By: Dale Weckbacher
Colossians 2:16-17
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. 17 These
are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
(ESV)
During a recent visit to my doctor for my annual physical, I
was watching the video on the screen in the waiting area. Along with videos on health tips, the screen
also displayed the members of the staff along with their education and work
experience. This same information is
also available on the clinic’s web page.
Prior to these digital tools, doctors would hang a copy of their diploma
on the wall showing they had completed the necessary educational requirements
for becoming a doctor. However, the
digital technology of today allows us to not only see their educational
qualifications but also the extent of their work experience, providing patients
with a full resume of their doctor’s qualifications.
Unfortunately, the assignment of the label of Christian in
our society often occurs due to erroneous qualifications. Some believe that just being born in a
certain country or in a certain family is qualification enough to make them a
Christian. This is equivalent one
believing they qualify as a doctor simply by having a parent that is a doctor
or living in a community with doctors and great medical facilities. While we may have come from a Christian home
and live in a community with great churches, this does not qualify us to have
the title of Christian. So what does
qualify an individual to become a Christian?
1)
Christ, not religious regulations or traditions
(Colossians
2:16-17) – The main theme of the Book of Colossians is the preeminence of
Christ. In Colossians
2:6-15, the Apostle Paul cautions the Church about falling prey to empty
philosophy and deceit (Colossians
2:8). Instead of religious
traditions, a Christian establishes their faith through a personal relationship
with Jesus, or God Himself (John
1:1). Religious traditions regarding
things like dietary regulations, observance of religious festivals, and even
strict observance of the Sabbath are but symbolic of things fulfilled in
Christ. Being a Christian, or one
following Christ, is not about clinging to these symbolic practices but instead
about an intimate personal relationship with God through the work of Grace on
the Cross (Ephesians
2:8).
2)
Belief in the revelation of God contained in
Scripture (Colossians
2:18-19) – In the age of instantaneous communication, we may come across
someone professing to have some new revelation from God. While their words may seem enticing, they are
only biblical to the extent they align with the Bible. The heresy of the time of Paul were Jewish
believers trying to require Gentile converts adherence to Jewish laws and
traditions. While it may have seemed highly
spiritual for a Gentile convert to adhere to the laws and traditions of the Old
Covenant, it is actually a denial of the finished work of Jesus on the
cross. Not wanting to have the recent Gentile
converts in Colossi held captive to these laws and traditions, the Apostle Paul
encourages finding qualification for being a Christian in the Cross and God’s
grace.
3)
Not our resume but the resume of Jesus (Colossians
2:20-23) – If we were to present our resume to God, he would not see our
good works but the words of Romans
3:23. No matter how full our resume
may be with good works and adherence to religious traditions, the fact that we
have sinned disqualifies us from being a Christian. Instead, becoming a Christian requires
presentation to God of Jesus’ resume which has the qualification of a sinless life,
sacrificial obedience to God through His death on the Cross, and victory over
death through His resurrection. We
present this resume to God through acceptance of Jesus as our Savior.
If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your
savior or have drifted away from your faith, I encourage you to pray with me
now,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my
sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe you died, was
buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.
Congratulation, you now have all the qualifications
necessary to be a Christian. However,
just as a doctor receives their title after completion of medical school, it is
not until they begin practicing medicine that the title has value. I therefore, encourage those that just prayed
to begin practicing Christianity through study of the Bible, prayer, and
finding a church teaching the Bible. In
addition, just as medical doctors take time to attend conferences and associate
with other doctors, Christians must associate with other Christians through
Church attendance, small groups, and Bible
studies.
Thankfully, being a Christian is not about my lack of
qualifications due to being a sinner (Romans
3:23) but the work of Grace on the Cross (Ephesians
2:8).
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