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world were deified and worshipped. To-day, however, the pendulum has swung in the
opposite direction. The forces of nature, ignorantly worshipped by the ancients, have
been so reduced by "science" to be regarded as "nature" and the "laws of nature", as to set
aside a personal Creator, or the necessity for Him by Whom all things consist (Col. 1: 17),
the exchange from idolatry to godlessness being, equally with pagan teaching, an offence
in the eyes of the Lord. The association of observances, ceremonials, and the elements of
the world with Christianity, made easy the deception of the Colossians and the
introduction of angelic mediation and worship a natural consequence. But the believer
has died with Christ, and is completely free from the domination of all these things--
whether pagan or Mosaic, whether deceitful philosophy or holy law and covenant. From
all and everything that would impose upon the flesh, having sanctification in view, he is
separated:--
"Wherefore if ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though
living in the world are ye subject to ordinances?" (Col. 2: 20).
"Subject to ordinances" is the translation of one word in the original, and has been
rendered "ordinance-ridden". Then follow specimen prohibitions as "Touch not; taste
not; handle not". The apostle, writing to Timothy and referring to the false teaching of
the latter times, shows that the doctrine of demons, far from teaching men to be immoral,
would veto even those things that God has sanctioned, thus creating a false ground of
holiness, and leading away from Christ by some supposed personal merit:--
"Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth"
(I Tim. 4: 3).
I Cor. 7: 1 shows that by the injunction "Touch not" the saints at Colosse were being
taught to look upon marriage as something to be shunned. "Taste not" advocates
abstinence from various food upon the assumption that some were "common and
unclean", a subject upon which the apostle very clearly expressed the mind of God in
I Corinthians, Romans and I Timothy:--
"Meat commendeth us not to God. For neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if
we eat not, are we the worse" (I Cor. 8: 8).
The only real ground for abstinence is the conscience of the weaker brother who may
be stumbled by our liberty. Strictly speaking "handle not" means "do not touch, however
lightly", and indicates that over scrupulosity which is characteristic of those whose
conception of holiness is negative--what one does not, rather than what one is in Christ.
All this prohibitions and the subjects of them, have one thing in common, they belong
to that which is perishing. These things are after the commandments and doctrines of
men, and as already stated are given with intent to deceive (Col. 2: 8):--
"Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and
neglecting of the body; not in any honour, to the satisfying of the flesh" (Col. 2: 23).