What is the meaning of Colossians 2:16?

By Calvin Burrell

This second chapter of Colossians contains a series of warnings against false teachings that threatened the church in Colosse. “Let no one deceive, or cheat, or judge, or spoil you,” Paul says, “with persuasive words” (v. 4), by philosophy and man’s traditions (v. 8), in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,” (v.16), or “in false humility and worship of angels” (v.18).

Scholars recognize in these terms the elements of a syncretistic brand of first-century faith that would later be called gnosticism.  It blended Christian and Judaic elements with astrological, angelic, philosophical and ascetic influences.  Paul objected to this perverted mixture of man-made religion because it refused to recognize the supremacy of Jesus and the salvation He brought.

Note the emphasis given to Christ throughout this passage:

* in Him are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (v. 3);

* in Him all the fullness of the Deity lives (v.9);

* we are complete in Christ (v. 10);

* He is the true circumciser and baptizer (vv. 11, 12);

* He raises us, forgives us, and defeats our enemies (vv. 13-15);

* Jesus is our head (v. 19).

Paul’s primary burden in this chapter is to uphold the essential nature of faith in Christ, when compared with other forms of religious expression.

Not that all other expressions are wrong.  Many of the elements Paul mentions in Colossians chapter 2 have a place in the life of faith:  good philosophy, Christian baptism, wholesome eating and drinking, the fruit of self-control, and respect for the role of angels.  It is not the use of food and drink or holy days that Paul deplores in verse sixteen, but their misuse. Why, then, should we employ this text to abolish the joyful observance of a weekly Sabbath kept in honor to Christ?  No, we need not force the text in this manner!

The message of this book is that none of these religious elements separately, or as a package, can take the place of Christ.  Paul is no more against the Sabbath here than he is against eating and drinking.  He is, however, against anything that effectively dislodges Christ from the central and pre-eminent position in our faith (see Colossians 1:13-19; 2:2, 3, 9, 10, 17; 3:1, 11).

Paul consistently supports the moral law of God as a standard for human conduct, but not as a method for personal salvation.  In Colossians alone, he alludes to nine of the Commandments–and to all ten if the meeting in 2:16 is on Sabbath.

Understood in this way, these tough texts agree fully with other Scripture, and the Bible is unanimous:  the Sabbath is God’s gift for the benefit of His people, designed for ceasing routine labor and practicing the priority of Christ and His Kingdom.

Enjoy the gift!

Calvin presently serves as the secretary of the BSA board.

Free Family Sabbath Resource – Sabbath Kids!

 

On this website, you will find many resources to help impart life-long lessons from the Word of God into your children on the Sabbath, such as:

– Videos about Bible Stories

– Online Coloring tools

– Bible-based games

And More!

Just click the link below to access this FREE resource!

 

http://www.sabbathkids.com/

I Go, Sir!

By Lenny Cacchio

 

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?” (Matthew 21:28-31 NKJV)

Do a study of the kings of the Old Testament, and be by how many began their reigns by honoring God, but then drifted from total commitment to apathy and eventually to complete apostasy.

Even before Israel had a king, God had warned Israel of the dangers of power, money, and women and their corrupting influence upon national leadership (Deuteronomy 17:14 – 17). Too few leaders either then or now have heeded this warning.

Two kings, one an Israelite and one a Gentile, offer an object lesson. The Israelite had all the advantages of a vision and mandate from God, all the wisdom the Holy Spirit could give,  peace, wealth, honor, and security.  God even talked to him in visions.  Yet he turned from God and built high places to Moloch and Chemosh.  That was the tragedy of Solomon.

The Gentile king began as a tyrant and a terror to the house of Judah. He conquered and deported the entire nation.  He was pompous and powerful, and worshiped the false gods of his fathers.  Yet, near the end of his life, after an encounter with the true God, this Gentile king declared, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” (Dan 4:37 NKJV)

I once heard a preacher say that it’s not so much how you begin the race, but how you end it. While that might not precisely true (one who runs the race correctly from start to finish has great advantages, it is certainly better to end well than begin well.  This we see in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21.  Saying “I go, sir” is not enough; it’s the act of going that counts

Posted 30th June 2016 by Lenny Cacchio

Lenny Cacchio has a blog on the Bible Sabbath Association website. You can follow him at the following weblink: http://biblesabbath.org/index.php?pr=Lenny_Cacchio_Blog

Choice Stories For Children

by Ernest Lloyd

This book contains nearly 40 short stories written during the late 1800s. Every story has an important lesson to build good character. The stories were selected from four out of print books; Scrap Book Stories; Golden Grains vol. 1 and vol. 3 and Lost Jewels.

Stories will convey character traits such as how to avoid temptation and respecting property rights. They are great reads to children and grandchildren!

You can use these stories as a template to come up with more to teach your children.

 

To order this book, just click the link below:

https://biblesabbath.org/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=46&=SID

THE SEVENTH DAY MEN by Leon J. Lyell

 

Few modern Sabbath-keepers know anything of the first formulation of the Sabbath doctrine in the modern era. Many will be surprised to learn that it has come directly from the seventeenth century— where, a handful of Englishmen and their congregations “discovered” and observed it. These Sabbath-keepers did not consider themselves to be forming a new denomination; indeed, they did not form a unified group. Rather, they saw themselves as only one step ahead of their brethren. Today, it is possible to uncover the main features of this rediscovery. The story is of real people, from diverse backgrounds, many of whom displayed the same human failings as modern Sabbath-keepers do. This history is a heritage that all Sabbath keepers share.

 

THE SABBATH UNDER THE KING John Traske: The Truth in Trouble

Soon after the publication of the famous King James Version of the Bible in 1611, an itinerant preacher named John Traske arrived in London. Disgusted by the obvious corruption and indulgence of the clergy of his day, Traske emphasized that God would give his Spirit to those who obey him in the way they live their lives. Traske began advocating fasting, and went on to revive the Old Testament prohibition on unclean meats. In a short time, this gifted preacher had built a significant following of men and women, all seeking to obey God’s commandments. Hamlet Jackson was one such scrupulous student. His studies led him to conclude that there was no Biblical command to observe Sunday, and that the SaturdaySabbath observed by the Jews had never been abolished. Stunned by this discovery, Jackson went immediately to Traske—who was also convinced and began observing the Sabbath, as well as vigorously preaching the “Saturday Sabbath.” Most of Traske’s congregation also adopted it….

 

(This article is an excerpt from the July-August 2000 edition of the Sabbath Sentinel)

 

To read the rest of this article, which starts on page 13, click this link:

http://biblesabbath.org/tss/484/tss_484.pdf

 

Tiger And Tom And Other Stories For Boys

By J.E. White

This book is available to order through the Bible Sabbath Association. In it, you will find character-building stories for boys.

Read one of the recommendations of this book:

“I have spent literally $1,000.00’s on educational and character building materials for our son… and none have been as encouraging, nor as influential as your old time stories.”

These stories were compiled from orphanage stories used in the United States many years ago. Fortunately, Godly character does not have a time period attached to it. These timeless stories will encourage boys to choose right from wrong. Read them to your children and even grandchildren!

 

To order this book, just click the link below:

https://biblesabbath.org/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=48&=SID

How I Came Into the Knowledge of the Sabbath

By Beverly Holiday

 

The first inkling of Sabbath, which I only knew as Saturday, was introduced by my mother in the mid-1990s. She would make statements such as, “no I can’t shop on Sabbath”. My response was usually: “Saturday is the only day I have off; if you want me to take you shopping, Saturday is the day.”  I knew she went to church on Saturday, but she was always a little weird anyway.  Nevertheless, seeds were being planted by her example.

A few years later, I began attending a Missionary Baptist Church, and I had acquired an insatiable hunger for the Word of God. I began reading 8-10 hours a day.  I was blessed to be able to read while I worked.  One day as I was reading in my haphazard fashion, I stumbled upon Ezra and his continued references to mixed marriages.  I truly did not want to displease God, so this required further investigation.  Reaching way back to my earlier childhood, I remembered Moses had married an Ethiopian wife.  I thought to myself: let me go back to the beginning to see what happened with Moses.

Coming from a turmoiled background, the Lord has a tendency to speak into my spirit in a little less conventional fashion than He does others. As I was turning back in the Bible, God spoke into my spirit, “if you’re gonna read a book, why don’t you start at the beginning?” Thus, my quest continued for the Truth of His Word.  I found myself having read through the entire Bible in three and one-half months.

I began to ask questions regarding the clean food laws in Leviticus 11 and whether we were so sick because we did NOT keep them. Some had said that we could just pray over food and it was ok to eat – but what was this the truth? The “once saved—always saved” doctrine came into question. I had more questions than answers.

One day in the fall of 1999, I found myself a patron of a quaint little shoe repair shop in Lexington, TN. My mother had instructed me to have non-skid soles placed on her shoes in preparation for her granddaughters (my nieces) wedding.  The owner, a kind and direct man I came to know and love was Marvin Ison.  He directed our conversation to “What is sin”?  My response was: “Anything going against the Book?” I noticed that his Bible was laying on the counter.  He replied, “Can you be more specific?”  I hesitantly mumbled, “Does it have anything to do with the Ten Commandments?”  He exclaimed, “EVERYTHING”.

That well-worn Bible went to splitting open and I learned more in an hour from him than I had learned from studying on my own for the last three and one-half years in the Baptist Church. He invited me to Bible Study the following Friday night and the rest is history.

The TRUTH took me in hook, line and sinker. I continued attending Bible studies and Sabbath services, growing in the knowledge of HIM.  For the last years of my mother’s life, we were able to share and celebrate Sabbath and Holy Days together.  Thank God for her perseverance and prayers.  I continue to hold to these TRUTHS, following that narrow path that leads to His soon coming KINGDOM.