I am doing a Bible Study with the msry ladies here and I've enjoyed going through one of Kay Arthur's Bible studies in Philippians and Colossians. Today we were talking about Colossians 2:16-23 where Paul is clarifying how rules and regulations are not the point but the pointers to a substantive reality. Often times the rules however keep us in bondage, if we become too focused on them. Why do we so often feel like we need to work to get into heaven. How come we can't see that Jesus is enough. Here is what she said at the end of the study we did today:
"If we believe a lie, we submit ourselves to the decrees of legalistic religion that seeks to control us through a list of rules and regulations. I know this is not how you want to live. No one wants to live in bondage when they can live in freedom.
While all lies will place us in bondage, Paul has a specific lie in mind. The lie that Jesus Christ is not enough. The lie says that we need Jesus plus rules or works or... But the truth is that in Him we are complete. There is nothing to add. We have been given the righteousness of Christ, and it is enough. rest in that freedom. Relax in Him.
All religions other than Christianity are focused on man striving to find, or even to be, God--Christianity alone is God finding man. All other religions are man trying to build a road to the top of the mountain to find God. There is a road, only one, but it did not start at the bottom. It started at the top, when Christ came down to earth. All other religions teach that man can work to be better. Christianity makes man new so he is better. We have seen the truth of who Christ is; now we are seeing who we are in Christ. He is everything we need. "
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