Slideshow image

16 Let no man therefore trouble your consciences about meat and drink, or in respect of a holy day, such as the holy day of the new moon, or the Sabbath days. 17 These are nothing but shadows of things to come, but the substance is in Christ.

 

In these verses Paul instructs believers not to let others judge them regarding old religious rules on diet, festivals, or Sabbath days. He explains that these ceremonial practices were merely temporary "shadows" pointing forward to Jesus, who is the permanent "substance" or reality.

First of all, I do not believe that Paul is telling his followers to discard the 10 Commandments, regarding keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I think he was referring to traditional Jewish ceremonial and calendar observances.

Paul was writing to new Christians who are having to defend their beliefs to their friends and neighbors. Aren’t we lucky to be surrounded by a community of Christians who have had centuries to understand that Christ came to earth to save us from ourselves?

The Old Testament rules previewed Christ, and now that He has come, Paul is telling his audience that people should focus on Christ, rather than rigid rituals. The key point here is that we are encouraged to center our faith on the reality of Jesus Himself and what He did for us.

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful for the many influencers in my life that point me towards the true Christianity. I ask that you walk with me today so that I can share my faith with others. Amen.

Donna DeMauro

donna@demaurostl.com

 

Prayer Concern: Those who get distracted by false idols