What is the meaning of "false humility" in Colossians 2:23?

Verse 18 is a warning that we will be cheated if we allow anyone to impose legal ordinances on us after we have known the grace of God in Christ. In fact, if we go back to the Law we will soon be guilty of breaking the Law, which forbid worship to any but God. Yet legality, which is not true law-keeping, considers it humble to have angels as sort of intermediaries, suggesting that we are not worthy to directly approach God in worship. This is totally false humility, an intrusion into that which one does not understand, but resulting in puffing up the fleshly mind. It is mysticism, characteristic of many eastern religions, not subject to the clearly declared Word of God, though very religious and meticulous. Saints of God are warned strongly against this, for it is a defrauding thing, depriving one of true blessing now and of reward in the future, for it puts something other than Christ between the soul and God.

The principle, "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle" describes the whole negative character of legality. If this is the sum of one's religion, he is certainly left empty, though sadly puffed up as though he were full. These things perish with the using. A balloon is only for amusement, quickly deflated and gone. Christianity is not ordinances, but Christ who has in His own blessed Person displaced the whole system of Judaism -- the dispensation set up by the commandment and doctrine of God. How much more so as to the commandments and doctrines of men which have been added to Judaism?

The apostle grants that such things have an appearance of wisdom. Otherwise they would not have been an enticement. But such commandments are rooted in "self-imposed religion," a religion dictated by people's thoughts of what is convenient, not in submission to the word and will of God. Thus their pretended humility is merely the pride of the flesh. In this pretended humility the body and its needs are often deliberately neglected, not as self-judging the flesh, but to actually minister to "the indulgence of the flesh." It has no value whatever, but rather increases fleshly pride. True fasting is not in showing off to others, but in honest self-sacrifice as before God.

Angels have been purposely hidden from our eyes lest we should give them the place that belongs to God. They are amongst the things not seen. Their would-be worshippers are puffed up by the mind of their flesh. The opening of the verse has been translated, "Let no one fraudulently deprive you of your prize, doing his own will in humility and worship of angels." This makes the whole position very clear. The procedure all looks very humble. It is really self-will, a thing very hateful to God. And those who fall a prey to it may indeed be true believers but being fraudulently diverted from Christ they lose their prize.

"Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up in his fleshly mind, and not holding the head," v. 18. I may talk much about saints and angels in heaven, their glories, and the like, and call this humility; but it is not so, it in reality is the very opposite, a being vainly puffed up in my fleshly mind. What do I know about them? Have I been in heaven? Whilst thus intruding into things I have not seen, I am losing knowledge needed by all saints. The weakest believer is as much one with Christ as an apostle, and as complete in Him. It might seem more humble to say, I am this, that, or the other thing; but can we do without Christ? Do you reply, I have not arrived at such a position? Then you are expecting to attain it - that is presumption. It is because we are lost, poor, and blind, we are miserable, naked, and have nothing in ourselves - we have this all in Christ.

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head." (v. 18.) I may talk much about "saints and angels in heaven," their glories, and the like, and call this humility; but it is not so, it is in reality the very opposite, a being puffed up in my fleshly mind. Whilst thus intruding into things I have not seen, I am losing knowledge needed by all saints. The weakest believer is as much one with Christ as an apostle, and as complete in Him. It might seem more humble to say, 'I am this, that, or the other thing;' but can we do without Christ? Do you reply, 'I have not arrived at such a position'? then you are expecting to attain it - that is presumption. - It is because we are lost, poor, and blind, and miserable, and naked, and have nothing in ourselves, we have this all in Christ.

It is not exactly said the body is Christ. It is said "the Lord is that spirit," not that body, which was within the letter of the law. "The body" is used in contrast with "the shadow." There is no substance in a shadow, but we have the body which is of Christ. The twofold idea is that, while the substance is of Him, He is the spirit of all. Verse 16 deals chiefly with a Judaizing character of evil; but verse 18 goes farther and shows a kind of prying into the unseen, not so much the religious use or misuse of the seen, which was the Jewish snare, but dabbling with philosophy, specially of the Orientals. There was a great appearance of humility in all this, as there always is in false systems. The worship of angels seemed right and due, especially as no term peculiar to divine worship was used. Let it be ever so modified, still the Apostle speaks of it strongly. "Let no man deprive you of your reward, doing his will in humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen,* vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh." The Orientals indulged in abundant speculation about angels. It is true there are such beings; but it is the prying into such subjects that is so evil. They have to do with us, but not we with them. Our business is with God. Now it seemed to be a reasonable inference that if angels had to do with us, we must have to do with them; and inasmuch as they had to do with God immediately, why should we not have recourse to them with Him? It was not an unnatural thought; what then makes it so grievous an error?

Verse 18. "Let no man beguile you of your reward." The idea that these words present is to be deprived of the crown after having run. "In a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen." But the adversary is satisfied; he succeeds in that way to force you to make a diversion, and to turn your thoughts from the object of your faith. As soon as men take this attitude of voluntary humility, they are not "holding the head." How can he that has the right to own himself one with Christ let such a privilege go to turn to other objects?

The passage extending from this verse to the end of the chapter is not an easy one. It is difficult even as to its translation, as may be seen if the New Translation by J. N. Darby (large edition with full footnotes) be consulted. Still it is quite clear that in it we are warned, firstly, against angel-olatry — including, of course, the worship of "saints" who after death are credited with angel-like existence and powers. Secondly, we are warned against ordinances connected with things that perish in their use, which may be imposed upon us after the commandments and doctrines of men. Thirdly, against asceticism, which, though it may appear a proceeding of much humility and denial of self, is really one which ministers to the satisfaction of the flesh in those who practise it. Indeed, this feature, the satisfaction of the FLESH, is what marks the whole movement, for the worship of angels, though apparently a very humble kind of thing, is really connected with being "puffed up" as to the "fleshly mind."

What does it mean to ‘hold fast the head’, and who is described here as not doing so? This part of the chapter (vs. 16–19) sheds light on the specific bait used by those seeking to influence the Colossians. Verse 16 says: ‘Let none therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in matter of feast, or new moon, or sabbaths’. The danger seems to have come from two quarters: asceticism and Judaism. At first sight these things may not seem harmful. One might ask: what is the problem with not eating or not doing certain things, or with keeping certain feasts? However, the problem was not that they were detrimental in themselves, but that they distracted and detracted from Christ. Verse 18 mentions the ‘worship of angels’. This example shows the danger of what was being promoted: it effectively resulted in creatures being interposed between the believer and Christ. There also seems to have been a certain amount of mysticism (‘entering into things which he has not seen’). And what was the attitude of those who presented these new teachings? In short, pride: ‘vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh’.

This is the group of persons referred to as ‘not holding the Head’ — which gives us an indication of what is involved in ‘holding the Head’. It means being cognisant of, and acting in harmony with, the truth that Christ is our Head, not allowing anything to come between Him and ourselves, and being directed by Him.

On a practical note, this shows that the idea of a denomination is in direct contradiction to the truth of the headship of Christ. Not only does it introduce a division within the body of Christ (1 Cor. 1:12–13) but it interferes with Christ’s headship: He is the Head of the entire body. In addition, man-made denominations tend to come with man-made leadership, in other words, with men (or women) taking the place of the head of the ‘church’.

If I have no title of my own, if I am nothing but wretchedness in myself, and have no natural understanding of God's good-will to man, where is my claim? Therefore true humility is the knowing what I am in Christ. So the moment I say, I am not as Christ, I lose the knowledge of my glory in Him, and I stoop down to the flesh. This we see in John, when he fell down and worshipped the angel. Here was that voluntary humility and worshipping of angels which the Apostle warns us against. Had John remembered the glory he had in Christ he would not have done this; for "As he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17.) J. N. D.