When Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, his desire was that they would be “complete in Christ” (Col. 1:28). He warned the brethren there about some dangers that would keep them from that goal. Those dangers are still real today.
Paul warns about the “philosophy, according to the tradition of men” (Col. 2:8-10). He says that they are “empty deception” and “takes you captive” (v. 8). Their deception comes in the form of not delivering what they promise. This concept is not foreign to us today. There are many empty promises bantered about by things like atheism, evolution and humanism. The traditions of men that are being taught as doctrine today are another form of deception. They promise salvation and a relationship with God, but they cannot deliver. WE need to remember that in “Jesus Christ” are found ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). In Christ dwells the deity in bodily form (Col. 2:9). In Jesus they are complete (Col. 2:10). So, believer, beware when anyone suggests that we need the philosophies or traditions of men in addition to or instead of Jesus Christ!
The next warning comes as Paul begins to warn against Jewish ceremonialism (Col. 2:11-17). A problem in the first-century church was coming out from under the old law. Many Jews still tried to bind that on all people (Acts 15:1-5). Paul spoke extensively about this in Romans and Galatians. In this text, Paul teaches that true circumcision is through baptism (v. 11-13). Also, the death of Jesus on the cross has taken the old law out of the way (v. 14-15; Eph. 2:14-16). Based on those things, we are not to let anyone condemn us based on matters of the old law (v. 16-17). Still today, that line gets blurred with people teaching elements of the old law. Some still try to keep the sabbath holy, while others use instrumental worship citing the old law as authority for such actions. Believer, beware! We have been set free and need to beware of becoming “entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1-4).
The last warning we are given concerns self-abasement, worshipping of angels and false visions (Col. 2:18-23). All of these things are a diversion from the true source of our life and light (v. 19). We need to be careful of anything that has the form of holiness that would take away from Christ being the head to the church and supreme authority in our lives. Paul answers this by prescribing one to “seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1-2).
Believer, beware! There are many dangers and pitfalls as we walk through this world here below. Paul set out to highlight some that were specific to the group in Colossae. Due to human nature, they are still relevant today. Let us be diligent!