Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Colossians 2:16-23.

 

^“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 mere 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.”  Colossians 2:16-23.

——————

We come now to the “Therefore” of how we should act.  Remember the prior Scripture:  “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, … When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us;  and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”  Colossians 2:10-14.  Christ gives us freedom.  

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free;  therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.  … For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”  Galatians 5:1 and 5.   

^“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted;  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;”  Isaiah 61:1

“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.  For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.”  Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.  For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy;  mercy triumphs over judgment.”  James 2:10-13.

“Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.  But their minds were hardened;  for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;  but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”  2 Corinthians 3:12-18.

In the prior Scripture, Moses represents the Law, most notably the Ten Commandments.  There are those who cling to the Law.  It is like a veil is over their hearts.  But, through God’s grace and His Spirit, “whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” and “there is liberty”.  And, our Lord gives us more than just freedom;  our Lord transforms us into His image.  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror theglory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 

In conclusion, on the one hand, we have the Law and slavery to all kinds of “self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence”.  On the other hand, we have faith in Christ and freedom and a transformation and growth that “comes from God”.  “Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain— if indeed it was in vain?  So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:3-5.  “It was for freedom that Christ set us free;  therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1.