How can we apply Colossians 2:21 to avoid false teachings in our church? Seeing the Verse in Its Setting Colossians 2:21 quotes the slogans of the false teachers Paul was confronting: “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”. He immediately calls these regulations “human commands and teachings” that “have an appearance of wisdom” yet are “of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (vv. 22-23). Paul is not promoting the three prohibitions; he is exposing them as man-made rules that distract from Christ. Why This Warning Still Matters • Legalistic rules creep in whenever Christ’s finished work is undervalued. • Ascetic restrictions often sound pious, so they spread easily in a well-meaning church. • False teachers use extra rules to gain control and to appear spiritually superior. Identifying Modern Echoes of “Do Not Handle, Taste, Touch” • Adding requirements for salvation or sanctification that Scripture does not command (Acts 15:1, 10). • Elevating dietary or lifestyle preferences to tests of fellowship (Romans 14:17). • Treating man-made traditions as divine mandates (Matthew 15:9). • Creating elitist “deeper life” groups that promise holiness through secret formulas instead of simple faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). Guardrails for Church Leaders • Teach the whole counsel of God so the flock can spot counterfeit doctrines (Acts 20:27-30). • Insist that every policy, ministry, and discipleship plan exalts Christ, not human effort (Colossians 1:28). • Keep bylaws and programs subordinate to clear biblical commands; revise or discard them when they conflict (Mark 7:8). • Provide regular exposure to books like Galatians and Colossians that confront legalism head-on. Personal Discernment Habits for Every Believer • Test every teaching against Scripture; Scripture is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Acts 17:11). • Ask whether a rule magnifies Christ’s sufficiency or man’s performance (Colossians 2:9-10). • Refuse to judge fellow believers over disputable matters; pursue peace and mutual edification (Romans 14:19). • Remember that external restrictions cannot curb sin; only new life in Christ can (Colossians 3:1-5). • Maintain fellowship with mature believers who model grace and truth (Hebrews 13:7). Positive Practices That Crowd Out Error • Regular, expositional study of Scripture keeps the focus on God’s words, not ours. • Frequent celebration of the Lord’s Table proclaims Christ’s finished work, countering performance-based religion (1 Corinthians 11:26). • Corporate worship centered on biblical lyrics reinforces gospel truth (Colossians 3:16). • Transparent accountability groups encourage obedience born of love, not rule-keeping (Galatians 6:1-2). Anchoring Verses to Memorize Galatians 5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…” Jude 3 – “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” 2 John 9 – “Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God.” Living Out Colossians 2:21 Today The best way to avoid false teaching is to stay enthralled with the true gospel. When hearts are satisfied in Christ’s sufficiency, human regulations lose their lure. Keep pointing one another back to the simple, liberating call: “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6). |
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