BEING QUALIFIED BEFORE MEN AND GOD (COL 2: 16-19)

BEING QUALIFIED BEFORE MEN AND GOD (COL 2: 16-19):

After conveying about the grace and forgiveness of God, Paul writes about not being disqualified. Paul writes that therefore no one shall pass judgment on them in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. Those are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. There were some practices of Religion and Culture that were followed by the Colossians. They started to be legalistic in following certain protocols for eating and drinking by segregating the things that are clean and unclean. Keeping that within themselves for likes and dislikes wasn’t a problem but they would have slowly developed discrimination in their hearts and actions towards other people who eat what they don’t eat. Also, there were some special days that were given importance with the feast as a festival, among Colossians. Also, the day on which a new moon appears or a Sabbath is also given special observation. Paul asks them that no one shall be hindered in faith because of their practices and pass judgment. Those practices aren’t much essential but the reasons and intentions are much more important, and when it is Godly, the whole thing belongs to Christ.

Also, Paul mentions certain other things that may disqualify them. Paul writes that no one shall disqualify them, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 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. The principle of asceticism insists to be away from the pleasures saying that as worldly, even those that God created good for a purpose, and the worship of the messengers without acknowledging God could cause a greater deviation. Also, there might be visions that are just illusions and constructions of their own mind, without a reason behind it for being sensible before God by directing towards Christ who is the head of the church, for growing in maturity in the Likeness of Christ, having fellowship with one another and God with unity and adaptability.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.      What are the things that no one shall pass judgment on?

2.      Why the author mentions that no one shall pass judgment on them on questions of food and drink?

3.     Why the author mentions that no one shall pass judgment on them on questions of a festival or new moon or a Sabbath? 

4.      What the author means by asceticism and worship of angels?

5.      Why no one should disqualify based on asceticism and worship of angels?

6.      What does the author mention about visions?

7.      Why the author addresses the things that might disqualify?

8.      Is there any shadow-like things that we give importance to in our lives? What are they?

9.      How we can be cautious about the shadow-like things and be strong in the foundational things?

How we can continuously grow in God?