Jesus Christ sets us free from the rituals and routines of the churches.

Colossians 2:16-19

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16-17

Paul encouraged the Colossians not to feel shame or guilt by the judgment of the Jewish leaders. The Jewish leaders required a strict diet in the foods they could eat and drink, required honoring annual holy days, honoring the New Moon Festivals, or attending Church/synagogue every week. In the liberty that Jesus Christ brings, in the Spirit, we are free to eat and drink what we want, we don’t need to attend Christmas or Easter services, and we don’t even need to attend church on Sundays. Our relationship with God is from within our heart, through the Spirit, whom we receive through Jesus Christ.

The things written in the Old Testament are part of the “scarlet cord” pointing to Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, who brought the New Covenant [New Testament]. They were the shadow of the things to come, such as animal sacrifices to atone for sin was a shadow of Jesus Christ being the Lamb of God to atone for the sin of the world [once and for all]. Jesus Christ is the reality, or substance, of the things foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

“Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind…” Colossians 2:18

The Jewish leaders, who demanded allegiance to the laws of the Old Testament, were intruding into things they didn’t have a clue about. They were intruding into people’s belief in God, people living in the Spirit from their heart, and acknowledging Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of all sin. The Jewish leaders were vain, proud, filled with ego, and puffed up by their influential standing in Judaism. They didn’t have the experience of being born again, not a clue of what it was like living in the Spirit and being set free by Jesus Christ. They were intent on cheating believers from living for Jesus Christ, to rob them of the reward of the Holy Spirit and eternal life.

False humility is to act humble to disguise or hide pride, and that is exactly what the Jewish leaders were doing to seduce and persuade the Colossians away from Jesus Christ. Worship of angels would be to name-drop entities associated with being angelic in order to make the Colossians think it was saintly to follow the ways of the Jewish persuasion. “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Click for a post on Colossians 2:4-10 about how we serve Jesus Christ, not compliments, flattery, angelic essences, smooth words, good works, etc.

Zachariah 10:5a talks of how we have victory in the mire of soggy and wet human sentiments.

“…and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:19

Paul made it clear to the Colossians that the “angelic” and “humble” Jewish leaders did not hold to faith in Jesus Christ, did not live in the freedom of the Holy Spirit, and were not living in the will of God. They had no intent to nourish, bond together, and cause the Church of Jesus Christ to grow.

We live in a world culture today that has “angelic” and “humble” goals of saving the planet, humanity, and the whole ecosystem. However, they also oppose belief in God, scoff at the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and do not live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Their life is guided by the atheistic entity that gives them what to feel, think, say and do. This entity enlivens the image of the beast to live and speak through people. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11