Colossians 2:18-19
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth from God.
These past few years have not been without their spiritual “prophets” telling us why Trump was in office, how the “forces” of good would overturn the election results, and when he would take back control of the White House. Q’Anon conspiracy theories abounded and took root with far too many Christians. Additionally, we divided ourselves pridefully over masks and vaccines. We made our Christianity about too many minor things, focusing on external matters more than the One Matter that matters the most—Christ Jesus the LORD.
The new believers in Colossae were being pulled every which way and had allowed their eyes, hearts, and minds to wander from their True North. We have done much the same. They battled things like asceticism (severe self-discipline), worshipping angels, and people bragging about their spiritual visions and/or dreams. Do you look down on other Christians for various things? Do you think more highly of yourself because of your disciplined Christian lifestyle…the fact that you can see what’s really going on…or because you have certain spiritual gifting that others don’t? Do those things occupy more room in your heart and mind than Christ?
My wife and I were struggling to change churches several years back, which can be a very difficult decision. I would say that my spiritual pride was probably at an all-time high, sadly. I was most certainly “puffed up without reason” as Paul says in today’s passage. We used to sit in the 4th row but had moved to the balcony, where I found it easy to literally look down on my fellow Christians and question what they were doing with their faith. I was a Spiritual Snob, to say the least. Yes, I had become a very active Christian and was doing all kinds of good Christian things, but I don’t know how much of that was for Jesus…and how much was for me. I suppose it was some of both, but I fear that the latter was the majority. I hope I’m doing better now.
William Barclay comments that, “The Gnostic prided himself upon special visions of secret things which were not open to the eyes of ordinary men and women. No one will deny the visions of the mystics, but there is always danger when a man begins to think that he has attained a height of holiness which enables him to see what common men—as he calls them—cannot see; and the danger is that men will so often see, not what God sends them, but what they want to see.”
We must all work to keep our eyes focused on our True North—Christ Jesus. We must be painfully aware of our tendency to puff ourselves up while putting others down, especially when it comes to our brothers and sisters in the faith. On the other hand, don’t put yourself down by measuring your spirituality against some other Christian. Keep your focus on Christ and what He has asked of you and He will continue to grow you and use you for His glory and for the building up of His Kingdom!
