Colossians 2:16-3:17

Holiness and Holidays

I was brought up in a “holiness” tradition. A lot of emphasis was placed on what you wore and where you went and how you talked. We were taught that it was a shame for a man to have long hair. We knew that women were supposed to be modest. This resulted in very very plain women standing beside men who were decked out in their finest (with short hot combed hair). They were both honoring the Lord: one by dressing up and the other by dressing down.

It is very likely that they were both honoring the Lord because it is all about the heart. If they were dressing up for the Lord that works. If they were dressing more modestly because they thought that pleased the Lord that works as well. The Lord didn’t really care if they dressed up or down. What mattered was that they were considering Him in their hearts.

That is basically what Paul is saying here. It isn’t man’s rules that matter. It is your heart toward God that matters. Some of man’s rules seem like good ideas and they may even seen “holy”, but that is impossible. Only God is holy and only that which He claims for His own in a special way is made holy. Man can’t make anything holy! So don’t be judged by what man thinks. It’s a trap! In fact, this mere outward display of “holiness” actually has no power to influence your inward life at all. Colossians 2:23 was quite a revelation to this boy raised in the holiness movement.

So, what are we to do? Shall we just do whatever we want to? No. Chapter three provides some great suggestions but they all are directed inward instead of outward. If the outward changes the inward may or may not follow. Changing the outward before the inward changes can lead to the inward becoming resentful or, just as bad, complacent. When the inward changes the outward will always eventually come around. Strange how those who stress the outward almost always focus on those things associated with sexual immorality but almost never on humility, kindness, and patience.

Finally, let the peace of Christ rule in your heart. Be convinced yourself that you are living to honor the Lord and you’ll not go far wrong.