Raised With Christ

 

Hello my brother, hello my sister, my name is Dean Davis and this is Multiply, a podcast that provides a word of encouragement for village church planters.

People in this world have all sorts of rules they think will deliver us from corruption and lead us to a better life.  Some of the rules they live by are mere superstitions.  For example, some people in my country never walk under a ladder.  They think if they do so, it will bring them bad luck.  I have walked under ladders many time.  It never brought me bad luck.  Even so, many people live by that rule.

Some people have very strict rules about what they eat.  For example, my wife had some friends who never ate potatoes and beef in the same meal.  They believed if they avoided this combination of foods, they would not grow fat.

Some people have rules about what kinds of food they should eat.  They follow the law of the Old Testament and refrain from eating pork and catfish. They forget that God said we should not call anything unclean that He has made clean.  What are the man-made rules that people in your village are convinced are so important to keep?

When Paul wrote the the Colossian believers he was concerned that their attention was misplaced.  He asked, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:  “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?  These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Paul knew that the Colossians had repented of their sins and put their trust in Christ.  But he observed that they were still living like unbelievers, following human rules that really had no long-term value at all.  When people follow rules that have no value, they are distracted from what is truly important, their new life in Christ and walking in the goodness of God.

As a church planter, Paul wanted to set people free from human superstitions, religious practices, and harsh rules that seemed smart but did nothing to set people free to enjoy their new life in Christ.

Now there are many rules that we should keep. We must obey Jesus’ commands. We must love God with our whole heart.  We must love our neighbor as ourselves.  But followers of Jesus are free to ignore human traditions and rules which lack real value.

As a disciple maker, trust God for wisdom to help your people find true freedom in Christ.  You can be sure they will not find it in man-made rules. What a joy it will be to see them set free.

This is Multiply.  Be encouraged, God is with us! EC-15

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #Colossians #FreedomInChrist

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