Bible Verse: Colossians 2:20,21 – as though you are living in the world

Originally posted on January 26, 2026 – by Andre Piet

If you died together with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though you are living in the world, are you being dogmatized?
21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch.

Only few realize how revolutionary Paul’s line of questioning is here. For he proceeds from the assumption that we are no longer living in the world. That is not an exaggeration, but the logical consequence of what he says: we died together with Christ.

Insofar as we are still present in this world, we no longer live in it. For we died, and our life has been hidden together with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). That is not a denial of our existence here, but it is a relativizing of it. We are staying here, but we do not reside here.

But if we no longer live in this world, why would we still allow ourselves to be limited by its regulations? With our death in Christ, it is not the world that has disappeared, but its authority over our life. Paul therefore speaks of dogmas: ideas that are imposed as official decrees. Here these are religious commandments — or rather: prohibitions. Do not handle, do not taste, and do not touch. They are negative regulations that claim authority where there is no longer any authority. We do not live from restriction, but from the riches of Him Who has been appointed Head of all rule and authority (2:10).

Delen: