Word for Today: Monday, February 4, 2013

Colossians 2:16-23 Avoid Legalistic Spirituality

Memory Verse Colossians 2:20(KJV)

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,”

Every association have rules and regulations which guides its affairs, this is also the case in churches that sets standards of behaviour for her members. Today’s passage highlights some of the dangers that comes from following some of these rules set in churches especially if they are no derived from the examples and teaching of Jesus. It is good to have these rules and regulations to ensure orderliness but it is very dangerous when we focus more on them instead of our worship of God.

Yesterday, I gave a list of some of the Colossian Heresy, below is a continuation of the list.

Paul warns about the dangers of the Colossian Heresy. These dangers are

•        Being cheated through philosophy and vain deceit which depends on human traditions Verse 8.

•        False teachers depriving them of their rewards through false humility

•        The worship of angels

•        False visions

We learnt a great deal in Hebrews about the law; we know from our study that the law was a shadow of the reality that was to come, Hebrews 10. When the substance came, the shadow left. Through the death of Jesus, we gain freedom from the law. If the death of Christ freed us from the law given by God, how much more the law given by men? Since we died with Jesus, we should not imprison ourselves to the law or doctrines made by man.

These Christians in Colosse apparently had a problem with ceremonial food as well as the worship of angels, Paul warned them not to be carried away by these doctrines or judge one another by what they eat. The food we eat cannot draw us closer to God 1 Cor 8:8.

The angelic ministry was very common those days and some people started paying more attention to the angels. When we focus more attention on other things other than on God, we are sinning. Thank God for our study of Hebrews when we learnt that Jesus is greater than angels. Angels are creatures and messengers, Jesus is the creator and son of God, and it is Jesus we should worship.

We need the head to survive; no part of the body can exist on their own. When you decide to exist on your own by following human doctrines and principles instead of focusing your eyes on Jesus, you are depriving yourself of the reward promised by God to those who are faithful to him. Jesus is the head and anyone who does not follow the teachings of Jesus has lost connection with Jesus and he is no longer joined to the head.

 When Jesus died on the cross he freed us from the burden of the law. Instead of focusing on doctrines made by man, let us focus on improving our walk with God. God bless you.