Thoughts about Colossians 2, 16-19

Paul writes in Colossians 2: 16-19: "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow."

Since these verses are very often are used, to explain, that we are no longer have to hold the dietary laws, Sabbath and the feasts of God. Let us take a closer look on these verses.

What is a shadow? In the dictionary from Duden I found the following statement: "A shadow is - (more or less sharply delimited) in the shade of a body lying cut out an otherwise of direct light sunlit surface, depicts out dark  out of the lighter surrounding.

Range that is not directly reached by the light of the sun or other light source, and in which therefore just muted brightness, semi-darkness [and cool at the same time], is available.

Body, shape, or the like, which (in that they are out of a lighter background stand out) just in outline, only schematically recognizable as a silhouette.

Dark point, dark spot that appears on something.

(Pictorially) as a shadow watched body of a deceased, Isolated (in the realm of the dead the antiquity)

Middle High German schate (we), Old High German scato, related to Greek Skotos = dark " (http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Schatten)

The Greek word that was translated as shadow is σκιά; and the translation ways are shadows, silhouette.

If you look at the first verse, you can recognize, that the body, which casts the shadow, is Jesus Christ. The shadow or Silhouette, that is generated through Jesus Christ, are the commandments and ordinances of God, which all was been lived by Jesus. The early Christians held the dietary laws, Sabbath and the feasts of the Lord. Because of these way of life they were sued by the Gentiles; and have been made ​​a bad conscience to them, because they living just different. They also should because of their lifestyle been attacked from a grouping, which angels worshiped. Therefore Paul encouraged them in verses 16-19 continue to hold out, in what Jesus Christ has shown us through his life, and themselves do not let make a bad conscience because they follow the dietary laws, Sabbath and the feasts of the Lord.

If Paul with these verses have to them declared, that the dietary laws, Sabbath and the feasts of the Lord are no longer valid, then the verses would be 20 - 23 give no sense.

In Colossians 2: 20-23 we read: "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

The dietary laws, the Sabbath and the feasts of the Lord, are clearly given by God and thus certainly not the commandments and doctrines out of human. Commandments and doctrines of human are for example stricter dietary laws given from the scribes and Pharisees, Sabbath provisions, and fictitious rituals for the feasts of the Lord, as well as festivals and holidays that were yet done by the religious leaders. Exactly because of these things Jesus Christ has already attacked the scribes and Pharisees.

Paul told the Colossians, that they should not make yourself a bad conscience, because of these commandments and teachings made from human, because through Christ they're already died to the influences of the world.

Today we see, how justified are the worries of Paul. Many who claim to be Christians, have rejected God's commandments and his statutes and follow the commandments and doctrines of human, which have an appearance of wisdom, but in fact they are not worth anything.

For centuries, the word of God will be twisted and raped, just to get reasons why the commandments and doctrines of men (Sunday, Christmas, Easter, ...) are kept; and God's commandments and his statutes (dietary laws, Sabbath, feasts of the Lord), no have more validity.

Paul exhorts the Colossians in Colossians 3, 1 - 4 with the words: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

Above, where Christ is, there is also the Torah of God.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Amen (Psalm 1, 1-6)

Thoughts on separation from the world

The seventh proof for genuine and true faith is the separation from the world.

In Wiktionary we find defined for separation: Is the intent or the result of the decision, to stay away from something or someone. (http://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Absonderung)

Thus it follows that a true believer has made ​​the decision for themselves, to stay away from worldly things. That would mean, that the true believer no longer wants to possess, this luxury items touted from the world and according to advertising as essential for perfectly in this world live. A believer who is led by the Holy Spirit, has realized that all these luxuries is completely useless to attain, true happiness and peace of God.

This is a reason why the Apostle Paul writes in 1.Corinthians 2, 12: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."

This sentence confirms that a true believer, this is someone who has received the Holy Spirit, themselves without compulsion and of pure love for Jesus Christ, will abide the commandments and the statutes of God. That will be his entire efforts and he will no longer align his whole strength and his thoughts, how he can finance an even bigger house, a more luxurious car, even more travel, more expensive watches, etc.

Before this warns us the Apostle John in 1.John 2.15-17 very clearly with the words: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."

Considering this more than clear words I cannot understand, why so many purported Christians himself permanently refuse to do the will of God! Is it possible, that false doctrine over centuries has made ​​people blind and deaf?

The will of God, are his commandments and his statutes, which he hath given unto Moses. His will has never changed, because he applies forever. Even Jesus Christ obeyed his father's will, and made clear more than once, that he would save only those who believe in him, and do his will.

The result is automatically, that the Torah (five books of Moses) have eternal validity. Therefore keep true believer the Sabbath and the feasts of God and not those from humans established Sunday and the festivals which people have invented! The Sunday and the festivals of the people are from this world, but the Shabbat, the feasts of the Lord and the Torah are from God!

That is why the Apostle John wrote in 1.John 5, 5: "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

I beg you, to ask you these question; why the world do not hate you. Examine yourself at the Word of God (the bible), and also check everything what you hear or read about these things. But let you just help from the Holy Spirit! Read the Bible and ask God in prayer for help. This will bring you much closer to your salvation, than any Christian teaching from human made.

May God bless you and bring you on the right path! Shalom

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah. You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue! Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.  Amen

(Psalm 52)

Thoughts about genuine humility

As a third proof of real and true faith, we have true humility.

But we should know what humility means, for without this knowledge we cannot recognize for ourselves, whether our humility is really! Thus we can find in Wikipedia following statement: "In the Christian context it referred the attitude of the creature to the Creator analogous to the relationship from slave to the Lord; more generally, the" virtue which can emerge from the awareness back to staying behind the aspired perfection (God, moral ideal, exalted idol)."

Humility plays a special role in Jewish and Christian thought. In the Old and New Testament humility is an essential characteristic of the true believer, the person who is right with God. The root of the used Hebrew word contains the meanings of "to bend" or "bow down". In the Old Testament Humility is the opposite from arrogance. (Proverbs 29, 23)."

(http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demut)

True humility is therefore the absolute submission, the bow before our Creator. Not because God is a tyrant, but because we love him so. This total dedication to God requires absolute obedience, which also means that we not only respect his commandments and laws, but these also comply without contradicting. Our Lord Jesus Christ, has pre show us, exactly this Humility prior God.

In our time, where preached, self-realization and do yourself good, the most people refuses vehemently against this humility. Today many people are of the opinion to be a Christian, but that they have to humble themselves, they do not want to hear. The proclamation of a soggy-gospel and the misguided teaching that the Old Testament is today no longer valid; are for this responsible. So are being many people deceived and about the redemption defrauded, which in turn indicates that the Pharisees and scribes are not extinct, today they have other designations. About that the apostle James writes in the New Testament in James 4, 6: "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." And further to 4, 9 - 10: "Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Without genuine humility there will be no mercy, and many this will have to realize, when they will appear before the throne of the Lord. But then already it may be too late. You can read the Bible. The Bible is not secret doctrine. Anyone can understand what is written in the book of the Lord. So do not rely on teacher and self-proclaimed Bible teacher. The Word of God has eternal validity and Jesus Christ himself has declared that not even a dot or a comma is changed until the end of this world.

If you have recognized, that it is the will of God, to keep and hallow His commandments, His Sabbath, His laws and its festivals, then you should be do it. All this is proclaimed in his word, so it must be important for him! Anyone who has true and genuine faith, really loves God and humble themselves before him and want to fulfil his wishes and orders without question.

I wonder now, why we celebrate festivals since centuries, which has invented a Roman emperor, who claimed to be Christian? Why people since the same time think Sunday is the Lord's Day, however this day has been arranged by this Roman emperor? Not one of these Celebrations or Sunday is mentioned in the Bible!

Why people which read the Bible, do not think about such things? Are they so uninterested or so caught up in their churches, that they believe human words more than the word of God?

I personally noticed this contradiction immediately. Immediately after I became a believer and I had read first time the Bible. However, in the community in which I was at that time, nobody could give me a plausible and credible explanation. Yes, to this day no one was been able to explain me this contradiction. But a few weeks ago, when I was praying about it, I suddenly had a thought in my head, the did not want to disappear. He was: "Man is a creature of habit!"

Then I realized that yes this idolatry of Sunday, Christmas, Easter, ..., has been practiced for centuries, so that it was for the people to normalcy.

What people need today are courageous prophets, who proclaim the Word of God in truth and take up the fight against the powerful churches. Precisely such men, Jesus promised in Matthew 5, 12: "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Here as well, is: try yourself in all honesty at the Word of God. Let the Bible be your main textbook and you'll realize why this world also loves the Christians!

I wish you, that thou also humbly before God, grows in faith and joyful heart with the psalmist of Psalm 51:15 can shout: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken. Amen

(Psalm 15)