Seeds for 3/13/2023 - Colossians 2:20-23

Scripture: “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such 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.”

Observation: There’s clearly background information in play here in these verses that would help us get more specific. We’ve seen this, and will from time to time. So, while I recommend the IVP Bible Background Commentaries for understanding the historical and cultural issues, we’re doing our best on Seeds of Faith to work from observation, which we can practice with or without the help of special resources.

Whatever we might make of Paul referring to “elemental spiritual forces of this world” and particular rules, about which he and the Colossian readers obviously have shared knowledge, two things stand out to me.

First, “since you died with Christ.” Here (and throughout Paul’s letters), the death and resurrection of Jesus and its significance for us are paramount. For Paul, dying and being raised with Christ is the lens through which we make sense of life. In this particular case, it’s why the Colossians should no longer submit to what appear to be purity rules of their culture and local religions (“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”). We too have cultural rules that we falsely submit to if we have, by faith, died with Christ, and now belong to Him instead of the world.

Second, “These rules… are based on merely human commands and teachings.” Having rules is not a bad thing. The problem was the rules they observed and how those rules shaped their relationship with God. This text reminds me of a statement by the eminent historical theologian Jaroslav Pelikan, “Tradition is the living faith of the dead, traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. And, I suppose I should add, it is traditionalism that gives tradition such a bad name.” In this case, “tradition” is the core Christian doctrine of the cross and its significance. “Traditionalism” would be all the little rules that are like what Paul describes as “merely human commands and teachings.” Of course, different folks would draw that line in different places. That’s a valid concern for another day, but for now, this is a helpful way to think about Paul’s critique for our own day.

Application: What rules have you “died to” in Christ but still keep falling into? Where do you fall into traditionalism?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the transforming power of your cross, through which I have died to the world and now live in you. Keep transforming me by your cross daily. Amen.

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“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)

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