Colossians 2:16 (ESV)
[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.
This verse begins with the words, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you." Verse 8 begins, "Let no one disqualify you." It is difficult to understand how someone else can disqualify you or how you can keep anyone from judging you. Then I remember the negative influence that Peter had on Barnabas in Galatians 2. Speaking of Peter's actions Galatians 2:13 says, "And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy." Perhaps Colossians 2:16 is not about controlling people's attitudes toward us, but about not allowing their attitude to influence our actions. "Let one pass judgment" then does not mean that we somehow must keep others from being judgmental. Rather, it means that we should not be influenced by their judgmental spirit to join in their legalistic approach to the Christian life.
It is amazing how easily we are influenced by the actions and attitudes of others. It is easy to reject the legalism or mysticism of someone if no one else around us is buying in to their deception. When everyone else is taken in by their teaching and/or influence we easily get sucked in also. When an influential child begins to tease or harass another child and all the other children join in even a child who would never normally do such a thing can easily get caught up in the teasing. Adults are really not that much different from children. Someone begins to tell about what a difference in their life some mystical practice has made and how they feel so much closer to God as a result and pretty soon we find individuals and then whole groups buying into their practices without testing it against the Word. Someone begins to passionately explain a new or lost truth they have discovered in the Scriptures that require some form of external legalism to earn God's favor and blessing and before long we are all teaching the necessity of this or that practice without discerning whether this is Christ or simply a "shadow of things to come."
Colossians 2:17 says, "These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." It is so easy to get all caught up in the shadows and miss the real thing. Walking with God is not about shadow rituals or experiences, but about Christ who is the real thing. How many church divisions have occurred and judgmental wounds inflicted by shadows while both sides miss the substance? Father, forgive me for so easily getting caught up in the shadows. Today may I keep my eyes fixed on Christ who is the substance, the real thing.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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