Heart Problems.

In Colossians 2 we see that Paul gives us this warning about men and their traditions

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Traditions that are contrary to Christ, and are based on the world, and are empty deception. He continues to state these traditions and decrees  of empty deception based on the world INSTEAD of Christ 

Colossians 2:16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Paul is making it clear that the thing that he is speaking against is the traditions of men, not Christ, not God's commandments but commandments of men in self-made religion, not actual authentic obedience to God's word. Where do we see these descriptors that Paul is stating about being judged in what IS food contrary to what Christ states in scripture?  

Mark 7:1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” 6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.7 ‘But in vain do they worship Me,Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 

Christ is rebuking Pharisees and scribes who were passing judgement on people for not obeying their man made religion and traditions- and Christ rebukes them for NOT obeying the commands of God. Paul is writing about these types of people.  The Pharisees were saying the things that GOD has already states are food, were not pure or clean because people did not perform the Pharisaic rituals and traditions. There is a contrast here between obedience to God in actual sincere worship, and the veneration of this man made religious tradition from elders. Paul in his letter to Titus, mentions these people who say that food that God says is clean and pure is made impure by their traditions. 

 Titus 1:15-16 15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

This is exactly what Christ is saying to them in Mark 7. Christ continues to emphasize that the heart is what defiles a person in rejection of God's commands, not man made religious made up doctrine. 

Mark 7:14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) 20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

As Christ rebuked these unbelieving people for casting judgments on that which God has already defined as food for ignoring the commands of God, He emphasizes that the rejection of God's word comes out of the heart and lists violations of God's commands. HE makes mention of the same concept in Luke 

Luke 6:45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Obedience to God is a choice made in the heart. Disobedience is a choice made in the heart. He keeps making this point over and over again. 

Matthew 5:28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Chist didn't dismiss the prohibition against adultery, He emphasized that we're defiled by the choices that we choose in our hearts to disobey God. Paul is not advocating that Christ altered our Unchanging God's commandments and definitions regarding us eating animals that He says are abominations for us to eat which provoke him. What Paul is doing is reaffirming that these men that were Pharisees and unbelieving, which Christ rebuked for NOT obeying God's commandments- were making their OWN man made religion. We see these Pharisees try to rebuke Christ and His disciples over not adhering to THEIR traditional fasting days. 

Luke 5:33 And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

Do you see how this fasting and eating and not eating are tied to these Pharisees who were also trying to judge people who were obeying the commands of God without adhering to their manmade traditions and religious order? Paul in Colossians Two mentioned do not be judged in regard to food or drink. Paul is also speaking on the matter that these man made religious Pharisees brought up when Paul writes in Romans 14

Romans 14: 1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

Paul is making a clear distinction right at the start of Romans 14 that the matter in which he is addressing is OPINIONS, not the Commands of God. he then speaks on eating and not eating, which is literally what fasting is. He speaks on the types of fasts, such as the "Daniel fast " where you only eat vegetables. Some have personal opinions about eating meat or being vegetarians. These matters are matters of opinions when it comes to the word of God, and are by no means Commands of God which the Pharisees were rebuked by Christ for NOT obeying. 

 Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Paul is addressing still that food- as GOD defines it is not unclean. This doesn't mean that dog poop is food, or human flesh, or swine, or aquarium gravel because God defines what is and isn't food. Whatever God has defined as food, is not unclean based one what others say in their man-made religion that ISNT of faith and NOT based on the word of God according to scripture.  Christ, in the same parallel of Mark 7 found in Matthew 15 gives us this essential context into Pauls Romans 14 and Colossians 2 context as it relates to the Pharisees judgements. 

Matthew 15:18 But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”