Colossians 2:6-23 is the locus classicus for the way in which the Apostle Paul focuses his readers attention on the ever present danger of being deceived by counterfeit gospels, religions and practices. It would serve us well to return there often and consider what Paul says to a congregation full of new believers who were vulnerable to being deceived by false teachers.

In a day in which we are inundated with counterfeit gospels, counterfeit spirituality, counterfeit religions, and counterfeit devotional practices it is important for us to keep in mind that believers are ever in danger of falling into what older theologians called, “a half-learned Christ.” Instead of keeping our eyes steadfastly fixed on the fullness of Christ, we are ever in danger of losing our grip on the gospel in favor of embracing some counterfeit aspects of counterfeit spirituality.

Colossians 2:6-23 is the locus classicus for the way in which the Apostle Paul focuses his readers attention on the ever present danger of being deceived by counterfeit gospels, religions and practices. It would serve us well to return there often and consider what Paul says to a congregation full of new believers who were vulnerable to being deceived by false teachers.

First, in verse 8-15, Paul addressed the subject of counterfeit philosophies, when he said, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Then, in verses 16-23, he explained the importance of guarding against counterfeit spiritual disciplines. He wrote, “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—“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 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…”

Paul has the problem of “a half-learned Christ” in mind. As Sinclair Ferguson helpfully explains,

“The problem of a half–learned Christ is that it makes you gullible; it makes you open to all kinds of religious teaching that sounds right, but is actually erroneous and deeply sinister.”1

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