Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

Don’t Follow People’s Rules

¹⁶ So do not let anyone ·make rules for [or criticize; judge; or condemn] you about eating and drinking or about a religious ·feast [festival], a New Moon Festival [2 Kin. 4:23; Neh. 10:33], or a Sabbath day [^Creligious observances that false teachers pressured the Colossians to keep]. ¹⁷ These things ·were like [^Lare] a shadow of what was to come. But ·what is true and real has come and is found in Christ [or the reality/substance belongs to Christ; ^Lthe body (is) of Christ]. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone disqualify you by ·insisting on [or delighting in] self-denial [asceticism; or false humility] and worship of angels. Such people ·enter into [or talk endlessly about; or pin their hopes on] visions, which ·fill them [puff them up] with ·foolish pride [or empty notions] because of their ·human way of thinking [unspiritual/worldly/carnal minds; ^Lmind of the flesh]. ¹⁹ They ·do not hold tightly [or have no connection] to the head [^CChrist]. It is from him that all the parts of the body are ·cared for [supported] and held together through its joints and ligaments. So it grows in the way God ·wants [or causes] it to grow.

²⁰ Since you died with Christ and were made free from the ·ruling spirits [elemental spiritual forces (demons); or elementary teachings; v. 8] of the world, why do you act as if you still ·belong to [^Lare living in] this world by following rules like these: ²¹ “Don’t handle this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t even touch that thing”? ²² These rules refer to ·earthly things that are gone as soon as they are used [^Lthings that all perish with use]. They are only human commands and teachings. ²³ They ·seem to be wise [have an appearance of wisdom], with their ·religious devotion [or forced piety; or asceticism], false humility, and ·harsh treatment [severe discipline] of their bodies. But they ·do not really control [have no value against] the ·evil desires [indulgence] of the ·sinful self [sinful nature; flesh].