Col 2:16-19
16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
Again man, I am caught by the force of Paul's focus on Christ. Here is the deal...if anyone focuses on things that are not Christ (by the way, it looks like Paul hits two extremes...the legalist and the hyper spiritualist, which by the way both result in pride) we don't need to sweat them. We also need to be careful to not get "caught up" with them. I think that at times there is huge pressure to be caught up in false guilt. I find that even with myself when I preach, I need to be very careful what "hobby horse" I ride or I can be guilting people over stuff they don't need to sweat either. Again, we need to see Christ, we need to pursue Christ, we need to preach Christ, we need to model Christ. By the way, this does not mean that we are to be "red letter Christians". Christ is seen in the Epistles as much as the Gospels...this is an epistle we are going through isn't it? The worst thing that can happen to us is that we might lose connection with the Head (check Col 1:18). Lord, keep us connected with the head.
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Just got back from YC - perhaps the epitomy of the legalism and hyper-spirituality you refer too ("can i get a shout-out for Jeeeezus!!") *barf* . Lets start our own YC that is underground - no hype, no big name bands, no cheering for Jeeeezus, and...how about some people that are actually from canada?! Apparently we don't have any "great" christians here...they have to be imported (what does that communicate to our kids?).
I think so much of religiuos youth culture has "lost connection with it's Head". Interesting choice of words (or analogy) from Paul by the way - other than chickens and ticks, we die pretty fast after our "head" is cut off eh?
-Beezer
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