Colossians 2:19

The last verse introduces a kind of people who go to great lengths about what they have supposedly seen. So this person is claiming that they have seen something that someone else had not seen, and that is the basis for which we give them regard; we must buy their books where they laid out these visions, trances, and experiences with angels, Jesus, God, the throne of God, speaking animals, etc. You go to their conferences where you listen to the stories and stories that rob you of your sound mind. That is the way I put it.

But Paul puts it differently. He says these people are leading you down the path of being like them, not holding fast to the head. There is a tendency for you to be drawn away with the fanciful claims.

So what do you do? Do not give them attention, period. Who is this person? He has not held fast to his head.

The point is that we cannot be fixated on Christ's finished works and, at the same time, chase people who tell us visions.

Basically, you are being handed an upgraded Jesus, a modified God, through the usurping of the authority of the scriptures. We are not content with the limited framing of scriptures; we are focused on creating other gods based on the words of man and not the words of God.

Remember, when Paul teaches about Christ, he uses the scriptures. Though he had the revelation of Jesus, he uses evidence that other people can verify themselves- the scriptures. And Paul is not one to be lacking in visions and revelations. So this is not an attack on visions and revelation but on those who, as Paul wrote, go on and on about what he has supposedly seen (Colossians 2:18).

Paul did not say believe me because of what I have seen; he said believe me because it is written.

Everybody can see what is written. It is accessible to everyone and verified by anyone. Even Jesus did not say I am going to give you visions to prove to you I have risen from death; he went on a long walk with two disciples and explored the scriptures to explain things (Luke 24:27).

No one can verify what you have seen; we can only take your word for it. But the truth is not meant to be based on taking your word for it (what is private to you); it needs to be based on what God had carefully crafted over centuries: the scriptures. God’s truths are too precious to be left to speculation. Rather, we have a guarantee in the bible. And nothing breeds speculation like a fixation on what you have seen privately.

Peter wanted to explain that there is a difference between what someone claims to have seen and the scriptures.

2 Peter 1:20-21: "Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

Peter said, “above all,” and wants us to recognize that no prophecy of scriptures comes about by the prophet’s own imagination. That is a big statement. It shows that people can imagine stuff, slap the name of God on it, and viola!

Peter distinguishes between the scriptures and what people see— the prophet’s imagination. Some people have more easily excited imaginations, and they constantly say they see things, mentioning God and using that as the basis of their authority over people, the basis for which they should be listened to and regarded as something.

Remember, Paul's problem is not that people have spiritual experiences; his problem is with people whose selling point is that they tell you what they have seen. The only thing that these infinite telling of dreams and visions do is elevate the tellers high in your mind above the word of God. Christ is not elevated in that scenario. A puffing-up happens because you regard yourself as something because of what you claim to have seen (Colossians 2:18).

One effect of being fixated on visions is that it weakens one's attachment to Christ. Paul said, “not held fast to the head.”

These things are not innocent. They are not without spiritual consequences. Christ did not just die and rise from the dead and then go on an extended vacation. The Bible says Christ is actively supporting you now (Hebrews 7:25, 1 Corinthians 1:30).

A fixation on visions does not weaken Christ; it weakens our attachment to him, not through any fault of his but because instead of looking to the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), there is a man or woman with some spiritual claim to what he has seen, drawing our attention away from Christ.

But Jesus says not abiding in him is a recipe for drying up (John 15:6). Note that.

And what these people say is that what they have seen and you listening to them is what will take you deeper growth. But Paul punctured that idea when he said growth is derived from the head, and anything that weakens you from holding fast to the head, which these fixations on dreams and visions do, means your growth is compromised by the things that have been sold to you as being needed for growth.