IS CHRIST ENOUGH?

¹⁶ “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. ¹⁸ Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. ²⁰ Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, ²¹ (Touch not; taste not; handle not; ²² Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? ²³ Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.”

“Let no man THEREFORE . . .” (v.16). Now look with me at verses 13-15. I remember very vividly, as a 6-year-old boy, the day I asked Jesus to come into my heart. Though I was only 6 at the time, I can still feel the sense of peace and relief I had in making that decision. As a 17-year-old, I backslide on God, and for the next 7 years, rebelled and lived a life contrary to everything I professed as a Christian. At the age of 24, I rededicated my life to Christ – and I will never forget that day. I will never forget that feeling of having the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders. The feeling I had that in that moment – nothing else mattered. Once and for all – I had peace in my life. Do y’all remember that day in your life? The day when everything seemed right – God had given you the peace that passes all understanding?

Sadly, that overwhelming feeling doesn’t seem to stay with us long. Before you know it, you have a whole lot of Christians that begin giving you your list of do’s and don’ts. Go here – don’t go there; do this, don’t do that. And you find yourself defeated once again, because just when you thought you found completeness in Christ – all of a sudden you are told He is not enough – you need to start doing a list of things.

You want to know what the greatest trick Satan has up his sleeve? It’s not getting you to disbelieve Jesus, but getting you to believe that you need Jesus – PLUS.

That’s what Paul is addressing to these believers in Colossae – they weren’t being told to reject Jesus—they were being told that Jesus wasn’t enough. “Believe in Christ,” they said, “but you also need rules… rituals… visions… discipline… experiences.”

Paul writes to shut that down. This passage answers one question every believer must settle: Is Christ enough? Is He sufficient, or do I need something more? Paul is going to seek to answer that question.

CHRIST’S COMPLETE CONQUEST (v. 15)

“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.”(ESV)

At the cross, Jesus didn’t just die, He dominated.

“Rulers and authorities” refers to demonic powers – Satan and his forces. The cross looked like weakness, but it was warfare. What hell meant to destroy, God used to defeat.

In Roman culture, a conquering general would parade defeated enemies through the streets. Church, hear this clearly: The devil is not your equal – He is a defeated foe. You don’t fight for victory; you stand in victory.

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION (vv. 16–17)

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you…”

Because Christ won the battle, believers are free from religious judgment.

According to verse 16, the false teachers were saying:

• “You must eat this.”
• “You must avoid that.”
• “You must observe this holy day.”

Paul says, Don’t let anyone sit in judgment over you.

Then in verse 17, Paul shows that the law was only a shadow – Christ is the substance. You don’t go back to the blueprint once the building is complete.

Hebrews 10:1 says, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

Romans 8:3 says, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

Matthew 5:17 says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Jesus didn’t come to supplement the law – HE CAME TO SATISFY IT! He paid a sin debt that we could not pay.

THE DANGER OF DECEPTIVE SPIRITUALITY (vv. 18–19)

“Let no one beguile (disqualify or trick)you …”

False spirituality is sneaky. It doesn’t look sinful – it looks super spiritual.

In verse 18, these false teachers talked about:

• Angel worship
• Visions
• Secret experiences

They claimed humility, but it was actually spiritual pride. Any teaching that says,
“I’ve seen something you haven’t” or “I know something you don’t” is already drifting from the gospel.

According to verse 19, when people stop clinging to Christ, they stop growing – no matter how religious they look. Growth doesn’t come from experiences – it comes from connection to the head – Jesus Christ.

THE FUTILITY OF FLESHLY RULES (vv. 20–22)

“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch . . .”

This is religion at its worst. These are rules That Focus on the Outside. These rules deal with temporary things. They may change habits – but they cannot change hearts.

In verse 22, Paul says these rules are: Human-made, Temporary and powerless. Rules may restrain behavior, but only Christ renews the heart.

THE WEAKNESS OF WORKS-BASED WORSHIP (v. 23)

“They have an appearance of wisdom…”

False religion always looks impressive. It may give the appearance of holiness – Self-denial, Severity, Strict discipline. It looks holy – but it’s hollow.

Paul says these things have no value against the flesh. You don’t overcome sin by rules, you overcome sin by relationship with Christ. That’s why we preach so much about loving God and loving one another – Only a relationship with HIM gives you the power to overcome. Paul’s message is clear: Christ conquered the enemy, He completed the work, and He sustains us. You don’t need: Extra rules, Extra rituals, Extra revelations. You need Christ – HE IS ENOUGH!