THE explanation as to this will serve to make clear more fully the few remarks just made as, to how human organization in the things of God sets aside the truth of God as to the practical working of the assembly.
In Col. 2 there is given a plain warning against two tendencies; which are alas! too evident in the professing church today. These two tendencies are Rationalism and Ritualism. These are the two departures from the truth of God, that have put God's people out of touch with the Head in Heaven. Rationalism is seen in the working of the fleshly mind in the things of God, daring to sit in judgment on God's word. Ritualism is seen in the sensuous appeal to the eye and ear to satisfy the mind of the flesh with forms and ceremonies, a pseudo-religion, the very dope of the Devil.
Here is the warning against Rationalism: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Col. 2:8) Christendom has been largely ruined through disregard of this warning. Instead of cleaving closely to the teaching of Scripture, men have allowed their minds to work on the mysteries of the Christian faith, especially as to the Person of our adorable Lord, round which the great controversies- of the church revolved for centuries, with very evil results., Take the ravages made by Modernism and. Higher Criticism, whereby many -have been completely unsettled as to the very fundamentals of the Christian faith. No wonder the Apostle describes such things as " vain deceit," as being " after the tradition of men " and not " after Christ." What would guard the believer against this snare would be the appreciation that "In Him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9.) Christians have all they need in Christ. There is a wonderful fullness in Him that suffices for every spiritual need and desire of the believer. What more do we want? " Ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power." (Col. 2 so.)
Nor were the Corinthian believers holding the Head when they ranged themselves round party leaders, labeling themselves by their names, getting their eyes on their fellow-believers, instead of by faith on the Head in heaven. Nor must we think that the danger does not exist to-day in circles greatly favored in the goodness of God by the preservation of the truth of God in their midst. The evil reared its head in apostolic times. It can be seen all around us to-day.
Even true ministers of the word may turn aside in their desire to appear learned, seeking to impress their hearers with high sounding philosophical terms and scientific phrases, thinking in their folly to add conviction to the pure word of God by a parade of worldly learning. What a contrast was found in the Apostle Paul when he addressed the Corinthians, steeped as they were in their heathen philosophies. He wrote to them: " I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified... and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Cor. 2:2-52For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:2‑5).)
Further Col. 2 warns us against Ritualism. It is very noticeable that when men depart from the simplicity of Scripture, unless they turn their back upon the faith altogether, they seek to make up for that departure by adopting forms and ceremonies, in erecting ornate buildings designed to make a sensuous appeal to sight and hearing and emotional temperaments. These are largely copied from the Old Testament where we are told that the Tabernacle and its worship were but " a shadow of things to come " (Col. 2:1717Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:17)). There is no substance in shadow. When the Substance arrives, the shadows arc valueless. Those, who go on with the shadows, thereby proclaim that they do not recognize the Substance, for we read that " the body is of Christ." (Col. 2:1717Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:17).) To go on with the shadows is to divert them from their true and proper use, for they were but pointers to the coming One, even the Lord Jesus. So we read, "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 fleshy mind, and NOT HOLDING THE HEAD.” (Col. 2:18,1918Let 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, 19And 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. (Colossians 2:18‑19).) Ritualism is alas! the great feature to-day, seen in its height in Rome, and in a lesser degree down, to the smallest dissenting chapel. The trend to ritualism is decidedly increasing, and is one of the sinister signs of the last days. We have seen pictures of Protestant bishops in gorgeous robes of various hues, adorned with miter, pastoral staff, episcopal ring, far removed from the simplicity of the Scriptures.
The effect of all that we have been considering as to Rationalism and Ritualism is to rob the church of God of spiritual power. The clergy are at their wits' end in their schemes to recover what has been lost. They try committees, organizations, human efforts, instead of getting down on their knees in tearful and contrite confession of their sin before God in these matters.
This then is " not holding the Head," that Christians should allow doctrines and practices foreign to the word of God, displacing Christ from His supreme place as Head of His church, His body. In Christ there is finality, none above Him, none before Him, none after Him. He is the only Savior, the only High Priest of our profession, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the One " which is, and which was, and which is to come, the. Almighty." (Rev. 1:88I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8).) "[God] hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."
(Eph. 1: 22, 23.) What room is there for anything outside of Christ? To add to Christ, to take from Christ, is to have no Christ at all. He will not give His glory to another.
Col. 1 is a great, outstanding Chapter, setting forth the glories of the Son of God become Man, and dying for man's salvation on the cross of Calvary. He is " the Firstborn of every creature." (Col. 1:1515Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15).) As such He is pre-eminent. He is the Creator of all things, all things created by Him and for Him. He was before all things, and all things consist or inhere in Him. He is " the Firstborn from [among] the dead " (Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)), introducing us into the realm of new creation. As such He is Head of the body, the church, that in all things He might have the preeminence. It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. What room have we for " philosophy and vain deceit," if such a vision fills our souls? Let us seek to hold the Head.
And in seeking to hold the Head, we hold each other, and in no other way. Those, who truly hold the Head will be bound in the closest and the richest practical Christian fellowship with all, who do so.