The people of Colossae had been significantly influenced by pagan philosophies that taught perfection could be achieved through self-denial and abstinence from pleasure. As a result, Colossae tended to be an ascetic community that adhered to a religion of severity, and its citizens thought anyone who was religious should behave as they did. Many of the people who had come into the church at Colossae brought their pagan philosophies with them, and they soon began to have an adverse influence on the entire congregation. Paul corrects the people in the church who were doing this, urging them not to worry about what the community thinks about their enjoyment of good food, drinking wine, and joyously celebrating the Sabbath and the festivals. He emphasizes that Christ has conquered the world and its rulers, so there is no need to be concerned about the world's opinions. Paul also instructs the Colossians not to let any man judge them or call them into question about these practices, but rather to let the church, as the body of Christ, make those judgments, pointing them to the example of the spiritual leaders who set the tone and pattern of worship on the Sabbath and holy days.

The Colossian Christians were influenced by an ascetic form of Gnosticism that included regulations and ordinances not found in God's Word, but rather were the commandments and doctrines of men. These false teachings also involved elements of demons and the basic principles of the world, leading them astray from true faith. Additionally, the ascetic Gnostics in Colossae adhered to manmade rules such as "do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," while rejecting the divine command to rejoice with food and drink during God-ordained festivals, thus establishing their own standard of righteousness contrary to His truth.

Colossae, located 10 miles to the east of Laodicea, forms part of a significant triad of biblical cities alongside Laodicea and Hierapolis, often mentioned together in Scripture. These three cities, believed to have been evangelized by Epaphras during Paul's time in Ephesus around 54-56 AD, shared a close geographical and spiritual connection. In Colossians 4, the mention of Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother from Colossae, highlights the personal ties to this area, as does Philemon, his master, who also hailed from there. Christ may have viewed the members of Colossae as cold, not in a negative sense, but as refreshing and invigorating, akin to their water, in contrast to the lukewarm state of Laodicea and the fervent zeal of Hierapolis.