Colossians 2:6-23
Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
St. Paul knew that many Colossians (as well as others) followed human traditions and other basic principles of this world...He considered some philosophies to be deceptive...When one has seen, followed, or read about something for years doesn't make it a truth or fact...It might be more of a belief...And most beliefs carry with them a bias or intent...Beliefs and theories can become truths and facts, but many get caught up in believing a theory or belief to be a fact...St. Paul's could distinguish truth from a philosophical belief or theory...He wants us to be on guard and realize this...
For instance, as we seek God, we have a bias and intent on finding Him and believing in Him... Nonbelievers may have a natural bias to prove something else...St. Paul believes all wisdom comes from God and is found in Scripture...In our Messiah is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...
St. Paul had a deep understanding of the Scripture, and had believed (in the past) that with superior knowledge and superior behavior (that) would allow one to get closer to God...He warned the Corinthians that good speakers do not , necessarily, make good believers, but following the word of God does (1 Corinthians 4:18-20)...St. Paul realizes later that being superior in knowledge is not what God was about...He sent Jesus for us and to us to save us from our sins...Only through God's grace of the cross, are we saved...This old philosophical view, may have still been with the Colossians...
St. Paul also talks about what we eat and drink, and what we know about the festival holidays, a Sabbath day and the New Moon celebration are human rules and human teachings...Knowledge of traditions are not the gospel...
Denying your body and self of food, drink, and inconvenience of yourself and your health for old traditions may not be of any real spiritual value...Inconvenience, is not necessarily a virtue...God created our bodies and He will make them grow strong... Believing that specific dietary rules and following traditional religious practices get us off track from the following of Christ...
The gospel is that God has a plan...Jesus came, lived, and taught for us...He died on the cross for our sins...God raised Him from the dead on the third day for us...Our God is a living God, and Jesus who was resurrected still lives...