‘ From The Shadow To The Substance”
CD No.______
Time: 7/ 14/ 2010 - Wed. N
Text: Colossians 2: 16- 23 -
------Introduction: V.17 – Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. The ordinances in the O.T. were a shadow of the true substance, which is Christ.
I. The Diversity Of Their Teaching
- The Diet….V.16 –Let no man therefore judge you in meat, orindrink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or oftheSabbath days. Now, Paul did not condemn dietary laws, however, he didcondemn them in order to earn credit with God.
The Seventh Day Adventists basically are vegetarians. Anyone would probably be better off physically if they eat the way they do, but there is nothing wrong in eating pork or any other kind of meat for as God is concerned. Now, I have to watch it because of my cholesterol problem.
1 Cor. 8:8 – But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Romans 14:7 – For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost-
- The Day
V.16 – talks about a holy day referring to the Sabbath.
The seventh day Adventist believes in worshipping on Saturday which was the Sabbath under the law. However, Christ was raised on the 7th day, Sunday. We don’t worship on the Sabbath, but Sunday because that is the day Jesus resurrected. ETC.
- Their Dreams or visions
V. 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 word beguile is the word for trick. We are to be careful that we don’t let any cult or religion entice us or trick us in worshipping angels. We are not to worship angels, but God just like the angels do.
We also don’t need to get caught up with these people who are all the time talking about their spiritual visions to try to get you to do what they want you to do.
I am not saying that God cannot speak to us in a dream or impress us by His wonderful Holy Spirit to get us to do what he wants us to do.
When I was fighting off God’s call on my life to preach, He let me see a funeral that was taking place in a dream to let me know that He had a way of getting my attention. I never did see who was in the casket, but I had enough sense to realize that God was going to get my attention one way or another.
However, we have to be careful about these people that are always talking about their visions that they have from the Lord.
The biggest percentage of the time God speaks to us directly through His word. Amen!!
V.18- Last phrase- vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. This doesnot say spiritual mind but fleshly mind. Satan works though our old carnal mind. This is what Satan does with cults and religiouspeople who are all mixed up.
D. The Doing - V.21–Touch not, taste not; handle not.Go To V.20 –Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world-
RUDIMENTS –refers to elementary rules- Trying to live by a set of rules is pretty childish stuff. No one is able to live by a list of rules. This has already been demonstrated in the O.T.
E. The Discipline…..they neglected the body- or abused the body- They beat themselves and brand themselves.
Have you ever noticed the Pharisees who still live in Israel flog themselves on certain holidays, especially around Easter.
There is nothing spiritual or making yourself getting closer to God by abusing your body.
God does not want us to abuse our body in any way, whether it is flogging or putting any thing in our system to destroy it as drugs or alcohol. God wants us to take care of the temple of God to the best of our ability.
The Diversity of Their Teaching
II. The Danger Of Their Teaching
- Their Judging – V.16a Let no man therefore judge you- Amplified- Condemn you WHY? Because Christ canceled the written code.
V.14 –Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary [opposing] to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
Just because we don’t keep the Sabbath day{ Saturday} and abstain from meats especially pork, and we don’t go by visions or mutilate or bodies to get us closer to God, we shouldn’t feel bad if the law keepers condemn us.
Our judge is God, and Jesus nailed all the ordinances and the law to the cross when he died on Calvary.
If you do listen to the cults or religions who are still trying to keep the law, you are going to cause yourself to be put in bondage and live a miserable life.
There was just one person who could keep the Law and that was Jesus when He lived here on the face of this earth. We are no longer living under the law, but grace and we had better thank God for it.
- Their Disqualifying or Defrauding- 18a
V.18a – Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels-
Two things I want to mention from this verse. No.1- falsehumility.
Did you notice the words voluntary humility? Yes, God’s people are to be humble and not arrogant or prideful, but we are not to make ourselves to look humble.
I heard a Godly preacher say one time, people who go around and talk about their humility does not have humility. People show their humility by always exalting Christ and lifting Him, instead of self.
When they do something for Christ or somebody, they don’t go around tooting their horn, they never mention it.
No. 2 – I want to mention losing your reward- Did you notice what Paul said in V.18- Let no man beguile you of your reward.
If you allow the law keeping crowd to get you doing things to impress God or get closer to God or to stay saved, you are going to lose your reward that you have already earned by serving Jesus, who was the law keeper.
- The Misery From Legalism – wont make you happy, but miserable
Martin Luther went down this road before the Lord convinced him- the just shall live by faith.
- The Perishing Means- V. 22 this kind of system collapses- it does no good-
V.22 –Which all are to perish with the using; after the doctrines and commandments of men-
Did you notice the words- doctrines & commandments of men?
They are not God’s doctrines, but mans that they have made up.
Then Paul said; which are to perish with the using.
In other words their doctrines and commandments will perish; they will be to no use and value. Attending or trying to keep man’s doctrines and commandments are a waste of time. There will be no reward for keeping man’s doctrines and commandments, but there will be a reward for keeping God’s word and doctrines-
E.The Hindrance Of Growth
1. Their Guidelines Is Not For Growth, But Show
V.23 – Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship - The word for show is talk or having a reputation.
Will Worship23b- It was all simply will-worship-that is self-imposed-self inspired. It suggests invented- invented worship.
23b –not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh- – God doesn’t honor this type of worship because it is for satisfying and showing off the flesh.
We are not to have any kind of fleshly worship; we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
2. God’s Guideline Is For Growth, Not Show
V.19a And not holding the Head- The Head of the church is Christ. A cult always put something in place of Christ- The Roman Catholic-The Pope.
Then Mary as the one mediator between God and man-Anything that intrudes between the Head and the members of the body cannot be of God.
He calls the members to “HOLD” or get a grip on Christ being the head of the church.
V.19b from which the body by joints and hands have nourishmentministered- He is speaking of how the body is joined together, which is believers.
V.19c – nourishment- A healthy body has to be nourished- Etc.
V.19d- and knit together – All believers, Jew-Gentile are knit together.
Knit- speaks of unity and harmony. All true believers who trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation are knit together in Christ.
V.19e – increaseth with the increase of God. This speaks of our growing in the Lord.When we don’t allow these cults or religions that want to keep the law or mix the law with grace to dominate or influence our lives; then we will grow in the Lord!!!
Conclusion:
“ From The Shadow to The Substance”
The ordinances of the Old Testament were a shadow of the true substance Christ.
Again, when we got saved, God gave us everything that we needed to live the Christian life, including His Holy Spirit and the Bible!
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