July 4
“Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ,” Colossians 2:16-17.
The members in the congregation at Colossae were being troubled by the Judaizers, who were causing divisions in the early Christian congregations with their false teachings. The Judaizers insisted that all of the Old Testament Ceremonial Laws must also be kept and observed in the New Testament Churches.
In the Old Testament times, the Lord distinguished between clean and unclean animals. The general rule was that the people could eat the meat of animals which chewed a cud and which had a cloven or split hoof. There also were some stipulations with reference to drinking wine and other intoxicating beverages. (See Leviticus 10:8-11 and chapter 11, and Numbers 6:1-4.)
The false teachers also insisted that all of the great festivals of the Old Testament must be kept. Likewise, the Judaizers insisted that the observances of the new moon and the Sabbaths should be kept. The new moon marked the beginning of a month, and it was observed as a holy day. The early Christians chose to worship on Sunday, which also conflicted with the Old Testament practice of worshiping on the Sabbath Day, Saturday.
Now, in this Epistle, Paul writes, “Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths.” Don’t let anyone tell you which food or drink you can or cannot consume, or on which day you must worship.
Today, we must still contend with the same teachings in certain churches. There are those who teach that we should still be worshiping on Saturday. There are those who teach that you should not eat meat on a certain day, and especially not during the man-made Lenten season. There are those who teach that it is a sin to drink any type of alcoholic beverage.
Oh, indeed, the Word of God speaks about excessive eating and drinking, which still applies in New Testament times. However, Paul writes that the Old Testament rules and regulations were, “A shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” The Old Testament ceremonies kept before the eyes of the people the promises of God to send a Savior. We think especially of all of the sacrifices. When Christ came, that was the end of performing sacrifices.
To the Galatians, the apostle wrote, “You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain,” Galatians 4:10-11. They also were troubled by the Judaizing false teachers, and were tempted to observe the Old Testament rituals.
The Old Testament ceremonies and sacrifices pointed to the coming of Christ, our Lord and Savior, who sacrificed Himself on the altar of the cross at Calvary. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote, “(God says,) ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin,” Hebrews 10:17-18.
God is not impressed or pleased with all of the man-made rules and regulations which some false religious leaders dream up and which they insist must be followed in order to get to heaven. Remember the clear words of Scripture: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” Ephesians 2:8-9.
Dear God, keep us in the saving faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus, who loves us and who shed His holy, precious blood to wash away our sins. We pray in His name. Amen.