Scripture Reading: Col. 2:16-23, verse 18 refers to doing one's own will in humility; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Tim. 4. Knowledge of these passages will equip us to help others.
In the Scripture three words are used for life: zoe (spirit), psuche (soul, strength of nature), and bios (physical life). Many times we confuse psuche with bios. We must repudiate the psuche. But the Bible does not tell us to repudiate our bios. Many make the mistake of confusing the bios, the physical life, with the psuche. They try to control meat and drink, and they think that they are denying their psuche. But doing this is the same as making John the Baptist greater than the Lord. Meat and drink are things that belong to the bios, the physical life, they do not touch the psuche, the natural life. If we deal with the bios, we are dealing with things only. God does not require that we cut off our bios. In fact, the only way to cut off our bios is by committing suicide. If we only deal with our bios, we are dealing with things. Instead of touching the natural life, we are strengthening it.
The essence of the teaching in Colossians 2 is dealing with things of the world in self-chosen lowliness. The result is being puffed up to the satisfaction of the flesh and the nourishing of the self. This occurs because we think that we are doing it. The one who works gets the glory. If we are the ones doing it, we feel that we should get the glory. Do we get the glory or does the Lord get the glory? Have we overcome the temptation by our own resistance or by believing in God? Colossians is about bringing things into Christianity that are not Christianity. God must open our eyes to see the difference. God wants to touch the psuche life which is independent of Him (Gen. 2); it is the life which can act without Him. We may deal with a thousand things without touching our natural life. If we meet a good Roman Catholic priest or Buddhist priest, we would conclude that he was not worldly. It may be true that he is not worldly, but he is not heavenly either. He is not spiritual. In suppressing himself, only the body (bios) has been touched, not the life (psuche).
Second Timothy 3:3 is a verse to Christians, not to unbelievers. Being "without natural affection" is a state that will be found among Christians in the end times. Verses 2 and 3 deal with the natural affections. Being without natural affection is a sign of the end times. Some think that they are so spiritual that they do not want anything to do with their family! There was a brother who thought he was spiritual because he did not mind leaving his family and going away to work for the Lord, when in fact he had never cared for them! True spirituality is not void of natural affection. It is caring yet at the same time letting the cross deal with anything against the will of God. If there is no cost it is not spiritual. There is a place for the family life to be sanctified and for the old natural life to be touched and dealt with.
