A Brief Expository on Colossians 2:16-17

Colossians 2:16-17 says: "Therefore 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. These are a shadow of the things that were to
come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the Colossian Christians and warning them not to be judged
by others based on their observance of certain religious customs, such as dietary laws and the observance
of holy days. He tells them that these customs are only a "shadow" of the things that are to come, and that
the true "reality" is found in Christ.

Paul is essentially saying that Christ is the ful llment of these customs and that following him is more
important than adhering to speci c religious practices. He is also warning the Colossians against being
in uenced by false teachers who might try to convince them that these practices are necessary for salvation.
Instead, Paul encourages them to focus on Christ and to rely on him for their salvation.

Overall, this passage highlights the centrality of Christ in Christian belief and the idea that true spiritual
ful llment comes from following him, rather than adhering to speci c religious customs. It also emphasizes
the importance of being on guard against false teachers and not being swayed by their teachings.

The Religious Customs Paul References

It is not entirely clear which speci c religious customs Paul was referring to in Colossians 2:16-17. However,
it is likely that he was referring to some of the customs and practices that were common among the Jews at
the time, such as dietary laws and the observance of holy days like the Sabbath and the various Jewish
festivals. These practices were an important part of Jewish life and were seen as a way of honoring God and
following his commands.

However, Paul is saying that these customs are only a "shadow" of the things that are to come, and that the
true "reality" is found in Christ. In other words, he is saying that Christ is the ful llment of these customs and
that following him is more important than adhering to speci c religious practices. This message was
particularly relevant for the Colossian Christians, who were largely converts from Judaism and may have
been struggling with how to integrate their new faith in Christ with their old religious customs and practices.

Modern Application

There are several key lessons that Christian believers can learn from Colossians 2:16-17. First, the passage
emphasizes the centrality of Christ in Christian belief and the idea that true spiritual ful llment comes from
following him, rather than adhering to speci c religious customs. This reminds us that our focus as Christians
should be on Christ and on living in accordance with his teachings, rather than on external practices or rules.

Second, the passage warns against being swayed by false teachers and the danger of being in uenced by
their teachings. In today's world, there are many people who claim to have the truth and who try to convince
others to follow their beliefs. As Christians, we need to be on guard against these false teachers and to be
discerning about what we believe. We should strive to base our beliefs on the Bible and on the teachings of
Christ, rather than on the opinions of others.

Finally, the passage reminds us that our salvation comes from Christ alone, and that we should not rely on
our own efforts or works to earn God's favor. This is a key aspect of the Christian message, and it reminds
us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and not by our own merits or accomplishments. In
practical terms, this means that we should trust in Christ for our salvation and not try to earn it through our
own efforts. It also means that we should be humble and recognize our own sinfulness and need for God's
grace.
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 A Sermon

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, I want to talk to you about Colossians 2:16-17, which says: "Therefore 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. These
are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the Colossian Christians and warning them not to be judged
by others based on their observance of certain religious customs. He tells them that these customs are only
a "shadow" of the things that are to come, and that the true "reality" is found in Christ. Paul is essentially
saying that Christ is the ful llment of these customs and that following him is more important than adhering
to speci c religious practices.

This message is relevant for us today, because there are many people who try to judge us based on our
religious beliefs and practices. They might criticize us for not following certain rules or customs, or they might
try to convince us that we need to do certain things in order to be true Christians. But as Paul says in
Colossians 2:16-17, we should not be judged by these things, because the true reality is found in Christ.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage reminds us that our
salvation comes from Christ alone, and that we are saved by grace through faith in him, not by our own
works or efforts. In other words, we cannot earn our salvation by following certain rules or customs. Instead,
we must trust in Christ and rely on his grace for our salvation.

So, brothers and sisters, let us not be swayed by the judgments of others or by the false teachings of those
who would try to lead us astray. Let us focus on Christ and on living in accordance with his teachings, and let
us trust in his grace for our salvation. May God bless us all as we seek to follow him. Amen.

What is the logical assumption to deduce by Paul's statement, "These are a shadow of the things
that were to come?" What point is suggested by his use of language in the rest of the chapter?

The logical assumption to deduce from Paul's statement in Colossians 2:16-17 that "these are a shadow of
the things that were to come" is that the speci c religious customs he is referring to are no longer necessary
for salvation. In other words, he is saying that these customs are only a "shadow" or a foreshadowing of the
things that were to come, and that the true "reality" is found in Christ. This suggests that Christ is the
ful llment of these customs and that following him is more important than adhering to speci c religious
practices.

The use of language in the rest of the chapter supports this idea. For example, in verse 14, Paul says that
Christ "canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has
taken it away, nailing it to the cross." This language emphasizes the idea that Christ has ful lled the
requirements of the law and that we are no longer under its condemnation. In verse 17, Paul says that Christ
is "the head over every power and authority" and that we are "complete" in him. This language underscores
the idea that Christ is the source of our salvation and that we are made whole and complete in him.

Overall, the language used in Colossians 2 suggests that Christ is the ful llment of the law and that we are
saved by grace through faith in him, rather than by following speci c religious customs. This message is a
reminder to Christians that our focus should be on Christ and on living in accordance with his teachings,
rather than on external practices or rules.
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 Entire Summary
A. Jesus is a central gure in Christianity and is believed by many to be the "light of the world" and the
source of life and salvation

B. In the Bible, Jesus is often referred to as the light that came into the world to bring hope and salvation to
all who believe in him

C. Colossians 2:16-17 is a passage in the Bible that speaks about the importance of Christ and warns
against being judged based on religious customs

D. In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the Colossian Christians and telling them not to be judged
by others based on their observance of certain religious customs

E. Paul tells them that these customs are only a "shadow" of the things that are to come, and that the true
"reality" is found in Christ

F. It is not entirely clear which speci c customs Paul is referring to, but it is likely that he is talking about
some of the customs and practices that were common among the Jews at the time, such as dietary laws
and the observance of holy days like the Sabbath

G. Paul is saying that Christ is the ful llment of these customs and that following him is more important than
adhering to speci c religious practices

H. This message was particularly relevant for the Colossian Christians, who were largely converts from
Judaism and may have been struggling with how to integrate their new faith in Christ with their old
religious customs and practices

I. Colossians 2:16-17 also contains a warning against false teachers, who might try to convince the
Colossians that certain religious practices are necessary for salvation

J. Instead, Paul encourages the Colossians to focus on Christ and to rely on him for their salvation

K. The passage highlights the centrality of Christ in Christian belief and the idea that true spiritual ful llment
comes from following him, rather than adhering to speci c religious customs

L. It also emphasizes the importance of being on guard against false teachers and not being swayed by
their teachings

M. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul reiterates the idea that our salvation comes from Christ alone and that we are
saved by grace through faith in him, not by our own efforts or works

N. This reminds us that we should trust in Christ for our salvation and not try to earn it through our own
efforts

O. It also means that we should be humble and recognize our own sinfulness and need for God's grace

P. As Christians, we should focus on Christ and on living in accordance with his teachings, rather than on
external practices or rules.

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 Main Idea

The main idea of this conversation is that Colossians 2:16-17 is a passage in the Bible that emphasizes the
centrality of Christ in Christian belief and warns against being swayed by false teachers and the dangers of
following speci c religious customs.

Sub Points

1. Colossians 2:16-17 warns against being judged based on religious customs and says that the true reality
is found in Christ.

A modern application of Colossians 2:16-17's warning against being judged based on religious
customs is that Christians should not let others dictate their beliefs or practices. In today's world,
there are many people who try to judge or criticize Christians based on their beliefs and practices.
For example, some people might criticize Christians for not following certain rules or customs, or
they might try to convince them that they need to do certain things in order to be true Christians.
However, as Paul says in Colossians 2:16-17, Christians should not be judged by these things,
because the true reality is found in Christ. Instead, they should focus on Christ and on living in
accordance with his teachings.

2. The passage suggests that Christ is the ful llment of these customs and that following him is more
important than adhering to speci c religious practices.

A modern application of the idea that Christ is the ful llment of religious customs is that Christians
should not rely on their own works or efforts for their salvation. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul tells the
Colossian Christians that the true "reality" is found in Christ, not in adhering to speci c religious
practices. This reminds us that our salvation comes from Christ alone and that we should not try to
earn it through our own efforts or works. Instead, we should trust in Christ and rely on his grace for
our salvation. In today's world, there are many people who try to convince Christians that they need
to do certain things in order to be saved, such as following certain rules or customs. However, as
Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by our own works.

3. The language used in Colossians 2 underscores the idea that Christ is the source of salvation and that
we are saved by grace through faith in him.

A modern application of the idea that Christ is the source of salvation and that we are saved by
grace through faith in him is that Christians should focus on Christ and on living in accordance with
his teachings. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Christ in Christian belief and
the idea that true spiritual ful llment comes from following him, rather than adhering to speci c
religious customs. This reminds us that our focus as Christians should be on Christ and on living in
accordance with his teachings, rather than on external practices or rules. In today's world, there are
many distractions and competing demands on our time and attention. It can be easy to get caught
up in the things of this world and to lose sight of Christ and his teachings. However, as Christians,
we should strive to keep our focus on Christ and to follow him in all that we do.

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