(ch. 2:16-19.)
(Continued from p. 202.)
As the preceding statements unfold the truth regarding Christian position, ver. 16 opens with a conclusion based on them. In this new place the believer has forever passed out of the region of shadows, and is in possession of the substance. The substance belongs to the Christian economy of which Christ is the center, so that all reality is found in Him and can only be enjoyed by being in union with Him. Therefore no one is to sit in judgment on others because they do not observe ceremonial regulations as to meat and drink, nor because certain days are not kept, whether they are the yearly, monthly, or weekly sacred seasons. Such things have nothing to do with establishing or confirming the believer in his place of acceptance with God, nor in securing favor from God.
The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. Meat does not commend us to God, for we do not come short if not eating, nor gain an advantage by eating (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 8:8). The heart is established with grace, not meats. Those who have been occupied with the latter have not been profited (Heb. 13:9).
Neither for justification nor practical sanctification are any of these things in the smallest way essential. The Christian is not to subject himself to such ordinances. Compare Gal. 4:8-11. Both as to position and practice Christ is unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. To the new man He is all (1 Cor. 1:30,31; Col. 3:10,11).
The contrast in verses 16, 17 of our chapter is given in the terms "shadow" and "body." The latter means substance-the reality; the former suggests that the things spoken of are merely as the shadow is to the man himself when compared with what we have in and with Christ.
Another aspect of Christian liberty may be mentioned here-that in regard to the consideration and treatment of those who are "weak" in the matter of meats and days, and those having a conscience as to eating what was offered to the idol. Compare Rom. 14 and 1 Cor. 8. What is to mark us is a walk "according to love." "Love edifies." We are not to use our liberty so that our weak brother is grieved. We are to "pursue the things which tend to peace, and things whereby one shall build up another." Then, to so use knowledge that our liberty to eat becomes "a stumbling-block to the weak," is "sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience." This is "sin against Christ," as contrary to His mind and spirit, and is injury done to one who is a member of Christ, and with whom we are fellow-members in the one Body. The principles here are of wide application. They direct us in the exercise of that mutual consideration by which the largest measure of edification is realized by each one. "But we ought, we that are strong, to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor with a view to what is good, to edification" (Rom. IS:1,2). If we are strong in faith and knowledge regarding Christian position and liberty, we are to abound in the exercise of love which edifies. Knowledge puffs up. "Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not rejoice at iniquity, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." "By love serve one another." We are to consider how best to provoke one another to such love and the good works which accompany it (Heb. 10:24).
Having disposed of the unchristian ritualism of Judaizing teachers, opposing to it the fact that all that is substantial and enduring centers in Christ, the apostle now deals with false forms of humility and worship which set aside the headship of Christ, and really robbed the saints of their prize, even present blessing and future reward (vers. 18,19).
Here there is the opposite of that love and its service to which we have just referred. There is self-will, pride, and governance by the mind of the flesh. Those thus actuated gain for self at the expense of others. If such influence prevailed over the saints they would be deprived of their reward, Paul warned them. It meant that they would be a prey to what suited man in the flesh, the mind itself being formed as to its moral and religious aspects by the fleshly nature, while there was an affected humility in refusing to approach God except in an indirect way by angelic mediation, on the claim of showing superior reverence. Accompanying this was the vain profession of having new revelations wherein full knowledge was found. This could have only one result. It would take away their hearts from Christ, causing them to lose present joy and blessing in fellowship with Him, thereby producing a spiritual poverty leading to loss at the end.
Against all such fleshly, worldly forms of teaching the apostle had already set up the truth of the believer's immediate access to God by Christ; Christ's absolute preeminence over all ranks of principality and power- all angels; the believer's completeness in Him; the fact that he himself had completed the Word of God, precluding the possibility of new visions or revelations of divine truth; and the effects of the cross by which all that is of the flesh has been cut off for the believer. In the light of these realities, of such substance, as we may say, no place can be found for the vain, meaningless ritualism mentioned in ver. 16, or the proud, fleshly angelotry of ver. 18.
The measure in which we allow Christ to be displaced involves us in a species of idolatry. We are "not holding fast the Head." Failure in this means loss. If our hold weakens, it simply means we will grasp at other things which will not be found to praise in the coming day of revelation. We are not above the warning given to the Colossians.
Not only would the reward in that day be missed, but present blessing could not be enjoyed (as the Head desired it to be by those who were members of the Body) if they failed in holding fast. The forms of teaching here spoken of practically denied true Christian liberty, thus failing to enter into the full knowledge of God as ministered by Paul; and also interposed angels between Christ and His people, thus seriously injuring their blessing and joy in Christ. This practically denied the fulness of Christian access, while professing to have advanced revelation carrying them beyond Scripture. The enemy ever seeks either to diminish or deny the truth, and then introduces what is outside of it altogether as being revelation from God. By these fraudulent means he endeavors to deprive the Lord's people of their prize, whether as present blessing or future reward. The history of the Church is a sad commentary upon his success. Let us beware and hold fast. To hold fast the Head then means, on the one hand, to reject as judged all that is merely the intrusion of the fleshly mind in our spiritual relations and activities; on the other hand, it means to maintain the preeminence of Christ as to all. In so doing we insure the realization of "the increase of God." This is because the Head thus finds opportunity to minister the needed nourishment to the Body, of which we form part, by reason of the relations and connection established between those who are the members of the Body and as such united to the Head.
It is well to notice the different way in which the same word, "Body," is used in these verses. The context determines the meaning. In ver. 19 there can be no question that it is the Body of Christ, since He is spoken of as the Head. In ver. 17 it cannot be so understood since it is in antithesis to "shadow," which in turn refers to meats and days. Here "body" refers to the substance, to what is substantial, abiding, real – this is all "of Christ."
The next two sections (vers. 20-23, and vers. 1-4 of ch. 3) bear a relation to the two short sections just considered (vers. 16, 17 and vers. 18, 19). This, however, will be taken up in our next study.
(To be continued, D. V.)