Introduction

In Colossians 2:8a, Paul gives a strong warning. He warns about being taken captive (carried off as plunder) by deceptive and hollow philosophy. Earlier he expressed his concern about being deceived by fine-sounding arguments (2:4). This is not a command to pull back from argument to develop some kind of "head in the sand" Christianity. He assumes that Christians will engage unbelief; his concern is that they be well armed and able to see through the tricks and deceptions of the enemy. Hence the references to deceptive arguments and deceptive philosophy.

This philosophy depends on human tradition and basic principles of this world (v. 8b). But the basic principles are based on human commands and teachings (v. 22; another way of speaking of human tradition, v. 8b). These things are ultimately rooted in human autonomy and human authority because they do not depend on Christ. They are not in accord with Christ or functioning under His authority (v. 8c, "rather than on Christ").

We can translate what Paul is saying here into a framework of presuppositions. Remember presuppositions are beliefs that depend on other beliefs to hold them in place. They are also necessary preconditions in an objective sense (Paul's language accents the objective). We have four levels with philosophy at the top based on the rudiments of this world. These rudiments are based on human tradition, commands, and teachings. In turn this tradition is based on belief in autonomous human authority. We have the following graph:

PHILOSOPHY

THE RUDIMENTS OF THIS WORLD

HUMAN TRADITION, COMMANDS & TEACHINGS

AUTONOMOUS HUMAN AUTHORITY AS ULTIMATE

This morning I want explain Paul's autonomy warning and apply it by drawing out some implications that pertain to the Christian life and to Christian apologetics.

1A. Paul's autonomy warning explained

For the explanation section, I am going to consider these four platforms or levels from the top down beginning with philosophy.

1) Philosophy refers to various philosophical beliefs or beliefs that are characterized as wise (they have an appearance of wisdom, v. 23). The top of the graph is like the fruit from which we can work down through the branches and trunk to the root. The fruit may be what you contact first in day to day experience but it is determined ultimately by the root system out of which the tree grows. These day to day guiding beliefs "have an appearance of wisdom" with regard to worship, humility and the treatment of the body (v. 23). They put beliefs about eating and drinking, festivals, and Sabbath days (v. 16) into a philosophical light.

Interestingly, these beliefs are called philosophy. It is essentially philosophy of religion pertaining to worship and human conduct. Why are they called philosophy? The notion of philosophy stems from the inclusion of "fine-sounding arguments" Argument is built on the notion of logic; this is a parallel with the bantering indicated by the apologia we are called to give. True believers in this philosophy are spin-doctors that seek to persuade "any and all" of the truth and benefit of their system rather than some other (they may call themselves Christians but it is a deviant Christianity). It is also philosophy in its claim to be wisdom. But it is deceptive and hollow philosophy, a mere appearance of wisdom, because of the presuppositions on which it is based with autonomy as the deepest root.

Thus, this posture is the essence of the philosophy of the history of Western thought that has many forms in modern philosophy of today. The fruits are different but the root is the same, being planted in modern soil. An entire range of beliefs regarding religion, ethics, education, politics, and knowledge itself is rooted in human autonomy. The empty and deceptive philosophy being referred to by Paul is practical philosophy. It is the claim of wisdom in religious and ethical application, all based on argument.

2) The next level is called "the basic principles of this world" (NIV, vs. 8, 20; the rudiments, literally the basics of the alphabet; hence, basic teaching, instruction, or elemental principles). In terms of the tiered structure of beliefs, these principles are cast in a negative light (because they are ultimately based on human autonomy). They are something from which believers have been delivered because of their death with Christ (v. 20). When Paul asks about submitting "as though you still belonged to it" he literally says, "as living in the world." We need some clarity on this idea.

What is wrong with living in the world? Is there something evil about the material stuff of which the world is made such that to have contact with it or with parts of it is wrong? No. Actually, that is the view of the deceptive philosophy as manifested in the time of the Colossians. To live in the world in an evil sense and to depend on the basic principles of this world in an evil sense is to have a view and a corresponding practice that says, "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" (v. 21). Working up the graph, these principles become the basis for legalism (v. 16, judging unrighteous judgment). Working down the graph takes us to the next level for the basis of this worldliness (perhaps unusual to our way of thinking about worldliness).

3) Such rules are not rooted in Christ but are rooted in "human traditions" (v. 8) and thus "human commands and teachings" (v. 22). It is perhaps a surprising perspective but the worldliness from which a Christian has been delivered involves the more fundamental belief that material things (particular foods, alcohol, and the human body) are evil.

What is peculiar about these teachings is their historical tenacity. Once the noxious weed of human tradition is planted in the earth it continues to grow even after being sprayed with chemicals; it continues in mutant forms popping up here and there in this way and that.

4) The deepest level of the building of beliefs is the assertion of autonomy. Autonomy refers to something independent. In Christian philosophy it is used to refer to man's claim of independence from God's authority and rule. This can be traced back to the fall and it is unpacked for us here in Colossians.

Man was created in the image of God (both male and female, Gen. 1:26-27) and was given a cultural mandate to be fruitful and rule the earth. The product of God's work of six days was God's gift to man. That is the sublime truth that is presented in marvelously simple terms and with remarkable brevity. Man began his existence in paradise in a garden planted by God, the Garden of Eden (2:8). The text says, "there he put man" and the garden was filled with "trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food (2:9a).

Hinting as to what will unfold in time, we are told that "in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (2:9b). The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was no different than any other tree as to its anatomy or the nutritional value of its fruit. What made this tree unique was God's commandment: "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" (2:16b-17).

When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God they stepped out from living under the umbrella of God's authority. They sought wisdom (3:6) in their own way independently of what God had said. This action gave expression to the fundamental essence of human sin. All sin by whatever name (wrongdoing, evil) is succinctly summarized in the single word, independence. Sin is asserted autonomy. It is not that anyone is actually independent of God; no one can breathe a single breath of life except in the One in whom we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:25, 28).

It is important that we think of God's commandment as an umbrella of authority. His commandment is the way of life. It furnishes protection to those who live under it; they have a roof over their heads to ward off the blazing sun and beating rain. Stepping out from under this protection has profound consequences: "in the day you eat thereof you shall surely die" (KJV, 2:17).

How is autonomy presented in Colossians 2? It is presented as the basis of empty philosophy that does not depend on Christ (v. 8), that operates self-sufficiently in worship, and that finds guidance in the authority of human commands instead of the authority of God's commands. The sin of autonomy prevails when man claims independence from Christ and acts self-sufficiently on the ground of his own authority. Thus we are warned by Paul to be alert to how various specific claims and arguments that are contrary to Christ grow out of the taproot of human autonomy through traditions and rudimentary instruction.

2A. Paul's autonomy warning applied

We know from Peter (1 Pet. 2-3) that we are to work hard to find answers to the major questions of life and to thus prepare ourselves in readiness to answer those who inquire about our hope. As Christians we look to the future with hope, that is, with expectation and anticipation. The future immediately out in front of us is impacted by our expectation of glory. We know that the same loving Lord that will see us into our heavenly home will be with us at every step along the way. Now for this journey, we can make some applications of the autonomy warning.

1) We can be diverted at times from our hope and resources in Christ. We lose perspective and can be taken captive by a false wisdom. What is dangerous here or tricky is that what is false may have the appearance of being true and wise. While interacting with those around us, we can be taken captive by deceptive and empty philosophy.

2) Part of its deceptiveness is in the complexity of its structure in the hierarchy of beliefs that are ultimately founded on the assertion of human autonomy (the fruit may be obvious but branches and root may be hidden as to their determinative power and devastating impact). It is called philosophy because it seems wise and noble and because it is advanced by "fine-sounding" arguments. But the philosophy is based on certain rudimentary principles, which are based on human traditions. And these traditions finally come to rest presuppositionally in the ultimate belief in human authority (or in the belief in human authority as ultimate).

3) Therefore, the warning of Paul in Colossians is emphatic: you are asking for trouble, Christian, if you try to interact with the arguments of the unbeliever by starting with the same premise with which he starts, namely, the principle of human autonomy.

4) Thus logic is to be used in doing our apologetic. Peter told us this by calling us to give an apologia. However, logic or human reason, must not be used as an ultimate presupposition. It is best to consider the laws of logic to be weak presuppositionally. That is, these laws are norms of truth; they are standards by which to decide between truth and error. But they depend on God speaking by Christ through the Spirit in Scripture to hold them in place. Their existence, use, and intelligibility depend on Christ. These laws of human thought are not the final authority. Our final authority is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus Paul calls us to live, walk, and defend the faith on the same basis that we began in the faith with commitment to Christ Jesus as Lord (Col. 2:6). Commitment to the authority of God is cited here in parallel ways with faith and baptism (Col. 2:12). These things explain one another. In baptism we express our faith but that includes pledging obedience (1 Pet. 3:21) to the teachings of Christ, to the faith (Col. 2:7; cf. Rom. 6:4, 17).

5) Commandment keeping is a positive essential in the Christian life. That is, living under the authority of the commandments of God rather than the commandments of men is the way to a full and abundant life. It is the way to freedom versus captivity (v. 8). Attention to God's authority and commandments is not a definition of legalism. Legalism is at least twofold in the effort to merit God's favor by our law keeping attempts and in the denial of God's law by passing it through the grid of human tradition. Thus even legitimate OT laws are passed through the grid of autonomy; so two failures surface, the law is autonomously misused and its historical-redemption function is misunderstood (preserving shadows in the time of reality that has come in Christ, Col. 2:17).

Commandment keeping is the way of wisdom versus the appearance of wisdom (v. 23). True wisdom is a matter of being under divine authority: the beginning of wisdom and knowledge is the fear of God.

Commandment keeping is the way of true humility versus false humility and of proper worship versus self-imposed worship (v. 23). It is a false humility that seeks to honor God and "glorify" Him for His grace while at the same time affirming that a human decision that is independent of God's effectual working is decisive in man's salvation. It is false humility and man-centered worship that are shaped by the governing sunglasses of human autonomy.

Working from root to fruit: a final warning

The ultimate foundation or root is human autonomy (self, commands/human authority, not on Christ). This foundation leads to the formulation of an "authoritative" tradition of teachings (body is evil; material things are evil in themselves). Particular rules or rudimentary principles arise from this tradition such as "do not handle, taste, or touch." The defense of these things with fine-sounding arguments and judgmental legalism is called hollow and deceptive philosophy. It is amazing and sobering to think of how much effort is put forth in the cause of error and foolishness. Of course, this is a wake up call to be on our guard to avoid doing the same thing. A key for our protection in the confusing array of argumentation is to be alert to the principle of autonomy in others and in our selves.