Bible Study August 12, 2025
Colossians 2:18 – 23 (CSB)
“Do Not Be Disqualified”
8 “Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind. 19 They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God. 20 If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.”
Paul is warning the church not to fall into the temptation to allow false teachers to cheat or defraud them of their present blessing nor the ones to come in eternity. Do not be led into some type of irrational mysticism (vague or ill-defined religious or spiritual belief, especially as associated with a belief in occult forces or supernatural agencies). False teachers can make things sound so enticing that they are believable But Paul tells them to avoid this. Our basis for all things right should be compared to the scriptures.
False teachers will base their teaching on false claims of visions and revelations they claim to have received. An example of this is all the end times “prophets” (who are really not prophets) who proclaim they received a vision that the world would end on a certain day at a certain time and as we all know they were wrong. Scripture teaches no man knows when the return of Christ will take place and the end will come.
Paul is saying they are full of hypocrisy and lies. Their minds are empty of the truth. These false teachers do not hang onto the head who is Christ the head of the church. The body is held together and perfectly created to function together. The same is true for the church. When Christ is the head of the church and all members are in ministry and each person has their gift(s) flowing in the body then the church will move forward.
If we are buried with Christ we are raised with Christ stay away from the things that will bring you down. He sums it up well in verse twenty-one ““Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? Avoid these things at all cost.
God Bless.
Asbury Chapel 