Published in the Biblical Bulletin ##67-68, Summer and Fall, 1988

Colossians:  Antidote to the Cults

Robert C. Newman

In learning to recognize counterfeit money, experts say, youshould spend most of your time studying genuine money.  Modern counterfeiters, unfortunately,often have access to advancing technology and are making it increasinglydifficult to distinguish their product from the real thing.  But the principle still holds in thespiritual realm, where there is no "paper money" and Satan can't affordto mint in real gold. If we are torecognize false gospels, avoid them ourselves, and warn others, there is reallyno substitute for a thorough knowledge of the true Gospel.

Already in New Testament times there were plenty of falsegospels. True, Satan had not yethad time to produce the variety of counterfeit "christianities" wesee today, but he had been busy for centuries developing pagan substitutes forthe religion of Noah and the patriarchs. From Greece and Rome through Asia Minor and Syria to Babylon and Egypt,local religions developed. Whenever a local variety became stale and lifeless – perhaps astate religion that benefited only the ruling class – he brought inanother version from elsewhere to provide new promises which, too, would eventuallyprove futile. By New Testamenttimes, most pagan religions featured a bewildering variety of gods andgoddesses apparently built up by combining local religions.  Exported to other parts of theGreco-Roman world, several of these became "mystery religions," whichoffered their adherents individual choice in doctrine and worship, the prestigeof elite membership and secret initiations, plus promises of health, wealth andprotection in this life, and salvation beyond.

Within Judaism, something similar had also happened.  Rival sects such as the Pharisees,Sadducees and Essenes had arisen to obscure the pure religion of the oldercovenant, adding various mixtures of philosophical, occult, legalistic, asceticand speculative features to God's original revelation.  Among both Jews and pagans, competingteachers gathered disciples around themselves, each advocating his owndistinctive doctrines, much like the various gurus today.

Paul's letter to the Colossians is a powerful response toone such "guru" cult, probably a version of Essene Judaism somewhatlike the group that copied the Dead Sea Scrolls, but located hundreds of milesto the northwest in central Asia Minor. Paul tells us that this group made converts by persuasive argument(2:4); that they called themselves a "philosophy" (2:8; Josephus'term to describe the various Jesus groups of the time); that they emphasizedJewish dietary and calendar observances (2:16); that they boasted of visions,and either worshiped angels or were interested in how angels worship (2:18);that they had strict rules of separation (2:20-21) and advocated severetreatment of the body (2:23). InGod's providence, this group of which Paul wrote had important emphases in commonwith a wide spectrum of modern cults, so that what Paul said here has manyapplications today.

Paul's antidote to such cults is, in a word, Christ.  To know Him – who He is and whatHe has done – and to love Him supremely, is sufficient to protect us fromevery false gospel, no matter how attractive and deceptive it may be.  In this article and one to follow, letus see how Paul develops his response in the letter to the Colossians.

Who is Jesus Christ? He is God's beloved Son (1:13), the very image of the invisible God(1:15), in whom all God's fullness takes bodily form (1:19; 2:9).  He is the firstborn of all creation(1:15) and firstborn from the dead (1:18), both probably indicatingpre-eminence in authority rather than in time, since others were resurrectedbefore Jesus and since Jesus' incarnation (becoming a creature) happens longafter the creation of many other beings. In fact, Christ was God's active agent in all God's creative activity(1:16), which could not be if Christ were merely a created being Himself.  Indeed, Christ is the goal or purposeof all creation (1:16). He existedbefore creation and even holds all creation together (1:17).

Not only is Christ the head of creation, but He is also headof His redeemed people, God's new creation (1:18). He is supreme over every other being (1:18), whetherheavenly or earthly, visible or invisible, no matter how much power orauthority that being might have (1:16; 2:10). What guru or finite god could beat that?

Thus one important antidote to heresy, today as always, isknowing who Christ is. If we takeHim as only a great teacher, a great example, or even the greatest human whoever lived, we do not understand biblical Christianity, no matter how much wemay admire Jesus. We must see Himas Lord of all or He is not our Lord at all.

Yet if we only know who He is but don't know Him personally,we still have missed the main point. To be orthodox but finally lost is surely one of the greatest tragediesimaginable. We must turn from oursins and seek Him or all our right beliefs are useless after all.

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In a previous issue of the Biblical Bulletin, we began our study of Paul's letter to theColossians as an antidote to the cults. We noted that Paul was apparently responding to a first century Jesusgroup akin to the Essenes, a group which was simultaneously legalistic,secretive, self-denying and visionary, which had a place for the Messiah orChrist, but merely as a human or possibly an angel. We saw how Paul's teaching on who Jesus is responded totheir error and also to the error of most cults today.  But not only will a correct view of whoChrist is help us, so will a proper understanding of what He has done.

What has Christ done? Paul probably structures his response in terms especially relevant tothe claims of this cult at Colosse. At least, the discussion is quite appropriate to an Essene sort of sect,which emphasized circumcision, baptism, resurrection, forgiveness and angelicauthorities. As Paul says, Christhas circumcised us supernaturally by His death (2:11), so we don't needphysical circumcision. All of oursinful flesh was cut off with Him at the cross, not just a piece (as incircumcision). In His death andresurrection we have been spiritually baptized, dying to our old life andrising to a new one (2:12). Wedon't need Essene baptism (nor even Christian water baptism, for that matter)to have newness of life. By dyingon the cross, Christ took away our condemnation for breaking God's law (2:14).  We don't need to depend on ourobedience or on Jewish ritual to receive forgiveness for all our sins(2:13). Finally, Christ hasovercome the angelic powers which could harm us (2:15).  We don't need special visions, revelationsor techniques to avoid them. Paulsums it up by saying that we have been brought to fullness or completion in Christ (2:10).

Because of who Christ is and what He has done, we don't needany of the "extras" offered by the cults if we have cast ourselvesupon Jesus. We don't need specialceremonies, not even those actually provided by God in the Old Testament.  At best, these are only symbolsforeshadowing the real thing, Christ (2:16-17). We don't need visions or special insight into how angelsworship. A false humility thatkeeps us from Christ will actually disqualify us for salvation (2:18).  More likely, a concentration on real oralleged visions will fill us with pride and disconnect us from the Head, inwhich alone we can live as parts of His body (2:18-19).  We don't need a super-spiritualitybuilt on rigorous rules to treat our bodies harshly or to keep us from eatingor touching unclean things. Allthese things will one day be destroyed with this passing world, and suchself-discipline never could extinguish our sin nature anyway (2:20-23).

So Paul answers the cultists of his day.  And so we too may answer those of ourday. If I have Christ, I neednothing else. Without Him,everything else is finally worth nothing.

To some of the particular types of cults of our day,Colossians provides some specific answers as well. To movements which downplay the person and work of Christ(whether theological liberalism, Jehovah's Witnesses or other cults) we mayanswer: Christ is God.  He made everything, He keeps it going,and everything finds its purpose in Him. Christ alone has made reconciliation with the Father; there is nosalvation that does not depend on His work only.

To esoteric movements which emphasize mystical illumination,secret teachings, special initiations and an inner circle (like Freemasonry,Mormonism or Scientology) we say: There is no true knowledge of God that does not finally come throughChrist and agree with His word, the Bible. All religious experience must be tested against thisstandard. True knowledge of Godand union with Him is an open secret!

To movements emphasizing supernatural powers and visions(spiritism and some charismatic groups) we respond: There are spiritual powers out there, all right, but not allof them are good or come from God. Christ has already defeated all the supernatural powers arrayed againstus, though their final destruction still lies ahead. What God really want in His people is holiness, not specialpowers.

To various "super-spiritual" movements (all sortsof legalisms, vegetarianism, monasticism and asceticism) we answer:  Christ did it all.  These extra rules can earn usnothing. Such rules do not touchthe real problem of our fallen nature anyway. What we really need can only come through Christ –forgiveness, righteousness and a new heavenly life. God has made the family with all its authority structures;don't treat it with contempt.

May each one of us take these teachings from God's word toheart. Let us examine ourselves tosee whether or not we have biblical faith. Let us help those around us lest they be led astray fromGod's truth into one or another of the spiritual counterfeits which are socommon today. And let us praiseGod for His provision of full and complete salvation in Jesus Christ.