http://www.esvbible.org/Colossians+2/
I was reading through one of my favorite books of the Bible the other day, Colossians. about midway through Chapter 2 (verse 14), Paul begins to talk about how Christ has defeated the “legal demands” of the Law, and a few verses later he encourages his readers to “let no one disqualify you” (verse 18). A quick interpretation of this is that Paul is not wanting his readers in Collosae to feel discouraged by a legalism that is happening around them. Specifically, Paul is referring to the rampant asceticism going on in their region. Asceticism is basically neglecting yourself, whether it be from food or water, to show others how tough you are or how you can survive without a dependency on “earthy things.” Asceticism at that time period was even known to go as far as self-mutilation, including cutting one’s self with shards or sharp knives.
Paul was not supportive of this at all. These types of actions were only done by someone who wanted to show off how spiritual they were. This man-made spirituality could not only lead to physical ailments to the participants, but it could also lead to those outside of the practice to feel inadequate or “less holy.”
So I get to thinking about what types of legalism are going on around me today, and how even without thinking we tend to want to put on the "Christian show" for people. I do this myself ALL THE TIME and without any conscious effort.
I was talking to a friend of mine from a particular denomination who was experiencing a similar situation. She said she felt really uncomfortable going back to a church service because she hadn’t been in a while and she wouldn’t “remember all the new chants.” And apparently, if you don’t know the chants, people can tell you haven’t been back in a while, which is frowned upon.
While I think church attendance is a great thing, I would tell my good friend (I hope she’s reading) to let no one disqualify her from participation in the Body of Christ, the church, just because she didn’t adhere to someone’s traditions or by-laws of their church. I would tell her to remember that in Christ, she has everything she needs for righteousness and Godliness, and nothing outside of Him is needed or necessary.
You see, legalism relies on our own personal efforts without relying on the grace of God to work in us. Simply put, moral effort that is not done in faith is a self-worshiping, self-reliant, self-satisfying, and self-asserting. Christianity, on the other hand, is about dying to ourselves and living to Christ. When we try to conduct ourselves in such a way to only win the approval of others, we are not worshiping the God of creation, we are worshiping our own self and morality (Galatians 1:10), a pathway to full-blown idolatry.
Furthermore, what is really scary is the root of legalism could simply be unbelief. Unbelief in relation to ourselves that it is God who works in us to will and to do his good pleasure, and unbelief in relation to others that God will make his will known and incline them to do it (Philippians 3:15).
One of my favorite Bible teachers, in speaking on this passage (Colossians 2, verses 20-21 specifically), put it this way:
“The implication of these verses is that a church which erects regulations about food and drink as a means of judging or disqualifying does not yet know what it means to die with Christ and be freed from the powers of the world. It seems to me that…wherever authentic, joyful confidence in Christ diminishes, regulations are brought in to preserve what the power of Christ once created. If you erect enough regulations and build a big enough endowment, an institution can endure for decades after the spiritual dynamic that brought it into existence is gone.”
One final thought on verse 23 then I’ll leave you with another quote. What I think Paul is saying is even though these legalistic actions appear to make you holy and they seem to give you approval from men, they have no power in stopping your sinful desire to WANT them. Only Christ working in you can overcome lust. Only Christ working in you can overcome greed. Only Christ within you can overcome selfishness and pride. Only Christ within you can __________.
So, reader:
“It may be that just now you are blinded by the dazzling brightness of the law of God. You feel its claims on your conscience, but you cannot keep it in your life. Not that you find fault with the law, on the contrary, it commands your profoundest esteem, still you are in nowise drawn by it to God; you are rather hardened in heart, and are verging towards desperation. Ah, poor heart! Turn thine eye from Moses, with all his repelling splendour, and look to Jesus, resplendent with milder glories. Behold his flowing wounds and thorn-crowned head! He is the son of God, and therein he is greater than Moses, but he is the Lord of love, and therein more tender than the law-giver. He bore the wrath of God, and in his death revealed more of God’s justice and Sinai on a blaze, but that justice is now vindicated, and henceforth it is the guardian of believers in Jesus. Look, sinner, to the bleeding Saviour, and as thou feelest the attraction of his love, fly to his arms, and thou shalt be saved.” -Charles Spurgeon
