Paul acknowledges that there is a real appearance of spirituality in the teaching of some men. They call us to stand up and do something for Jesus’ sake, but they call us to deny ourselves in extreme ways. These ways were so extreme that Paul calls it severity to the body. Paul says these human means and ideas are of no value to stopping sin. They are self-made religion. The rules we follow as Christians are not made up by men, but rather commanded by God. At their root is love: love for God and love for man. God takes pleasure when we turn from our sinful ways to obey His commands. He does not take pleasure in our starving or denying ourselves in ways He has not told us to do.
