It would be silly to give the height of our attention and the exuberance of our celebration to the Olympic trials – they are only a foretaste of the real thing. It would be foolish of us to spend a week staying at the coast watching videos of people enjoying the beach and return home to say that we had a great time at the ocean without ever having gotten any sand between our toes or salt-water on our skin.
The Spirit of God teaches us the same things about religious observances which are like mere shadows (Col 2:17) of the Person they signify. The main thing is Jesus but we miss him altogether if we give the substance of life to "Christian" habits.
Jesus has given us commands that are to be obeyed but if we do not enjoy the person of Jesus intimately through His Holy Spirit, we are trying to enjoy a relationship with the shadow of a person while convincing ourselves that we really know Jesus personally. Without the fellowship of the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7, 2 Cor 13:14), we are relating only to the shadow of Jesus.
"Rules like this are concerned with things consumed by being used [not by being avoided!], and they are based on man-made teachings. They give the outward appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed religious observances, false humility and self-denial; but they have no value at all in restraining people from indulging their old nature" (Col 2:22-23). "it is in union with him that you have been made full" (Col 2:10).
Do you know Him? Are you enjoying Him? Are you full? He wants you to be. He died and was resurrected so you could be whole with Him. He has gifted us with His Spirit for this very purpose. Don't settle for smelling the aromas of the feast. Pull up a chair and enjoy!
The Spirit of God teaches us the same things about religious observances which are like mere shadows (Col 2:17) of the Person they signify. The main thing is Jesus but we miss him altogether if we give the substance of life to "Christian" habits.
Jesus has given us commands that are to be obeyed but if we do not enjoy the person of Jesus intimately through His Holy Spirit, we are trying to enjoy a relationship with the shadow of a person while convincing ourselves that we really know Jesus personally. Without the fellowship of the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7, 2 Cor 13:14), we are relating only to the shadow of Jesus.
"Rules like this are concerned with things consumed by being used [not by being avoided!], and they are based on man-made teachings. They give the outward appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed religious observances, false humility and self-denial; but they have no value at all in restraining people from indulging their old nature" (Col 2:22-23). "it is in union with him that you have been made full" (Col 2:10).
Do you know Him? Are you enjoying Him? Are you full? He wants you to be. He died and was resurrected so you could be whole with Him. He has gifted us with His Spirit for this very purpose. Don't settle for smelling the aromas of the feast. Pull up a chair and enjoy!
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