This word is a fairly short one J. The
other day I was doing my daily scripture reading when this verse stuck out to
me:
Col 2:16-23 ESV 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, (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. (20) 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.
What really got me to stop and think about this for a
minute was verse 23 where it says "they are of no value in stopping the indulgence
of the flesh."
As I read that I had to go back and look at what has no value to stop the
flesh. I mean that is something that we struggle with so much! I wanted to know
what would essentially be me "spinning my wheels." That is where I
would like us to look at for a few minutes.
In verses 16-18 & 20-22 we see a lot of different
things. I read these in a heart of prayer, seeking the Lord for a clear word.
As I prayed this out the Lord showed me how this applies to us. Though before I
write that I would like to look at those verses from the message version:
Col 2:16-18 & 20-22 MSG So don't put up with anyone pressuring you in
details of diet, worship services, or holy days. (17) All those things are mere shadows cast before
what was to come; the substance is Christ.
(18)
Don't tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and
scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek
out visions. They're a lot of hot air, that's all they are. (20) So, then, if with Christ you've put all that
pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be
bullied by it? (21) "Don't touch this! Don't taste that!
Don't go near this!" (22) Do you
think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of
attention?
I am sure that we have all seen and/or heard people go off
on all kinds of tangents about angels and demons, about how one day is better
than the other, that one must speak in tongues to be saved, how to pray on the
armor of God, etc... I am sure you get the idea. I have been guilty of many of
these things. Running on all kinds of tangents within the church. Saying that
this, or that is vitally important! Though verse 23 says that "they are of
no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh" and that they “have indeed
an appearance of wisdom.”
Question
1. What are some of the “rabbit hole” wisdom(s) either you have ran on, or have
heard others harp on?
If this so called wisdom doesn’t stop the flesh, then what
is able to stop the indulgences of the flesh?... That’s right the one verse we
have not looked at yet J.... So let’s look now:
Col 2:19 ESV 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.
The "Head" is Jesus! So many times it is so easy
for us to run away with church doctrine, saying this is right or that is right.
But so many times on these "rabbit holes" we do not hold fast to our
Head, Jesus Christ!!! It is when we lose hold of Him, when we lose eye contact
with Him we run into a false wisdom, that has "no value in stopping
the indulgence of the flesh." This verse is fitting here:
Rom 13:14 NKJV But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh, to fulfill its
lusts.
.... Now I am not saying that all church doctrine is bad,
or that topics within the church are not important. The point of all off this
is to see how to arm ourselves to stop the indulgences of our flesh! The only
answer is to "hold fast to the Head" Jesus Christ!
Question
2. In light of our ministry, how have you held fast to Jesus?
So what is able to "stop the indulgences of the
flesh"? Paul told us in a few verses above in Col_2: let us take a look:
Col 2:6 ESV Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk in him,
How did we receive Him? We
were told in a few verses above:
Col 2:13-14 ESV 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, (14) by
canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This
he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Do you see that?! It was because of Christ Jesus' work on
the cross that opened the door for us to walk in liberty from the
"indulgencies of the flesh". I am sure we have all see this verse
before, but it fits so well :).
Rom 5:8 ESV but God shows his love for us in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While we walked in whatever our flesh desired, be it
alcohol, food, sexual sins, etc... you name it, Jesus out of love for us came
to us. living among us, in complete perfection, and holiness. In His
perfection, He was called a criminal, taken into custody, persecuted, beaten,
spit upon, and sentenced to death on the cross. Where He took the full wrath of
God wave after wave. and when it was finished, He died! raising again after
three days, and proceeding back to the right hand of God! where He now sits at
the propitiation for our sins, and our greatest advocate.
Do you see now? See how Christ and His finished work on
the cross has the power to stop the "indulgences of the flesh"?
Because of His work there we must hold on to Him as our Head, Leader, and
Savior
Question
3. How has holding onto Christ and His work at the cross kept you from sinning
in your flesh?
In closing let me encourage you to keep
your eyes, your focus, and your ministry on what can stop the indulgences of
the flesh… Christ and Him crucified!
Your Brother in Christ
Grace and Peace be with you
Nate Cook, Setting Captives Free Team
Member
And Jesus said to me:
Eze
3:10b-11a
"...Receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and
hear with your ears, and go, get to the captives..."
