Daily Fountain 2017 - Righteousness Without Christ

Friday September 1

Bible Reading:     Col. 2: 16 - 23

Topic:                  Righteousness Without Christ

Paul addresses the worship of Angels, eating/abstinence from certain foods and drinks, undue emphasis on special days or worship e.t.c. which some use as yardsticks for measuring true spirituality.

These observances give a false sense of righteousness, spiritual satisfaction and humility towards God.

Sometimes, people misunderstand this passage to mean that Paul is authorizing Christians to live carelessly. Suffice it to say that any serious Christian cannot believe that since liberty in Christ does not equate to license to sin (Rom. 6: 1 - 2)

In v. 19 Paul emphasized that those who live by these rules are not holding onto Christ or the Scriptures since such rules stem from doctrines, philosophies, cultures and traditions of men.

Holding onto Christ and being deeply rooted in the Scriptures result in growth that comes from God, whereas these rules give false sense of piety.

Therefore it is important to examine such rules in the light of the Scriptures.

Rom. 3: 20 states categorically that observance of the law cannot earn man salvation .

In Isa. 64: 6, our self righteousness is like filthy rags before God.

So we are called to live and die for Christ (v. 20) by adhering to those things that fit perfectly into His Lifestyle and Teachings.

Prayer

Lord, help me to have a strong biblical basis in all I do, Amen.

Memory Verse             Col. 2: 20

"Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?."

Source:     The Daily Fountain 2017
(The Daily Devotional Guide of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion)