Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
All that is merely human in religion and all that is merely material in life wears out in the using and comes to nothing. Human commandments and doctrines have no sanction from God and no lasting power, so to turn from Christ to men for help or to make unconverted human tests the rule of faith is folly. To set the heart on what is seen and passing — treasure, pleasure, display, and endless toil for things that perish — sacrifices lasting riches and cannot prepare anyone for heaven or secure salvation. God instead requires affection set on things above, trust renounced in self, and life rooted in Christ and His promises, with eternity and the reckoning in view.
Human Commands Will Perish
Colossians 2:22 is a treasure house of encouragement showing the folly of turning from Christ to humanity for help, for human commandments and doctrines are temporary and fail. To look to man for guidance while treating the Saviour indifferently and closing the door against the divine Helper leaves no power. Instead the rich, full, abundant and assuring promises of God are to be received, Jesus is to be appreciated, and believers are to walk in Him rooted and built up and established in faith abounding with thanksgiving. Then gratitude flows out to refresh others, little grievances go unnoticed, larger difficulties are met in the spirit of Christ, and prayer brings patience, perseverance and forbearance.
Human-made religious rules and tests are not requirements from God and are not duties He has imposed on His children. Practices such as groveling acts of voluntary humility have no sanction in His Word and can bring reproach on His cause. Will-worship after the commandments of men is outward, self-chosen religion that perishes with the using. It shows itself in noisy shouts and harsh, rough display, making a show of great faith and holiness, performing humble acts to attract attention, boasting over others, and claiming special leading of the Spirit while lacking love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance. It is pride in spiritual things, unteachableness, jealousy when slighted, anger when corrected, and craving of attention, with self on exhibition instead of Christ, controlled by Satan and dangerous to the flock. Yet such false humility must exist among believers to heat the furnace of affliction in which the true Christian loses dross and reflects the meekness and purity of Christ.
Multitudes teach and follow the doctrines and commandments of men. Those who take the Word of God as their rule of life and bow to the sacred Word as the one unerring guide are brought into close relationship with one another, with the Bible as their bond of union. Those who appeal from custom and tradition to the plain Thus saith the Lord cannot be in harmony with those who teach and follow human doctrines and commandments, their companionship will not be sought or desired, they will be at variance in both faith and practice, there can be no harmony between them, and they are unreconcilable. The doctrines and commandments of men are the false theories of the world in contrast to truth revealed in the Word of God, including false theories learned through association with worldly schools. God met this danger by directing the establishment of a college for Seventh-day Adventist children to avoid the influence of the world and this teaching.
The warning against receiving human commandments as doctrine means the church must not weaken itself by accepting unconverted people into its fellowship. Candidates are not to be allowed to be baptized without clear instruction, for baptism is a solemn ordinance whose solemn meaning candidates must be taught plainly.
Earthly Things Perish Quickly
Things that are consumed or worn out by use are temporary by nature, and to give oneself to pleasures, amusements, and pursuits centered on what is seen and passing is to sacrifice lasting riches. Such worldly pursuits aimed at pleasure and amusement perish as they are used, unlike the preparation that fits a person for heaven.
Earthly treasure that people labor to accumulate lasts only for a season and perishes through use, so work devoted to gathering material things brings no lasting profit. This stands in contrast to work directed toward God and the care of the soul, including serving God, which brings eternal profit. Material and worldly things likewise perish through use and cannot last or supply lasting value, in contrast to work that bears fruit for eternity. That enduring work is investing time in Scripture, developing character, and blessing others rather than spending time on pursuits that yield nothing for eternity. Worldly pursuits perish through their use, and diligence directed toward such temporary things cannot secure salvation. Salvation is gained through the righteousness imparted by Christ.
Fashionable home furnishings and ornaments, with the unending toil to keep them in order and free from dust, are things that perish with the using. They absorb a wife and mother's strength and time and interest and sink her into a mere household drudge, leaving no time to read, to keep well informed, to be a companion to her husband, to keep in touch with the developing minds of her children, and no time or place for the Saviour as a close, dear companion. Precious opportunities left unimproved to influence dear ones for the higher life pass away forever, until too late she awakes almost a stranger in her own home. Useless, unimportant labor is likewise spent on things that wear out and come to nothing through use, so mothers should lay that kind of work aside and draw near to God for wisdom and grace to train their children instead. Shaping character is work as enduring as eternity, aimed at making children perfect in character, for only such can see God. Earthly goods perish as they are used, so wealth spent on self-gratification is lost, while wealth used to help others is laid up in heaven.
Choose What Lasts Forever
The things of the world perish with the using and are not to be made the first consideration. They are not the golden currency of heaven, for God has not stamped upon them His image and superscription. Lovers of the world make religion serve the world, but God requires His worshipers to subordinate the world to religion, keeping eternity and the eternal reckoning not far hence in view, since the world and its treasures appear attractive and selfish interests claim attention. Own ability is not to be trusted and own wisdom is not to be exalted, for wisdom is only a talent entrusted to prove whether God's gifts will be rightly used; all trust in self must be renounced and Christ must be come to as little children. Affection is not to be set on earthly things that perish with the using, but because human life is uncertain and short, people must give solemn, serious consideration, repent and be converted, and bring eternity into their reckoning by setting affection on things above. That means seeking the riches that will endure forever and the righteousness that will never pass away.
Near the end of this earth's history the world gives its diligence and activity to obtaining perishable, temporary things without lasting value instead of obtaining salvation, which is gained through the imparted righteousness of Christ. At such a time professing Christians must not be indifferent to the needs of those who are perishing in their sins but must labor personally for those outside of Christ. Turning from Christ to humanity for help is folly that leaves no power, for human commandments and doctrines are temporary and fail, and looking to man for guidance while treating the Saviour indifferently and closing the door against the divine Helper leaves the believer without strength. Instead the rich, full, abundant and assuring promises of God are to be received, Jesus is to be appreciated, and believers are to walk in Him rooted and built up and established in faith abounding with thanksgiving. Then gratitude flows out to refresh others, little grievances are not noticed, larger difficulties are met in the spirit of Christ, and prayer brings patience, perseverance and forbearance. True service makes believers self-denying and self-sacrificing, keeping individual holiness and consecration in view, so that through sanctification of the truth they abound in works of benevolence to the uplifting of others.
All that is merely human in religion and all that is merely material in life wears out in the using and comes to nothing. Human commandments and doctrines have no sanction from God and no lasting power, so to turn from Christ to men for help or to make unconverted human tests the rule of faith is folly. To set the heart on what is seen and passing — treasure, pleasure, display, and endless toil for things that perish — sacrifices lasting riches and cannot prepare anyone for heaven or secure salvation. God instead requires affection set on things above, trust renounced in self, and life rooted in Christ and His promises, with eternity and the reckoning in view.
Human Commands Will Perish
Colossians 2:22 is a treasure house of encouragement showing the folly of turning from Christ to humanity for help, for human commandments and doctrines are temporary and fail. To look to man for guidance while treating the Saviour indifferently and closing the door against the divine Helper leaves no power. Instead the rich, full, abundant and assuring promises of God are to be received, Jesus is to be appreciated, and believers are to walk in Him rooted and built up and established in faith abounding with thanksgiving. Then gratitude flows out to refresh others, little grievances go unnoticed, larger difficulties are met in the spirit of Christ, and prayer brings patience, perseverance and forbearance.
Human-made religious rules and tests are not requirements from God and are not duties He has imposed on His children. Practices such as groveling acts of voluntary humility have no sanction in His Word and can bring reproach on His cause. Will-worship after the commandments of men is outward, self-chosen religion that perishes with the using. It shows itself in noisy shouts and harsh, rough display, making a show of great faith and holiness, performing humble acts to attract attention, boasting over others, and claiming special leading of the Spirit while lacking love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance. It is pride in spiritual things, unteachableness, jealousy when slighted, anger when corrected, and craving of attention, with self on exhibition instead of Christ, controlled by Satan and dangerous to the flock. Yet such false humility must exist among believers to heat the furnace of affliction in which the true Christian loses dross and reflects the meekness and purity of Christ.
Multitudes teach and follow the doctrines and commandments of men. Those who take the Word of God as their rule of life and bow to the sacred Word as the one unerring guide are brought into close relationship with one another, with the Bible as their bond of union. Those who appeal from custom and tradition to the plain Thus saith the Lord cannot be in harmony with those who teach and follow human doctrines and commandments, their companionship will not be sought or desired, they will be at variance in both faith and practice, there can be no harmony between them, and they are unreconcilable. The doctrines and commandments of men are the false theories of the world in contrast to truth revealed in the Word of God, including false theories learned through association with worldly schools. God met this danger by directing the establishment of a college for Seventh-day Adventist children to avoid the influence of the world and this teaching.
The warning against receiving human commandments as doctrine means the church must not weaken itself by accepting unconverted people into its fellowship. Candidates are not to be allowed to be baptized without clear instruction, for baptism is a solemn ordinance whose solemn meaning candidates must be taught plainly.
Earthly Things Perish Quickly
Things that are consumed or worn out by use are temporary by nature, and to give oneself to pleasures, amusements, and pursuits centered on what is seen and passing is to sacrifice lasting riches. Such worldly pursuits aimed at pleasure and amusement perish as they are used, unlike the preparation that fits a person for heaven.
Earthly treasure that people labor to accumulate lasts only for a season and perishes through use, so work devoted to gathering material things brings no lasting profit. This stands in contrast to work directed toward God and the care of the soul, including serving God, which brings eternal profit. Material and worldly things likewise perish through use and cannot last or supply lasting value, in contrast to work that bears fruit for eternity. That enduring work is investing time in Scripture, developing character, and blessing others rather than spending time on pursuits that yield nothing for eternity. Worldly pursuits perish through their use, and diligence directed toward such temporary things cannot secure salvation. Salvation is gained through the righteousness imparted by Christ.
Fashionable home furnishings and ornaments, with the unending toil to keep them in order and free from dust, are things that perish with the using. They absorb a wife and mother's strength and time and interest and sink her into a mere household drudge, leaving no time to read, to keep well informed, to be a companion to her husband, to keep in touch with the developing minds of her children, and no time or place for the Saviour as a close, dear companion. Precious opportunities left unimproved to influence dear ones for the higher life pass away forever, until too late she awakes almost a stranger in her own home. Useless, unimportant labor is likewise spent on things that wear out and come to nothing through use, so mothers should lay that kind of work aside and draw near to God for wisdom and grace to train their children instead. Shaping character is work as enduring as eternity, aimed at making children perfect in character, for only such can see God. Earthly goods perish as they are used, so wealth spent on self-gratification is lost, while wealth used to help others is laid up in heaven.
Choose What Lasts Forever
The things of the world perish with the using and are not to be made the first consideration. They are not the golden currency of heaven, for God has not stamped upon them His image and superscription. Lovers of the world make religion serve the world, but God requires His worshipers to subordinate the world to religion, keeping eternity and the eternal reckoning not far hence in view, since the world and its treasures appear attractive and selfish interests claim attention. Own ability is not to be trusted and own wisdom is not to be exalted, for wisdom is only a talent entrusted to prove whether God's gifts will be rightly used; all trust in self must be renounced and Christ must be come to as little children. Affection is not to be set on earthly things that perish with the using, but because human life is uncertain and short, people must give solemn, serious consideration, repent and be converted, and bring eternity into their reckoning by setting affection on things above. That means seeking the riches that will endure forever and the righteousness that will never pass away.
Near the end of this earth's history the world gives its diligence and activity to obtaining perishable, temporary things without lasting value instead of obtaining salvation, which is gained through the imparted righteousness of Christ. At such a time professing Christians must not be indifferent to the needs of those who are perishing in their sins but must labor personally for those outside of Christ. Turning from Christ to humanity for help is folly that leaves no power, for human commandments and doctrines are temporary and fail, and looking to man for guidance while treating the Saviour indifferently and closing the door against the divine Helper leaves the believer without strength. Instead the rich, full, abundant and assuring promises of God are to be received, Jesus is to be appreciated, and believers are to walk in Him rooted and built up and established in faith abounding with thanksgiving. Then gratitude flows out to refresh others, little grievances are not noticed, larger difficulties are met in the spirit of Christ, and prayer brings patience, perseverance and forbearance. True service makes believers self-denying and self-sacrificing, keeping individual holiness and consecration in view, so that through sanctification of the truth they abound in works of benevolence to the uplifting of others.