware of this fact: that Christ shamed them and proclaimed victory over them proudly, and by being united with Christ, we, too, have the part of the victory and shaming the rulers.

 

 

 

Col 2:16-18: “ Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind.”

 

 

 

Why does Paul speak about spiritual warfare then talk about religious activities?

 

 

 

What to eat, drink, festival, or Sabbath: all these things are shadows (verse 17), but they all belong to Christ. When God has forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling our record of debt and nailed it to the cross, we no longer are bound by it (verse 13). The record of debt has no legal demands (verse 14). The rulers and authority bring deception to make people not believe in this, thus cannot exercise their true God-given authorities (verse 15).

 

 

 

The rulers and authorities used philosophy and empty deceit, rooted in human tradition and elemental spirits of the world (verse 8), making people believe Christian is about to do’s and do not do’s (verse 16), passing judgment to them.

 

Judgment is the condemnation, and only God can judge, and God has canceled all debt on the cross. Christians get discouraged and feel disqualified because they cannot do and do not do what the religion requires of them (verse 18).

 

This is the unbelief of Christ’s work, and it is an evil mind.

 

 

 

Col 2:19: “and not holding fast to the head,from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”

 

 

 

If we are connected to Christ, and the head is Christ, it is the head that leads us.

 

Not religion.

 

 

 

Col 2:20-21: “ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world,do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?” 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

 

 

 

Laws and regulatory submission are for those who do not live lawfully; in fact,Christians live the highest standard of God. Thus, no law can regulate nor rule over us. Only Christ can rule and reign over us. So, when Christians say do not do this or that, it is “according to human precepts and teachings.” It is easier to have a religion for non-believers of Christ than to be joined to Christ. How can a dead part of the body join to a living part and receive its nutrients from a living part? When a part of the body dies, it affects the nearby parts, and doctors amputate it not to affect the other parts. If the part cannot be revived, it has to be amputated.

 

 

 

Christ is sufficient to make the dead come to life, but if the dead does not believe,then Christ’s work has no manifestation in that person’s life. Thus, they will be bound by rules and regulations, human precepts and teachings (verse 22),which look good to deceived perception (verse 8-9).

 

 

 

Also, because they are under the regulation and submission over rulers and authorities, they have not tasted the victory and shaming of the rulers and authorities (verse 15). Thus, they still believe that the rulers and authorities are still armed(verse 14), and cannot Christians cannot overcome them (verse 15).

 

 

 

Spiritual warfare happens in this arena. The powerful gospel of Jesus Christ resurrects the dead and unites with them as one body onto Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit. However, the fake Christians perform religious activities within the church and burden others. However, Paul is telling Christians that when those who put these religious acts on people seem wise (verse 23), they live in the indulgence of the flesh, which makes our circumcision of the flesh (verse 11) of non-effect. Religion is the indulgence of the flesh (verse 23).

 

 

 

Religion is the heart of spiritual warfare. It is not very clear because we were born into the world religion. It is a great deception to those who are not attached to Christ. World religion is subtle as it is applied to all things in our lives.If Christians do not submit to the lordship of Christ, then it is easy for Christians to participate in the world religion. The world religion is non-other than philosophy and empty deceit according to the elemental spirits of the world (verse 8).

 

 

 

It is subtle but has its tentacles in all religions of the world, where it is attractive to those who seek a higher level of understanding. Christianity is not a religion,as it is not attractive to people following human tradition and philosophy.Christianity only requires one thing, and it is submitting to the will of Christ. By submitting to the will of Christ, we are not bound by any other rulers or authorities: Because Christ has triumphed over all rulers and authorities. However, the world religion continues to fight Christ-followers by demanding and challenging them that by submitting to the reign of Christ,Christians are living against the tide, against the world understanding human philosophy and tradition. By following Christ, Christians are persecuted by the rulers and authorities of the world and by their minions who obey the worldly religion.

 

 

 

In Western and countries with religious freedom, it appears that the persecution of Christians does not exist. However, when Paul tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12), it is fighting against the world religion that all those born on the earth follow from birth until they die.

 

 

 

World religion exists in the churches that Christians attend. World religion exists even in the very heart of those who are Christians and joined to Christ. That is the reason why all Christians are constantly under attack by the spiritual powers and authorities.

 

 

 

Christians must focus on Christ, as Christ is the one God has raised from the dead and proclaimed victory over world religion. We are in ideology warfare, where the deception is not visible but subtle.

 

 

 

It creeps into our lives without knowing if we are not awake. We must continually depend on Christ and daily reconfirm our attachment to Christ, or else we will forget what Christ has done for us on the cross.

 

 

 

The blessings of yesterday cannot sustain us today. What has worked in the 3rd industrial revolution era cannot work in the 4th industrial revolution era. As we enter into the 4th industrial revolution, we must hold fast to the works and teachings of Christ as our soul foundation. Times have changed, but the truth of Christ does not change.

 

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For a Christian to be healthy, we must sleep or rest in Jesus. Just like sleep is essential to the health of our physical body, sleep or rest in Jesus is essential to our spiritual walk with Jesus. When Jesus came to the world, he came to do the works of the Father, and he completed them on the cross, when he said, It is finished. The very reliance of the blood of Jesus that he shed for us on the cross gives us the rest that our spirit needs. To sleep or rest in Jesus means to cease all our agendas. Many Christians fall into a trap that once you become a Christian, you must do so many things and not do so many things. Being a disciple becomes a matter of checking off a list of dos and don’ts. However, this is far from rest that Jesus gave us when he said, It is finished, on the cross. The rest comes to us when we die in Jesus. When we follow Jesus as a disciple, Jesus is inviting us to pick up our own cross, deny ourselves, and follow him. Where did Jesus end up? On the cross, and he died for the sins of the world. When apostle Paul stated that he had been crucified with Christ and he no longer lives, he was stating the mere nature of a disciple of Jesus. When Jesus invites us to die with him on the cross, it is not to destroy us or end us. Human nature is to struggle to survive and to have another breath. But to follow Jesus is to deny that very nature. How can it be done? It is impossible with human effort or will, as it is contrary to the very nature of humanity. When one becomes a disciple of Jesus, everyone has one or a few things that they cannot surrender to God. It may be finances, children, or even their own life. However, Jesus invites all of his disciples to give up that one thing that everyone has. Every Christian faces this question at some point in their walk with Jesus. They have eaten and drunk the flesh and blood of Jesus. They have tasted the goodness of the Lord and His mercies. They delight in worship and even give up many things for the Lord and His body. But that one thing, no matter how minor it seems, Jesus asks the question, “Can you give up that one thing for me?” Which is the question of death. The death of our old self. To Abraham, it was to offer Isaac on an altar. To Jacob, it was to deny his ability to cheat, steal, and lie. To the Apostles, it was to give up their life for the sake of the gospel. So many of our ancestors of faith have demonstrated giving up that one thing that matters the most to them for the sake of Jesus. Why would they do that? The most important question of all is, how were they able to do that for Jesus? The answer is simple: daily eat and drink Jesus’ body and blood; daily excrete out what the Holy Spirit is telling us; daily rest in Jesus. This daily trust and obedience provides us with a sense of security and guidance in our walk with Jesus. The death of oneself does not come from human effort nor willpower. It comes from trusting in Jesus even till death. It can only be done when one is deeply involved with Jesus and Jesus’ DNA becomes their DNA. Without questioning, they hear the voice of Jesus, respond, and lay down their lives and their most essential things for Jesus. It is a daily walk with Jesus and having a moment-by-moment relationship with Jesus. Jesus said My sheep hear my voice and follow me. It is interesting to note that when Jesus calls his sheep, it is among other sheep that are not of Jesus’. Jesus calls his sheep to take them through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow initially. Then, when the sheep sees Jesus walking away from the green pasture and onto the valley of the shadow of death, the sheep begins to wonder if the voice it hears is Jesus’ or not. But as Jesus continues to call the sheep, the sheep respond by trusting in Jesus’ voice, recognizing it as their own. But as the sheep nears the valley of the shadow of death, the sheep gets close to Jesus, embracing his breath, scent, and sweat. Following him closely, as he fears he might be lost if he does not hear the voice of his true shepherd. Ultimately, the valley of the shadow of death separates the true sheep of Jesus from other sheep. Jesus calls all of his disciples to carry the cross, deny oneself, and follow Jesus daily. Which ultimately leads to death. Death is not to end our essence but to deliver us from ourselves, our old ways of living, and to redefine our DNA to become like Jesus; ultimately leading us to the resurrection of Jesus, as he has said, I am the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is not something that we find when the last day comes; the resurrection that Jesus gives us is the very nature of all of his disciples that must go through to become faithful followers of Jesus. Many modern Christians are what we might call 'zombie Christians'. This is not a metaphor, but a reality. When Jesus calls us to die with him, many reject this calling, believing it to be from Satan. They know deep down that it is the call of Jesus, but they prefer to be deceived in their hearts as it seems logical, reasonable, and satisfies their current values. However, when a Christian rejects the call of Jesus, the life of Jesus leaves that Christian, and that person becomes a 'zombie Christian'. A 'zombie Christian' is a person who knows about Jesus but does not follow Jesus because they have denied the call of Jesus to be his disciple. There are many 'zombie Christians'. Many become like Pharisees, and they are satisfied with knowing about the Scriptures, rather than obeying them. They begin to lose the joy, rest, and light of Jesus in their lives and begin to replace it with religious activities and the endless pursuit of knowledge about Christian life. When the Father speaks, He speaks once, and the Holy Spirit continuously reminds us to obey what the Father has said. However, once you become a zombie Christian, it is difficult to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, nor the voice of the Father. The Holy Spirit continuously prays to the Father with groaning that cannot be uttered because the Holy Spirit is in agony over the disobedient Christian. Just like the Prodigal Son, the Father waits for the son to return. An interesting observation can be made regarding the story of the Prodigal Son, that the father did not go after looking for the son, nor did the older brother. The reason the father did not go after the prodigal son was that the son made the choice, and the father respected the son's choice. But an interesting thing is that the older brother did not go after his brother, even though he could have. The older brother did not know the heart of the father, and when the prodigal son returned, the older son’s response reveals his true intentions. The Father waits for the zombie Christian to return. To return means to realize that their effort and ways of living caused much turmoil and must abide under the ruling of the Father. The Father gives another chance to zombie Christians. But when the second chance comes, the sacrifice that a zombie Christian makes seems greater than the first time. As that person has drifted away from the proper way of living and been replaced by religious activities that have no life. Every disciple of Jesus knows that one thing that Jesus asks us to give up. It is not to destroy us but to trust in the Lord. Just like when Peter asked Jesus to walk on water, Jesus is telling us to walk on water like Peter did. When we die in Jesus, it is the very spirit of Jesus that resurrects us. When we experience death and resurrection through Jesus, that is when we truly find the peace and rest that Jesus desires for us to have, not through religious activities, disciplines, and training. When we realize that our death does not lead to destruction, as the one inviting us to death is Jesus, who is life and resurrection, we trust in Jesus and follow through our death, and we wait on Jesus to resurrect us in his power and spirit. That is when we are truly free from the world and its bondages, and nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. We become one with Jesus as we suffer with him, and we glory with him. We can become truly victorious in all aspects of our lives, not with our power or abilities, but by what Jesus has done for us in himself. A true crown of glory awaits those who follow Jesus even to death.