This word is a fairly short one J. The other day I was doing my daily scripture reading when this
verse stuck out to me:
Col 2:16-23 ESV Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in
questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a
Sabbath. (17) These are a shadow of the things to come, but
the substance belongs to Christ. (18) Let no
one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in
detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, (19) and not holding fast to the Head, from whom
the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments,
grows with a growth that is from God. (20) If with
Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were
still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— (21) "Do not handle,
Do not taste, Do not touch" (22)
(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to
human precepts and teachings? (23) These
have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and
asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the
indulgence of the flesh.
What really got me to stop and think about this for a minute was
verse 23 where it says "they are of no value in stopping
the indulgence of the flesh." As I read that I had to go
back and look at what has no value to stop the flesh. I mean that is something
that we struggle with so much! I wanted to know what would essentially be me
"spinning my wheels." That is where I would like us to look at for a
few minutes.
In verses 16-18 & 20-22 we see a lot of different things. I
read these in a heart of prayer, seeking the Lord for a clear word. As I prayed
this out the Lord showed me how this applies to us. Though before I write that
I would like to look at those verses from the message version:
Col 2:16-18 & 20-22 MSG So don't put up with anyone pressuring you in
details of diet, worship services, or holy days. (17) All those things are mere shadows cast before
what was to come; the substance is Christ.
(18)
Don't tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and
scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek
out visions. They're a lot of hot air, that's all they are. (20) So, then, if with Christ you've put all that
pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be
bullied by it? (21) "Don't touch this! Don't taste that!
Don't go near this!" (22) Do you
think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of
attention?
I am sure that we have all seen and/or heard people go off on all
kinds of tangents about angels and demons, about how one day is better than the
other, that one must speak in tongues to be saved, how to pray on the armor of
God, etc... I am sure you get the idea. I have been guilty of many of these
things. Running on all kinds of tangents within the church. Saying that this,
or that is vitally important! Though verse 23 says that "they are of no value in stopping
the indulgence of the flesh" and that they “have indeed an appearance of
wisdom.” If this so called wisdom doesn't stop the flesh, then what is able to stop the indulgences of the flesh?... That’s right the one
verse we have not looked at yet J.... So let’s look now:
Col 2:19 ESV and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body,
nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a
growth that is from God.
The "Head" is Jesus! So many times it is so easy for us
to run away with church doctrine, saying this is right or that is right. But so
many times on these "rabbit holes" we do not hold fast to our Head,
Jesus Christ!!! It is when we lose hold of Him, when we lose eye contact with
Him we run into a false wisdom, that has "no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." This verse is fitting here:
Rom 13:14 NKJV But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh, to fulfill its
lusts.
.... Now I am not saying that all church doctrine is bad, or that
topics within the church are not important. The point of all off this is to see
how to arm ourselves to stop the indulgences of our flesh! The only answer is
to "hold fast to the Head" Jesus Christ!
1. What are some of the “rabbit hole” wisdom(s) either you have ran
on, or have heard others harp on?
2. In light of our ministry, how have you held fast to Jesus?
3. How has holding onto Him kept you from sinning in your flesh?
Your Brother in Christ
Grace and Peace be with you
Nate Cook, Setting Captives Free Team Member
And Jesus said to me:
Eze 3:10b-11a "...Receive into your heart
all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears, and go, get to the captives..."
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