Colossians 2:20-22 (KJV) “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the comandments and doctrines of men?
Commandments: (en’-tal-mah) from (entellomai); an injunction, that is a religious precept, that is a commandment.
Doctrine: (did-as-kal-ee’-ah) from (didaskalos); instruction (the function or the information) :- doctrine, learning, teaching.
Man: This is the Greek word (anth’-ro-pos) or simply a human being, in comparison or contradistinction to angels or godly beings, or creatures such as animals, or even statues.
So now, what is Paul talking about here, what point is the Apostle Paul trying to make or what message is he trying to get across to these Christians at Colossae and Laodicea and also to other Christians, down through the ages, who will be reading it and learning how to walk during their Christian Journey. Just like when we are born into this world from our mother’s womb we don’t come out fully grown, physically, mentally, spiritually but as babes and must grow and learn and become an adult. So then after our 2nd birth or after we are “born again” we are essentially a “babe in CHRIST” and must learn all kinds of things to become the CHRISTIAN that GOD wants us to be. We, of course, after being born again, or “renewed” don’t want to remain “fleshly oriented” we want to be equipped and experienced in those things which will enhance our Christian appearnce to those who need to come to know Christ personally.
Where have we heard this statement before?
Isaiah 29:13 (KJV) “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”
Matthew 15:8,9 (KJV) “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Mark 7:7 (KJV) “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Man is flesh, so of course he more readily tries to attach himself to those things of the flesh, so after he or she is “reborn” he or she must then become retaught, retrained so that they can become reoriented in their lifestyle. We don’t have to change our vocation or our work, or our career, we just have to act “Christian Appropiate” in those areas which we live. When the world is falling apart, when the world is running to and fro not knowing what to do or where to go, we have our sights honed in on the “WORD OF GOD” and on “JESUS” and keeping our lives and thoughts centered on what we can do to help others. We don’t become involved in things and practices that we used to do before we were “changed” by our Christian experience. After the day of Pentecost when GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT, or HOLY GHOST, whichever words you prefer, descended and came within men and women to assist them in the tasks that they are given to do. The Bible records that as Peter and the other disciples began to TEACH. PREACH and LIVE differently by the new strenth that GOD placed within them, the Pharisee’s, Saducee’s, those of the Sanhedrin Council, said of them, that they could tell that they “HAD BEEN WITH JESUS”. I can remember after I was “BORN AGAIN” and then called to preach the GOSPEL of CHRIST. I got to go back to EAST POINT, Georgia, where I was raised as a young man, back to a tiny mission on Semmes Street, where I had raised havoc on that small church by yelling slanders at them and breaking their windows out with rocks, there GOD used me to proclaim the GOOD NEWS, that the POWER of GOD could change the vilest sinner into a person that he could use. I can remember after the service, my very best friend that I had when I was a teenager came up to me and said “DOUG, THAT WASN’T YOU UP THERE” I said to him, you are right JOE, that was a different person, a person that GOD had “CHANGED”. I was the lowest of preachers then and still I am the lowest of preachers now, but GOD uses that kind of person “AFTER HE CHANGES THEM”. Be a person that GOD uses after HE “CHANGES” you, don’t sit on the shelf IDLE and let your world, your community, your city, your family quietly go to hell. STAND UP STAND UP STAND UP for JESUS and proclaim the SAVING GRACE OF GOD HAS COME TO ALL THAT WILL RECEIVE HIM!!!
Do not LIVE TEACH PREACH the “…commandments and doctines of men…” but LIVE TEACH PREACH what JESUS said in John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” LOVE as JESUS LOVED, LOVE as GOD the FATHER LOVED, LOVE AS the HOLY GHOST directs you to LOVE, and you will see HEART’s of the whole world MELT and become “BORN AGAIN”. We were left here to “CHANGE” the world, let us be about our FATHER’s business.