Colossians 2:20

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,

Colossians 2:20 (KJV)

Context

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christian community in Colossae to address false teaching that mixed Jewish legalism and Greek philosophy with the gospel. In this verse, he reminds believers of their union with Christ and their freedom from worldly practices and regulations.

Meaning

The phrase “if ye be dead with Christ” is not a doubt but a supposition, meaning “seeing ye are dead with Christ.” Believers are united with Christ in His death; they died with Him by virtue of union with Him, being one with Him as their head and representative. This death is to “the rudiments of the world,” which refers to elemental principles or basic teachings of the world, including the ceremonial law and human regulations. Because believers have died with Christ, they are freed from these rudiments.

The question “why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?” rebukes them for acting as if they still belonged to the world and sought life or righteousness by submitting to human rules and decrees. Paul’s meaning is not that believers should leave the world physically, but that they should not live according to its course or submit to its regulations as a means of righteousness. The “ordinances” could include religious legalism, self-imposed ascetic practices, or human traditions that sought to enforce spiritual growth and salvation through external regulations rather than through faith in Christ.

Application

This verse holds relevance for Christians today. It reminds us that our salvation and spiritual growth are not achieved through adherence to external rules or rituals but through a personal relationship with Christ. It calls us to examine any legalistic tendencies in our lives and instead embrace the freedom we have in Christ, relying on His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us.

• Colossians 2:20 emphasizes the freedom that believers have in Christ and urges them to reject legalistic practices and human-imposed regulations.

• It encourages us to live in the fullness of our union with Christ, relying on Him rather than external ordinances for our salvation and spiritual growth.

Reflection

Because we have died with Christ, we are no longer bound to the world’s rudiments. Let us live in the freedom He has provided, not by human rules, but by faith in Him.