Colossians 2:20-23 (ESV)

[20] If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— [21] “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” [22] ( referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? [23] These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The Apostle Paul writes that rules and regulations “are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:23). That doesn’t mean there is no place for rules or that rules are meaningless. Organizations still need to have and enforce standards of behavior. We still need to drive the speed limit. But rules never changed hearts. Rules and regulations let us know where the boundaries are, but they miss the better thing.

This passage starts with the question, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why…?” (Col 2:20). Just recently I heard an excellent message on repentance, and had a good discussion with other pastors on the topic of repentance. Repentance is turning from something to something. It is a change of mind that results in a change of action. According to Hebrews 6:1 we repent from dead works to faith in God. Dead works are works designed to gain God’s favor. Dead works are rules and regulations that fail to change the heart. Repentance turns from this approach to God. It turns to faith. Faith is not just believing that God will forgive us. It is believing that God has forgiven us in Christ. It is believing that not only are we forgiven, but that we died with Christ. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4). Repentance is not just turning from dead works. It is turning to the new life that we, as believers in Jesus Christ, now possess.

The answer to the strongholds of sin in the lives of believers is not more and better rules and regulations. It is not stronger consequences, although consequences to broken rules are appropriate. The answer to the strongholds of sin in the lives of believers is a deep understanding of who we are in Christ. We are new creations. We are dead, buried, and risen to new life. We have the living God dwelling in us to lead us, instruct us, and empower us. Do we really believe that? Because as long as we believe that we cannot help ourselves, we will continue to give in to temptation and sin. Rules will never change that, but the power of Christ will transform us from the inside out. Believe it!