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About-Him.Com Devotional 07-09-2011
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Christ Our Head

Text: Colossians 2:13 ¶  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
 

We once were slaves to sin. Our carnal man was in rebellion against God. Because of the enmity that we held against Him, we had no desire to be bound by what we falsely assumed were His restrictions. When we read the Old Testament, all we could see was, “Thou Shall Not.”  We didn’t take time to reason that the “Thou Shall Nots” were there for a reason. Paul said the  law was a schoolmaster that would bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. When we have come to new life in Christ, we have no further need of a schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24-25). When we are justified by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary, we are considered righteous in the sight of God, and the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to us. We began to see the righteousness of God reflected in our lives, when we let Jesus live His life in and through us.  

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
 

Text: Colossians 2:16 ¶  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
 

Meat and drink was a big dividing point in the early church and still is. Jesus set us free from dietary restrictions by His sacrifice on Calvary. We are free to eat anything that we desire. Of course, common sense still prevails. If we eat pork chops every night, it is safe to say that we’ll soon have a heart problem. Potato chips are delicious and fattening, etc. etc. Jesus said that it wasn’t that which went into our mouths that defiled us, but rather that which came out, such as evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness and blasphemies (Mt. 15:11, 19-20).  

We’ll never know just how effective the simple prayers that we pray to bless our food really are. I'm sure that we've missed a great deal of food borne illness.  

1Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
 

The drinking of wine was not prohibited in the Old Testament, except for the Nazarites (Jud. 13:7).  In the Colossian church, it  was a focal point for those teachers who demanded their followers to live a life of total austerity.  Jesus turned water into wine (Jn. 4:46), so it obviously wasn’t a sin in His eyes. We cannot judge the person  who drinks alcohol without abusing it (Ro. 14:10) , but there are compelling reasons to abstain totally from it. I’ve heard that 8 to 10% of folks who take their first drink will become addicted. That’s a staggering number!  

Proverbs 20:1 ¶ Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.  

Text: Colossians 2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  

The teachers who were misleading the Colossian church, were placing angels on equal status with Christ Jesus. I’m sure their message sounded good, but if it contradicted Jesus, it must be condemned. Paul said that if an angel from heaven preached any other gospel than that which he had preached, let that angel be cursed. One of the fastest growing sects today was founded by the supposed word of an angel.  

Text: Colossians 2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  

The church is the body of Christ  and He is our head. The body receives its necessary nourishment from Him and Him alone. Sad to say, but just like the Colossian church, we are constantly confronted by those who place hurdles in the path of the struggling Christian.  As soon as we reach one goal, they raise the bar a little higher. Don’t touch, don’t taste and don’t handle. Wear your hair and clothes in a prescribed manner and don’t go anywhere where sinners are apt to be present.  

Paul said that these were commandments and doctrines of men.  

Text: Colossians 2:20  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,
21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
 

This does not mean that we are free to do anything that we wish. If we have that attitude, we haven’t crucified our flesh (Gal. 5:16). When we are in Jesus, His voice will tell us when we are walking contrary to His will. His word is given for instruction in righteousness (2Tim. 3:16) and godly pastors watch over our souls and warn us of impending pitfalls (Heb. 13:17).  

Next week in Colossians 3, Paul deals with the real culprits that hinder our Christian walk such as: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of our mouths.  

Somebody Has Said

Before He furnishes the abundant supply, we must first be made conscious of our emptiness. Before he gives strength, we must be made to feel our weakness. Slow, painfully slow, are we to learn this lesson; and slower still to own our nothingness and take the place of helplessness before the Mighty One. - A.W. Pink      

Keep Looking Up!


Don and Marie Spooner
About Him! Ministries


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Last modified: 07-09-2011
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