Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Sept 26, 2024 - Self-Made Religion”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsSelf-Made Religion
Reading: Colossians 2:20-23
Some people are troubling the Colossians by appeals to philosophy (Col 2:8) and Jewish worship (Col 2:16-17) that do not come from Jesus. “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, 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”(Col 2:18-19). Asceticism is the practice of strict, rigorous treatment of the body. The combination of asceticism, angel-worship, and fixation on spiritual visions concerns Paul because it springs from someone’s “sensuous mind” instead of from Jesus. Not everything that seems spiritual or wise or worthwhile truly is. We can only trust what comes from Christ.
Paul insists that our new life in Christ means we are no longer subject to regulations that come from man (“according to human precepts and teachings”, Col 2:22). He specifically mentions rules like “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”(Col 2:21). The general tone is that we could avoid sin by limiting our exposure to certain objects or substances. Jesus, however, teaches us that it is not anything outside us that defiles us, but what comes from our hearts (Mark 7:20-23). So what about these rules? “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”(Col 2:23). Such practices appear to be wise but are not effective. It is only through the Spirit of Christ that we have success in stopping our indulgence. Making our own religion is not just disloyal; it also doesn’t work.
Christians must distinguish between service to God that goes above and beyond to please him and service that merely originates with ourselves. Certainly it is not wrong for us to think about how to apply Jesus’ words and draw specific plans of action to live them out. Yet our belief and practice does not originate with men. Self-made religion is a move away from Christ. Christians don’t get to make our own religion; it comes from Jesus.
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One Thing to Think About: In what areas am I tempted to listen to myself rather than Jesus? Why?
One Thing to Pray For: The spiritual nourishment that comes from Jesus
