Colossians 2:20-23 Following the Rules (Or Not)

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!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 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 2:20-23 NASB]

Under the Old Covenant, if they ate the wrong food, or if they touched a dead body, they were defiled, and considered unclean until they waited for a time, then performed the specific rituals for cleansing. To be holy, they had to follow the Law

Having died with Christ to the Law, we have also died to these basic things of the world, and they have no more power to over us to make us "unclean".

In the natural world, it makes sense that if you want to be holy, then you must follow rules of holiness; "do this; don't do that." To be good, we follow the rules set down by our church, and we follow our own personal code of conduct. But Paul said;

But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. [Romans 7:6 NASB]

Having died to the Law, we have died to all laws, and all rules, including our own code of conduct. Instead of following rules, God wants us to be led by the Holy Spirit. He says;

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, ’for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them.' [Hebrews 8:10‭-‬11 NASB]

When you impose rules that God did not impose, you are essentially saying that you know more than God. You can't overcome the flesh by creating more rules, but by walking in the Spirit. Paul said;

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

Attempting to overcome the flesh by an act of your own will is actually just another indulgence in the flesh. Two men with a history of alcoholism are sitting in church, and both are convicted that drunkenness is wrong. Bill says, "I can overcome this," exerts all of his willpower, and forces himself to stop drinking. Dave says, "I don't have it in me." When tempted to drink, he turns in mind entirely toward Jesus, and the temptation fails. By all outward appearance, they are the same, but Bill is walking in the flesh, while Dave is walking in the Spirit. Paul said, "those who are in the flesh cannot please God." [Romans 8:8 NASB]

God doesn't doesn't want us to rely on rules for our conduct; that is a lack of faith. He wants us to have faith in Him, and rely on His Spirit to guide us into all truth.

Father, I thank You that, in Christ, I have died to the basic things of the world. Please lead me by Your Spirit, and give me the grace to walk in the Spirit every minute of every day, so that I will not indulge the flesh, and so that You will be glorified.