I love Col. 2. But I don't prescribe to the preaching on this forum that this chapter negates the entire Bible and the Word's of the Christ Himself.
Paul says to:
Col. 2:
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him,
and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the
tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ.
9 For
in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Many, who come in Christ's name, would have me believe God's Commandments, Sabbaths and other instructions He gave, as the Word which became Flesh, are "Rudiments of the World and tradition of men.
I don't believe the scriptures support this belief, and Paul certainly didn't.
Acts 24:
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Is. 56:
6 Also the
sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants,
every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
But I also know there will be many who come in Christ's name, who will refuse God's instruction as did Eve, and follow their own mind.
Jer. 6:
16 Thus saith the LORD,(Word which became Flesh) Stand ye in the ways, and see,
and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein,
and ye shall find rest for your souls.
But they said,
We will not walk therein.
Jesus said His Sabbath was "Made for man", not against man as "many" on this forum preach Col 2 says. So given I have been warned that "many", who come in Christ's name, will refuse to "walk" in the Path the Christ created that we should walk in them, I am prepared for these kinds of doctrines, and am sharing them with you all in love of the Brethren.
Since it was the Word which became Flesh that created His Sabbaths, and since He said they were HIS Feasts, and not traditions of men or rudiments of the world, I am given comfort by Paul in Col. 2 regarding following His Path He created as opposed to following the religious traditions of men.
Col. 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.
Christmas, Good Friday, fish on Friday, Venerable day of the Sun, images of God in the likeness of man, etc., these are "shadows" of nothing, they are "vain deceit" preserved by the "philosophy of man", not of the Christ, or the Body of Christ.
But Passover, Feast of Unleavened bread, Feast of Atonement etc., are Shadows of future events and are created by the Holy One to keep us in mind of the Salvation of God. This is why Jesus and Paul walked in the same Path.
We should not let religious men, who reject many of His Sayings, draw us away from His Path.
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,
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.
So in the words of brother Paul:
Rom. 12:
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy,
acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what
is that good, and
acceptable, and
perfect,
will of God.
And we have the promise of the Christ.
John 14:
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
John 14:
21 He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them,
he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.
This is why Abraham and Zechariahs knew Jesus when He came to them, but the Mainstream Preachers of their time did not.
5
