Jesus said, “Unless a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.” What do those words mean, and what kind of sacrifice does Jesus expect from us? Paul’s main criticism of asceticism is that it is based on manmade ideas and it diminished Christ: the Head of the church.
Asceticism asks for the vows of poverty, chastity and sacrificial obedience.
These vows, they claim, provide for a purification of soul and freedom.
Asceticism is avoidance of pleasure for the purpose of reaching purity.
Asceticism is an insidious attack on holiness.
It is not that all are bad ideas; it is just that Asceticism can’t defeat sin.
Avoid Worldly Principles 20
We should reject all worldly principles because they contain error.
If any advice goes against biblical truth, it is to be discarded.
It is the religion of “Don’t!” 20-21
Do not touch – avoid socially unacceptable people. Social asceticism.
Do not taste – avoid unclean food. Nutritional asceticism.
Do not handle – avoid unclean things. Ritual asceticism.
The kingdom of God is not based on eating or drinking. Romans 14:17
It concerns temporal things 22
Asceticism is focused on the physical and the material.
“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man. Matthew 15:18-20
It is based on worldly ideas 22
Asceticism was made by man, not by God.
These commandments are human not divine.
It has the appearance of wisdom 23
Some of these things are noble and encouraged in the New Testament.
Asceticism, however, traps you into a fruitless lifestyle.
It is a humanly invented religion 23
All of them lead a life of “don’t do this or that” religion.
Jesus teaches that we should enjoy the gifts God gave us.
It is based on false humility 23
Asceticism appears to be self abasing, but is really self promoting.
If Christ is not exalted it is the worst kind of pride.
Its focus is bodily neglect 23
It is not godly to ruin your body or to deprive it of the nutrients it needs.
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
It is of no value against sins of the flesh 23
Asceticism cannot defeat sin. It lacks the power.
You cannot eradicate sin. That’s why Asceticism doesn’t work.
Embrace Christ Centered Principles
The rest of the book of Colossians explains how to get your life back!
The simple answer is to set your mind on things that are above.
This answers the question, “Can we make ourselves more holy if we treat our bodies more harshly? Will asceticism save you?” Will these vows provide purification of soul and spiritual freedom?” The answer is clear, Asceticism cannot defeat sin. It lacks the power. Jesus wants to transform your life. He wants you to live a simple life of faith. Does he want you to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him? Yes he does. But Jesus is the one that transforms, not our efforts. Trust Him!
MESSAGE
Jesus said, “unless a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.”
What do those words mean, and what kind of sacrifice does Jesus expect from us? What are you willing to sacrifice for Christ?
Asceticism attempts to answer those questions. One form of Religious Asceticism has come to the conclusion that in order to really be holy and be pleasing to God, you must take the vows of poverty, chastity and sacrificial obedience to the ministry. These vows, they claim, provide for a purification of soul and spiritual freedom that uniquely marks the life of one so consecrated. These are the answer (they believe).
What is asceticism? If Secularism is the most dangerous philosophy of the world, and Legalism is the most dangerous philosophy of religion, and Mysticism is the most dangerous attack on your spirituality, asceticism is the most insidious attack on holiness; it claims that it is the way to purify your soul and overcome the sins of the flesh, but it is not.
Religious Asceticism is strict self-denial and avoidance of all forms of pleasure and indulgence, for the purpose of reaching purity and spiritual freedom.
It may include such disciplines as regular fasting, celibacy, wearing simple or uncomfortable clothing, poverty, avoiding Alcohol, Drugs, Nicotine, Sex and in extreme forms, sleep deprivation, flagellation, self-mutilation and avoiding everything from food seasonings to eye contact, to laughter, to desserts, and Social interaction. [i]
All for the purpose of detoxing the flesh so you can purge you body of sin and reach spiritual freedom. But it was unprofitable! It is not that some of these things are bad ideas, it is just that Asceticism can’t defeat sin. It lacks the power.
There was some kind of false teaching going on that Paul was very concerned about, and it involved asceticism, Paul’s main criticism of what was happening is that it was based on manmade ideas and regulations and it diminished Christ: the all-supplying Head of the church. And we should at all cost avoid these worldly principles:
Avoid Worldly Principles
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to its regulations—
The word “therefore,” means “accordingly, consequently, these things being so,” the things that we just discussed earlier in chapter 2; You know, secularism, legalism and mysticism. These three, are basic principles of the world system. They are not godly, they are worldly, and their ideas are dead to us! We should reject all worldly ideas.
So Paul begins this section on Asceticism by asking the question, since we have rejected all worldly principles, why is it that you are still practicing their rules, their regulations, their customs, their ceremonies and their rituals! Why do you subject yourself to false anti-biblical ways.
And I would ask you the same question; why are you still listening to the advice of unsaved men and women? Why do you still watch them on TV? Why do you still listen to them on the radio? Why do you sing their songs? Read their stories? Send your children to be educated by them? And get your marriage and family advice from the?
If their advice goes against biblical truth, it is to be discarded.
What follows verse 20 are eight statements that describe the dangers of Asceticism. Please join me as we deconstruct this dangerous philosophy. #1
It is the religion of “Don’t!” 20-21
Why do you subject yourself it regulation; 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”
Asceticism teaches that you should avoid all pleasures.
In the world of ritual uncleanness, the Jews developed an entire system of rules that had to be followed or you could never be involved in temple worship. Do not touch – Acts 10:28, Peter declares that “it is unlawful for a Jew to touch to or approach anyone of another nation,” or they became unclean. Do not taste – they weren’t supposed to eat any unclean animal, it was wrong to even taste bacon – the best they could do is smell it on the frying pan! Do not handle – They were not supposed to touch unclean things like the sick or the dead.
The Jews and the Gnostic developed this idea into a distorted idea that in order to become pure you had to swear off relationships with the ungodly, even if they were your family. This was social asceticism. You had to deprive yourself even of the taste of unclean food, and that became extrapolated to mean any pleasurable food like chocolate or dessert or anything other than plain gruel. This was nutritional asceticism. You had to avoid handling unclean animals, dead animals, weeping injuries, death and disease. The Pharisees used to wash after they returned from the market, lest they should have accidently been defiled by touching something unclean. This was ritual asceticism.
Don’t drink, don’t shave, don’t wear nice clothes, give up chocolate, don’t eat fish on Friday, and the list goes on and on.
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The second truth of Asceticism is that it concerns earthly things.
It concerns temporal things 21
22 which all concern things which perish with the using—
I want you to notice that while Mysticism is focused on the realm of the supernatural and the spiritual, Asceticism is focused on the physical and the material.
It is about what you eat, or don’t eat. It is about what you drink or don’t drink. It is about what you smoke or don’t smoke. It is about human interaction or lack of it. It is about punishing ;your body and stressing your physical self. Listen to what Jesus said about that.
“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. For the things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man. Matthew 15:18-20
The third reality about Asceticism is that it is based on human ideas.
It is based on worldly ideas 22
according to the commandments and doctrines of men?
This is what you need to understand about the philosophy of Asceticism; it was made by man, not by God. These commandments are human not divine. These doctrines are made by mortals, not by the Almighty. Don’t get caught up in the. The fourth thing:
It has the appearance of wisdom 23
23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom
Let’s face it, some of these things are noble, and some of them are even encouraged in the New Testament; fasting, abstinence from alcohol or drugs, self denial… who could be against these things?
An ascetic lifestyle involves adherence to higher standards rather than extravagant leisure or mindless entertainment. The idea even seems sound.
So what happens is that general unhappiness in people creates the urge take radical decisions and adopt a worldview in which you create an artificial solution to your unhappiness. But in the end you are just chasing a fruitless lifestyle that doesn’t really make you feel any better. Don’t let it trap you.
Number five
It is a humanly invented religion
in self-imposed religion, 23
Asceticism has been observed in many religious traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
The essences allowed themselves no food that was pleasant to the taste, but ate dry, course bread, and drank only water. Many of them ate nothing until sunset, and if anyone touched them who did not belong to their sect, they washed themselves as if they had been most deeply defiled. (Barnes)
Gnosticism combined ideas from Greek philosophy, oriental mysticism, and Christianity. they taught a person to lead a life of contemplation and rigorous self-denial and abstinence.
But the church taught a proper enjoyment of life, and Christians stand out because we are different.
Number six
It is based on false humility
false humility,
Asceticism appears to be self abasing, but is really self promoting. Asceticism is paradoxical. The paradox of asceticism is that the ascetic deprives himself of some things he wants, thus causing himself pain, because this is a necessary condition of enjoying the greater pleasure of getting something else he wants more.
They appear to be humble by participating in painful rites, fasting, abstinence and penance, wearing sack cloth and ashes. But under it lurks the worst kind of pride. Because pride is pampered when self is applauded.
The main questions are, Is Christ being exalted or is self being exalted? While crucifying the sin of gluttony, are you feeding the sin of pride?
Number seven
Its focus is bodily neglect
neglect of the body,
It is one thing to fast, it is another thing to fast to the detriment of your body. It’s ok to eat plain food, but it’s another to deprive your body of the nutrients it needs. Things like depriving yourself of sleep, flagellation and self mutilation are not honoring to the body.
At some point we need to remind ourselves that God wants us to take care of our body! He wants you to get adequate rest, nutrition, medical care and proper hygiene. You should bath daily, brush your teeth and wear clean clothes.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is the only one you’ve got. Take care of it. Glorify God with it.
Number eight
It is of no value against sins of the flesh
but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
This answers the question, “Can we make ourselves more holy if we treat our bodies more harshly? Will asceticism save you?” Will these vows provide purification of soul and spiritual freedom?” The answer is clear, Asceticism cannot defeat sin. It lacks the power.
Let me give you an example from real life. There is a modern trend called Dopamine fasting: This practice aims to restore the brain’s natural flow of dopamine by restricting the brains access to pleasure-inducing activities and substances.
What is dopamine? dopamine is—a feel-good chemical that’s produced in the brain, which rewards us for performing life’s simple pleasures, whether it be running, enjoying a sunny day, or eating pecan pie. On the other hand, dopamine is a major player in the formation of addictions when we sin.[ii]
Dopamine fasting was meant to be an escape from the increasing amount of stimulus in their daily lives. Everything from food seasonings to eye contact, laughter, and exercise can be restricted by some dopamine fasters. Alcohol, Drugs, Seasoning on foods, Pleasure foods, like desserts, Nicotine, Sex Social interactions, Eye contact and conversations (which are at least reduced to a bare minimum), Exercise, Laughter[iii]
But here’s the catch: Because dopamine is naturally produced in the brain, there’s no real way to “detox” or rid ourselves of it. Dopamine fasting is a practice to avoid. [iv]
And that is the very reason why Asceticism doesn’t work. But there is something that does! In fact the rest of the book of Colossians is going to explain what that is:
Embrace Christ Centered Principles you can be holy
What we will discover next is that if you set your mind on things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus Himself will transform your life!
Can we make ourselves more holy if we treat our bodies more harshly? No! Let me end with this story.
It was just over 500 years ago, in the fall of 1510, that a desperate Roman Catholic monk made what he thought would be the spiritual pilgrimage of a lifetime. He had become an Augustinian monk five years earlier in hopes that monasticism and Asceticism would save him.
It was the fear of the wrath of God that consumed him for the next five years—so much so, in fact, that he did everything within his power to placate his guilty conscience. He dedicated himself to the fasting, penance, and prayer eight times a day. He even performed acts of self-punishment like depriving himself of sleep, enduring cold winter nights without a blanket, almost freezing to death, working for nothing to support the poor and, in an attempt to atone for his sins, even whipping himself. He punished his body so severely that he did permanent damage to his digestive system.[v]
Reflecting on this time of his life, he would later say, “If anyone could have earned heaven by his monkery, it was I”
So it was, five years after he became a monk, in the year 1510, that this desperate man made what he thought would be the spiritual pilgrimage of a lifetime. He travelled to the center of Catholic thought and power—the city of Rome.
He thought that if he paid homage to the shrines of the apostles and made confession there, in that holy city, he would secure the greatest absolution possible. Surely this would be a way to earn the favor of God.
A desperate man on a desperate journey, having devoted his life to the desperate pursuit of self-righteous asceticism and finding it wanting, went to Rome looking for answers. But all he found was spiritual bankruptcy.
After a lifetime of guilt, after years of struggling to make himself righteous, after working to please God on his own, and after a disheartening trip to Rome, Martin Luther finally came to understand the heart of the gospel message.[vi] And by grace, through faith came to trust Jesus as Savior, and Jesus changed him!
Jesus wants to do the same for you. He wants you to live a simple life of faith. Does he want you to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him? Yes he does. But Jesus is the one that transforms, not our efforts. Trust Him!
[i] https://thriveworks.com/blog/dopamine-fasting-modern-asceticism/
[ii] https://thriveworks.com/blog/dopamine-fasting-modern-asceticism/
[iii] https://thriveworks.com/blog/dopamine-fasting-modern-asceticism/
[iv] https://thriveworks.com/blog/dopamine-fasting-modern-asceticism/
[v] https://worldlysaints.wordpress.com/2017/01/03/martin-luther-life-in-the-monastery-a-d-1505-1509/
[vi] https://blog.tms.edu/the-personal-reformation-of-martin-luther
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