Colossians 2:18

Darn, I'm really annoyed because I accidentally deleted my entire post... So sad...

Well, here's my shot at it again...

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,

-Colossians 2:18

I feel as if this passage is very juice.  A friend of mine used to always say that about the bible or specific passages in the bible.  In any case, that's what I'm thinking of now...

Let no one disqualify you
Don’t let anyone condemn you (NLT)
Let no one defraud you of your prize [your freedom in Christ and your salvation] (AMP)

I don't really know what this part means, but looking at the different translations helps.  In particular, I like how detailed AMP is.  I guess this means someone who is taking away "your prize", which is "your freedom in Christ and your salvation".  How does one do this?  Well, looking a bit further we see.

insisting on asceticism and worship of angels
by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels (NLT)
by insisting on mock humility and the worship of angels (AMP)

I don't really know what the first one means.  Talking about it a bit and looking up some definitions helps.  I think it's referring to some kind of outwardly religious behavior, but only outwardly.  I don't think that Paul is referring to this in a good light.  Asceticism or pious self-denial or mock humility don't necessarily have to be bad things, but they are probably spoken of negatively here.

The other one is worship of angles, which is translated the same in the three translations above.  Perhaps we know this by thinking of more traditional Christians or churches.  Catholics pray to Mary, who I know isn't an angel, but I mean to point towards something closer to the worship of angels.  I also heard of a worship song sung to praise Pope John Paul II.  It isn't as if this is something ridiculous that was referred to the bible and we're immune from it.  Worship of angels and similar things is still possible in our day and age and we should beware.  Worship is owing only to God.

These two examples are things that will defraud us of our prize, "your freedom in Christ and your salvation".  Asceticism seems like a rule placed upon someone as a requirement for salvation.  A rule is removing freedom and the requirement affects our salvation.  Salvation is by grace, through faith and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9).  We must beware of people who enforce rules upon us, making it a requirement of salvation.  Perhaps this is what Paul meant when he was warning against this.  These rules in general can be many different things.  Perhaps the asceticism is the requirement of lifting up hands in worship.  It can even be the requirement of cutting your hair short.  I think I've heard of that kind of culture within the Jehovah's Witnesses, though perhaps not spoken of openly.  Salvation is a gift and it is free from works.  Now, rebuking or encouraging is different.  I think it's perfectly fine to encourage a brother or sister in Christ towards things like certain practices of worship.  The danger is in insisting on these things as mandatory for salvation.  It doesn't even have to be as strong as that for it to be bad.  It can be a subtle implication that one who does not brush his or her teeth is not a strong Christian.  We can encourage or rebuke, but not insist on these things for salvation.  Here's another example: Advent.  We just started reading a book for Advent and the introduction does a good job in explaining that Advent can be helpful or of value to certain believers, but it is not a requirement.

Thinking more about this makes me think of ways that I am prone to overstep in certain areas.  I feel very strongly about the bible.  I believe that it is important for everyone read and study the bible.  There's even a quote that I read recently: "I’ve never met a strong Christian who does not meditate every day on the words of God. I’ve never met a weak Christian who does" - Ben Stuart.  I believe that to be true, but this can also lead me to sin.  I may begin to start enforcing this on others as a requirement.  I may judge other Christians in wrong ways with regards to this that I believe about the bible and the study and read of it.  We are told to judge other believers (1 Colossians 5), but perhaps not in the way I am.  Instead, I should be encouraging others.

In any case, I should stop there.  Let's beware of people who may defraud us of our prize (freedom in Christ and salvation).  Instead, let us continue to be rooted in him and walk in him.