Good Things Gone Wrong
- Jun 11
- 4 min read
Growing Beyond the Counterfeit: How Real Spiritual Growth Happens
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to measure spirituality by what people do?
The person who reads more Scripture must be more mature.
The person who fasts longer must be closer to God.
The person with the most emotional worship experience must be more spiritual.
The person with the strictest standards must be the holiest.
The believers in Colossae were facing the same temptation.
After reminding them that Christ has already cleansed their past, canceled their debt, and crushed their enemies, Paul turns his attention to specific false teachings that were creeping into the church. These teachings looked spiritual. They sounded wise. They appeared impressive.
But they all shared the same fatal flaw:
They pointed people toward human effort instead of Christ.
When Rules Become the Measure of Righteousness
Paul begins with a warning:
“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.”
The false teachers were pressuring believers to adopt Old Testament dietary restrictions, religious festivals, and special holy days as a means of spiritual advancement. These practices had originally been given by God, but they were never intended to become the source of salvation.
Paul explains that these things were shadows.
The substance is Christ.
Before Jesus came, ceremonies, sacrifices, and holy days pointed forward to Him. Now that Christ has come, believers are no longer called to place their confidence in the shadows.
This is where legalism begins.
Legalism teaches that my earthly behavior earns divine favor.
It whispers:
God will love me more if I perform better.
God will accept me more if I do more.
God will bless me more if I follow extra rules.
The problem is that legalism never knows when enough is enough.
Eventually, we either begin judging others or comparing ourselves to them.
A helpful question to ask is:
Has my personal conviction become someone else's requirement?
The moment a personal practice becomes a universal rule, we may have crossed from obedience into legalism.
When Experiences Become the Measure of Spirituality
Paul then addresses another danger:
“Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels…”
The false teachers claimed special visions, angelic encounters, and mystical experiences gave them unique spiritual authority. These experiences became badges of honor that elevated them above ordinary believers.
Today, the forms may look different, but the temptation remains.
We can become obsessed with:
Extraordinary spiritual experiences
Dreams and visions
Reading spiritual meaning into every coincidence
Looking for hidden messages everywhere
Using personal impressions as equal to Scripture
Paul's concern is not that God never works through meaningful experiences. Rather, he warns against allowing experiences to replace Christ as the source of spiritual growth.
Mysticism teaches:
My spiritual experiences prove God's presence.
But Paul reminds believers that true growth comes from staying connected to the Head—Jesus Christ.
The church grows when Christ nourishes it.
The church matures when Christ strengthens it.
The church flourishes when Christ remains central.
Not when experiences become the focus.
When Sacrifice Becomes the Measure of Holiness
Paul identifies one more counterfeit path:
“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle.”
This was the philosophy of asceticism—the belief that denying physical pleasures would produce spiritual enlightenment.
Some believed the body itself was the problem, so the harsher they treated it, the more spiritual they became. Throughout church history, people have embraced extreme forms of self-denial hoping to earn greater favor with God.
Asceticism teaches:
My deprivation produces transformation.
Certainly, Scripture calls believers to self-discipline, self-control, and sacrifice.
But there is a difference between responding to God's wisdom and creating man-made requirements.
A person may choose:
To limit technology
To abstain from alcohol
To fast for a season
To step away from unhealthy relationships
These may be wise decisions.
But wisdom for one believer does not automatically become a command for everyone else.
God's grace is not earned through suffering.
It is received as a gift.
Why Counterfeits Look So Convincing
Paul acknowledges that all these approaches have an appearance of wisdom.
They look impressive.
They create activity.
They generate attention.
They often produce admiration from others.
But appearances can be deceiving.
Legalism cannot change the heart.
Mysticism cannot produce maturity.
Asceticism cannot conquer sin.
They may modify behavior temporarily, but they cannot transform a person from the inside out.
Only Christ can do that.
The True Source of Spiritual Growth
Paul closes by exposing the fundamental issue:
Man-made rules, emotional experiences, and chosen sacrifices are often the fruit of spiritual growth—not the cause of spiritual growth.
Real transformation happens when the Spirit of God uses the Word of God within the community of God.
As believers remain connected to Christ, something remarkable begins to grow:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control
These are not produced by trying harder.
They are produced by abiding deeper.
Final Takeaway
The Christian life is not about collecting rules, chasing experiences, or proving devotion through self-denial.
It is about staying connected to Jesus.
Legalism says, "Perform better."
Mysticism says, "Experience more."
Asceticism says, "Deny yourself harder."
Jesus says:
"Hold fast to Me."
Because spiritual growth is not caused by what we do for Christ.
It is caused by what Christ does in us.
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