1. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

2. The Superiority of Jesus to Religion Colossians 3:20-23
All revivals begin with professing believers being serious about trusting the Lord and walking with Him
Replacing the sufficiency of Jesus Christ with anything else results in a loss of a vibrant Christian life.

3. The Superiority of Jesus to Religion Colossians 3:20-23
Jesus is superior over:
Creation (Col. 1:13-17)
The church (Col. 1:18-23)
Philosophy & all religions (Col. 2:6-15)
Colossians 2:16-23

4. The Superiority of Jesus to Religion Colossians 3:20-23
The effort of religion has always been to replace what God has said with something man has devised
Even the religious practices of ancient Judaism were only shadows of what was to come in Jesus Christ

5. The Christian’s Position Died in Christ - Colossians 2:20
A statement of our position from the negative standpoint of dying
Being “dead in our transgressions” was your spiritual state without Jesus (Ephesians 2:1)
Being made alive in Christ is having your soul regenerated to be able to commune with God

6. The Christian’s Position Died in Christ - Colossians 2:20
Having “died with Christ” refers to a change in your relationship to the Law & sin and yourself.
Galatians 2:20
Romans 6:3-5
Romans 6:6-23

7. The Christian’s Position Dead to the World - Colossians 2:20
“Elementary principles” refers to the “first in a series,” what is “rudimentary”
Galatians 4:3 - Paul speaks about foundational religious practices - as in training children
Paul is not against rudimentary training, but the Christian life goes far beyond that

8. The Christian’s Position Dead to the World - Colossians 2:20
Laws restrict sinners by fear of punishment, but the godly act righteously out of love for God & others
Paul is not questioning their position in Christ, but contrasting it to their response to the false teachers
The Law was a schoolmaster or tutor to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24)

9. Submission to the Beliefs Colossians 2:20-23
Paul challenges their submission to the decrees of the false teachers
They were being inconsistent with their professed belief in Jesus

10. Submission to the Beliefs Ascetic Dogmas – Col. 2:21
These express categorical prohibition of the specific conduct to prevent the action from ever taking place
Possibly an escalation of increasing dietary restrictions
More probably a caricature of the general tone of the kinds of decrees they were being made

11. Submission to the Beliefs Their Destiny – Col. 2:22
The legalist perceives holiness to be related to the physical world instead based in the spiritual world
Matthew 15: defilement comes from what proceeds from the heart of man
True holiness arises from within a person who has been changed by the Holy Spirit

12. Submission to the Beliefs Their Source – Col. 2:22
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees & scribes for “teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:9).
Church covenants must be in strict accord with the Scriptures themselves
Submission to such covenants must be from the correct heart - they cannot be the “church’s rules”

13. Submission to the Beliefs Their Source – Col. 2:22
Be a Berean (Acts 17) that always returns to the Bible to see if what is taught is true

14. Submission to the Beliefs Their Failure – Col. 2:23
These have a veneer of wisdom, but cannot bring about true holiness
Legalism substitutes a list of rules that seem helpful until a circumstance outside the rules is faced
Mysticism gives the illusion of spirituality, but it perverts the understanding of God and His will

15. Submission to the Beliefs Their Failure – Col. 2:23
Ritualism gives the appearance of holiness due to the care and reverence in carrying them out
There only two religious rituals commanded by our Lord - Baptism and Communion
At best, other rituals can only reflect holiness, but they cannot produce it - and they often hinder it.

16. Submission to the Beliefs Their Failure – Col. 2:23
Asceticism is often a part of self-made religion and can include self-abasement & severe bodily treatment
Asceticism is an effort to achieve piety by self effort instead of receiving it from God by faith

17. Submission to the Beliefs Their Failure – Col. 2:23
Ascetics stress strict self-discipline to gain control over the flesh and gain superior virtue and spirituality
Asceticism fails because sin originates in heart and only God can change it

18. Submission to the Beliefs Their Failure – Col. 2:23
Ascetics lack peace with God because they reject the forgiveness of sin that comes only by faith in Jesus
Beware of the legalism, mysticism, ritualism and asceticism that have crept into evangelical Christianity

19. Conclusions
Jesus Christ is superior to all religions
Man cannot achieve true spirituality, peace or piety by any religious works
True righteous living only comes by faith in Jesus Christ and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit

20. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ