Colossians 2:16–23 Let No One Disqualify You

Main Point

Christ has freed us from man-made religion, legalistic rules, and outward appearances so that we may live in the freedom of His finished work with sincere devotion.

Introduction: Losing Our Identity

In sports, there’s a phrase used to describe what happens to a championship team that falls apart the next season: “they lost their identity.” They stop doing the things that made them successful and start chasing something else. They add too much. They forget what worked.

The same thing happens in the restaurant world. In the show Kitchen Nightmares, failing restaurants are often plagued by bloated menus. They keep adding items—trying to please everyone—and forget what they were good at in the first place. The confusion leaves them weak, scattered, and unfocused.

As believers, we are not immune to this danger. Over time, we can drift from the simplicity of the gospel. We add to the work of Christ—without even realizing it. We begin to evaluate our standing before God based on our spiritual growth, our moral behavior, or our ability to follow Christian traditions. Slowly, our joy turns into pressure. Our identity shifts from grace to performance. We lose sight of the cross.

But Paul reminds us here that salvation is still and only secured by what Christ has done—not by what we’ve learned to do since. Even our spiritual maturity must rest in mercy. If we forget that, we lose the very power that made us alive in the first place.

1. Salvation Is Secured in Christ, Not in Any Other Act (Colossians 2:16–19)

The Colossians were being tempted by legalistic voices—people who wanted to place religious expectations over their freedom in Christ. These rituals came from the Jewish law and included rules about diet, holy days, and ceremonial observances. But Paul says they were only shadows.

The law was never the final product. It was a placeholder pointing forward to the Messiah. It foreshadowed what God would do through Christ and what he would give to the people of his kingdom. The law was never authoritative for salvation—it was a tutor, preparing us to long for mercy and recognize the fulfillment in Jesus.

As Hebrews explains, the sacrifices, the festivals, and the priesthood were just a copy—a shadow—of what was to come. The true form, the full reality, was Christ.

Paul warns that religious people may try to disqualify others by emphasizing spiritual experiences or legalistic disciplines.

Some will boast of spiritual superiority. They will act like they’ve seen or felt something more real than the gospel. But their confidence is not in Christ—it is in their own minds, their own rituals, their own spiritual pride.

When someone stops clinging to Christ, it doesn’t matter how “spiritual” they seem—they are disconnected from the source. True growth, Paul says, comes only from God. Not from rules. Not from performance. Not from mystical visions or legalistic effort.

This is why Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 23. They cleaned the outside of the cup but left the inside filthy. They were whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside, full of death on the inside. Their righteousness was a performance, not a product of repentance.

We must ask ourselves: Are we measuring our nearness to God by our external behavior? Do we feel more accepted because we’re checking spiritual boxes? Are we relying on conformity to church culture instead of sincere faith in the finished work of Christ?

If so, we are trusting in shadows, not the substance.

2. Legalism Will Not Justify Us (Colossians 2:20–23)

Paul now speaks directly to those who have added rules and restrictions to their spiritual lives. He’s not talking about God’s commands—he’s confronting man-made systems of religion. These are external rules that have the appearance of wisdom, but no power to change the heart.

Legalism looks serious. It looks disciplined. But it cannot deal with sin. It cannot kill pride. It cannot cleanse desire. Only the grace of Christ can do that.

James tells us that sin comes not from outside rules, but from inside desires. Jeremiah says the heart is deceitful above all things. You cannot legislate your heart into holiness. You need God to change it.

This is why Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee felt righteous because of what he did. The tax collector knew he had nothing but sin—and he asked for mercy. Jesus said the one who was justified was not the rule-follower, but the one who humbled himself before God.

This should shape how we treat one another too. Legalism often leads to pride, which leads to division. But Paul reminds the Corinthians that even though all things are lawful, not everything is helpful. Our freedom should never become a stumbling block. We must care more about building up the church than proving a point.

If our knowledge leads us into conflict with a weaker brother or sister, and we insist on our freedom anyway, we are not walking by the Spirit—we are indulging the flesh. We are using our liberty as a weapon rather than a witness.

Conclusion: The Substance Belongs to Christ

We must never reach a point in our Christian life where we believe we no longer need mercy. Spiritual maturity does not mean we stop relying on grace—it means we understand our need for it even more.

Yes, we should pursue holiness. Yes, we should seek wisdom, discipline, and obedience. But we must never believe that our acceptance before God comes from those things. Our standing is in Christ alone. We are not justified because we do good. We do good because we are justified.

Even more, we must live with humility and unity. No one is better than another in the kingdom. We were all condemned. We were all saved by grace. We are all part of the same body, growing through the same gospel.

Let that truth be seen now. Let the church show the world what hope looks like—sinners saved by mercy, walking in love, holding fast to Christ.

Scripture References

• Colossians 2:16–23 – Paul warns against legalism and false religion, calling believers to hold fast to Christ as the only source of salvation and growth.
• Hebrews 8:3–5 – The Old Testament priesthood and tabernacle were copies and shadows of heavenly realities fulfilled in Christ.
• Hebrews 10:1 – The law was a shadow of good things to come, never able to perfect those who followed it.
• 2 Corinthians 3:1–7 – The new covenant is written on hearts by the Spirit, not on stone tablets. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
• Matthew 23:25–28 – Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their outward holiness that hides inward sin and hypocrisy.
• James 1:13–15 – Temptation comes from within, from our own desires, not from external circumstances.
• Jeremiah 17:9–10 – The heart is deceitful, and only God truly sees and judges it.
• Luke 18:9–14 – A Pharisee boasts in his works, but a tax collector begs for mercy—and only the humble man is justified.
• 1 Corinthians 10:23–33 – Christian freedom must be exercised in love. We must consider others' consciences and pursue the good of our neighbor.
• Galatians 5:16–26 – The flesh and the Spirit are opposed. Legalism cannot defeat sin—only walking by the Spirit bears true fruit.