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There are a lot of people who still feel more comfortable in religious Christianity if they are told to do something. There is something within our inherent nature that we feel we must always do something, especially when an authority figure is doing the telling. We’re not happy just relaxing and being a living expression of Christ Jesus.

In Colossians 2:20 notice the passive nature — “Why… do you submit to ordinances?” Why do you allow yourself to be subjected to people who say “Don’t, don’t, don’t”? So can we still be in control of our lives? Absolutely! You’ve got the “let” in verse 16, the “let” in verse 18, and now you have this statement in verse 20, “Why… do you submit?” There is no reason for these regulations. They have “a reputation, an appearance of wisdom” but “they are of no value” (verse 23).

So if you still feel you have to take some step, some action in order to have full spiritual power or growth, then according to Paul you are being misled. The text says that these things all perish with the using and have been obtained from human teaching. They are all transient things. Christian television today is swamped with teachers telling you what you should or must do in order to have this or that or go to a higher level. It is mostly nonsense, human teaching of “no value.” In the church age, it is not what you eat or drink or do that counts. What is important is what you have — Christ within! “For

[in Christ Jesus] neither circumcision and uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation” (Galatians 6:15 NET Bible).

Christ in you is permanent, so there’s no reason to go down the road of self-disciplining the body to gain spiritual progress. Now, some of us are living evidence that a little self-discipline wouldn’t hurt. I’m not talking about that! I’m talking about the fact of doing it to gain spiritual growth, doing it to make yourself a spiritually better person. It is not necessary. We have Christ within us, the expectation of glory.

I believe that the Christ within us is so perfect, so totally complete (verse 9) that we have no need for anything else. We do not have to add anything to it. We do not have to do anything about it. We merely have to believe it. That’s the beautiful teaching of the New Testament as I read it. We are complete in Him.

From the book I’m Excited About Colossians by Peter Wade.