Freedom in Christ

Rick Terletzky
1 day ago
3 min read

Colossians 2

[16] Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. [17] These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. [18] Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, [19] and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

As people came to faith in Colossae, you can imagine how difficult it was to remain true to the freedom of the gospel. The city of Colossae was an economic hub of significant importance, which means it gathered a collection of people coming from the surrounding areas. As people came to know Jesus through Paul & Epaphras, they were equally greeted with other messages that taught work-based qualifications to obtain favor with God.

Much of this view of salvation still came from the Pharisees’ misreading of the law of the Old Testament. The law was never given to us by God in order that it would save us, but to reveal the severity of our sin. The law pointed to our need for a Christ to save us. Jesus not only fulfills the legality of the law but also its meaning and judgment. All the laws’ satisfaction is found in Jesus Christ.

Being judged is no picnic. It is easy to shift into a people-pleasing mindset and be persuaded to believe that it is you who has to do something to earn your keep with God. However, the qualification we need to satisfy the consequences of our transgressions is found in Jesus placed upon the cross. The substance of what we need is found in Christ alone.

While we may find meaning within emotional experiences or practicing behaviors, rituals, traditions, or even living out commandments, they should never overshadow Jesus Himself. Legalism becomes our Christ, which chains us to a work-proven salvation that does not save. Jesus saves because He is the authoritative center from which the rest of our faith must flow. Christianity is not certified by spiritual practices or supernatural encounters. It is held together by the truth of Christ found in His Word.

And so are we. We are held together by the truth of God’s Word. If we want to understand who we are, then we need to understand the one who is the truth Himself. As the brain provides direction for the body to function, the Word directs our steps to live in faith; trusting Jesus as the source of the truth of our identity and a resurrected life.

Paul reminds us that it’s Jesus who matures our faith to help us see the difference between false teachings that promote salvation earned by us vs the freedom we have in Christ. By holding to Jesus’ accomplishments and not our own, we will mature as a new creation grafted to Him. Dead work cannot produce new life; it is new life that produces good works. In Jesus, we are free from our dead selves and no longer have to chase behaviors or practices to resolve the guilt of God’s righteous judgment. The good news is this: the Word of God says we are qualified by Jesus; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.