Notes from a sermon on Colossians. www.flushingbiblechurch.com

1. Are you a legalist?
Colossians 2:20-23

2.  Our Complete Salvation, 2:9-15
 Christ is God
 We are complete in Him
 Heart circumcised
 Baptized by the Holy Spirit
 Sins forgiven
 God triumphed demonic authority through Christ

3.  Diets and days, vv 16-17
 Don’t be defrauded, v 18
 Hold fast to the Head, v 19

4.  Have you died with Christ to the world? vv 20-21
 Are you following the teachings of men? v 22
 Are you living for self? v 23

5.  If you have died with Christ to the elementary
principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the
world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do
not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
Colossians 2:20-21
 If = since
 απεθανετε (apethanete) you ALL died, i.e. they are all
believers in Christ 2:12-13
 στοιχειων (stoicheiōn) elementary principles of the
world
 Since you have died with Christ from the elemental
principles of the world, why as if you were living in that
world, do you submit to it’s rules?

6.  “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch”
 ἁπτω (haptō) handle
 γευομαι (geuomai) taste
 θιγγανω (thignanō) touch
 Legalistic rules deny the sufficiency of Christ

7.  (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)
—in accordance with the commandments and
teachings of men? Colossians 2:22 (NASB)
 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as
they are on human commands and teachings.
Colossians 2:22 (NET)
 These rules all perish with use, since they are based on
the teachings of men.
 The “best” legalists are the haughtiest!

8.  These are matters which have, to be sure, the
appearance of wisdom in self- made religion and self-abasement
and severe treatment of the body, but are of
no value against fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 2:23
 Matters: λογον (typically means “word”)
 Foundational: Greek philosophy term
 Return to the στοιχειων at death, which brought a person
back to the λογον
 Get back to the source (λογον) in this life through
following rules, “do not handle, do not taste, do not
touch!”

9.  These are matters which have, to be sure, the
appearance of wisdom in self- made religion and self-abasement
and severe treatment of the body, but are of
no value against fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 2:23
 Legalism leads to pride
 Col 2:18
 Pride is the root of all kinds of sin
 Proverbs 8:3; 11:2; 16:18; 21:24; 29:23
 Law = holiness of God and how far short we fall
 True spirituality results in denial of the flesh

10.  True spirituality, not pseudo-spirituality that leads to a
fleshly life built around the worship of SELF.
 True spirituality results in the worship of, and
submission to, God through Christ.
 Colossians 1:9-12 not appearances