What the Bible Says about Asceticism

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why . . . do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”?

–Colossians 2:20–21

In Colossians 2, Paul issued a warning against asceticism, a man-made religion based on self-deprivation. He wrote, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’?” (vv. 20–21).

Notice how Paul described asceticism. First of all, asceticism is based on elementary principles. We saw the phrase “elementary principles” in Colossians 2:8 when Paul was talking about human philosophy. Literally, the Greek phrase refers to things in a row, such as the ABCs. Paul was saying asceticism’s emphasis on dos and don’ts is elementary.

When I was young, I occasionally watched a children’s television program called Romper Room. There were two giant bumblebees on set called “Do Bee” and “Don’t Bee,” and the host would sing about the things children should and shouldn’t do in order to be good: “Do be this; don’t be that. Do be this; don’t be that.” As a child, I thought that song went on ad nauseam! That’s what Paul was saying about asceticism. Building your religion around “do be” and “don’t be” is elementary.

That leads to a second characteristic of asceticism: it’s built around restrictive regulations. The ascetic says, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (v. 21). Our faith is not about negative restrictions; our faith is defined in positive terms. A Christian has trusted in Christ as their Savior, has received the Holy Spirit, is being conformed to the image of Christ, and has a life that is characterized by attributes such as love, joy, and peace.

In Matthew 22, a Pharisee asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (v. 36). The Pharisee probably hoped that Jesus would rattle off one of the Pharisees’ favorite restrictions. But Jesus responded, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (vv. 37–39). Notice the positive nature of those commandments: love God with all your heart, and love people as you love yourself. A list of negative things is not what makes us followers of Christ.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “The Pleasure Principle” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.