Paul answered the various tenets of the Colossian heresy that threatened the church. This heresy was a “mixed bag,” containing elements from several different heresies, some of which contradicted each other (as the chart shows).
The Heresy: Spirit is good; matter is evil.
Paul’s Answer: God created heaven and earth for his glory.
The Heresy: One must follow ceremonies, rituals, and restrictions in order to be saved or perfected.
Paul’s Answer: These were only shadows that ended when Christ came. He is all you need to be saved.
The Heresy: One must deny the body and live in strict asceticism.
Paul’s Answer: Asceticism is no help in conquering evil thoughts and desires; instead, it leads to pride.
The Heresy: Angels must be worshiped.
Paul’s Answer: Angels are not to be worshiped; Christ alone is worthy of worship.
The Heresy: Christ could not be both human and divine.
Paul’s Answer: Christ is God in the flesh; he is the eternal One, head of the body, first in everything, supreme.
The Heresy: One must obtain “secret knowledge” in order to be saved or perfected—and this was not available to everyone.
Paul’s Answer: God’s mysterious plan is Christ himself, and he has been revealed to all.
The Heresy: One must adhere to human wisdom, tradition, and philosophies.
Paul’s Answer: By themselves, these can be misleading and shallow because they have human origin; instead, we should remember what Christ taught and follow his words as our ultimate authority.
The Heresy: It is even better to combine aspects of several religions.
Paul’s Answer: You are complete through your union with Christ; he is all-sufficient.
The Heresy: There is nothing wrong with immorality.
Paul’s Answer: Get rid of sin and evil because you have been chosen by God to live a new life as a representative of the Lord Jesus.