Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
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If you do the things God hates and refuse to keep His commandments, you will receive the mark of the beast not the mark of God. How you live your life is evidence to God and man whether you are living by the word of God or the word of man.
Keep in mind this letter was written to Greek converts living in Colossians, Colasa is over 800 miles from Jerusalem There were very few Jews living in that area at that time. The Greek converts friends were giving them a hard time about judging their new life changes. Keeping God's commandments.
Paul warned against using self-denial as a tool to rely on your own will. He called it “will worship.” “Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh” (Colossians 2:20-23).
YEHOVAH’s people humble themselves through fasting in order to draw closer to Him -- so that they can learn to think and act like Him -- so that they can live His way of life in all things. Notice what the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Thus says the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the LORD” (9:23-24). Fasting (and prayer) helps Christians draw closer to YEHOVAH God.
Pagan Abomination Masked as Christianity!
YEHOVAH God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). He never instituted Lent, a pagan observance connecting debauchery to the supposed resurrection of a false Messiah.(Feast of Tammuz)
YEHOVAH God commands His people to follow Him -- not the traditions of men. YEHOVAH’s ways are higher, better than man’s (Isaiah 55:8-9). Men cannot determine for themselves right from wrong or how to properly worship YEHOVAH God. Why? Because “the heart [mind] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), and “the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (10:23). YEHOVAH God designed us and gave us life. He knows how we are supposed to worship Him.
To be a Christian and properly serve YEHOVAH God, you must live “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), recognizing that His holy Scriptures “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
YEHOVAH God commands Christians to flee from the pagan traditions and customs of this world (Revelation 18:2-4), currently led and deceived by Satan the devil (II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).
Lent may seem like a sincere, heartfelt religious observance. But it is deeply rooted in pagan ideas that counterfeit YEHOVAH’s plan.
YEHOVAH God hates all pagan observances (Jeremiah 10:2-3; Leviticus 18:3, 30; Deuteronomy 7:1-5, 16). They cannot be “Christianized” or made clean by men. That includes Lent.
If you are a true Christian you would say with David -- “Through thy precepts, I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way”! (Psalm 119:104).
Alive with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1–10)
6Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. 10 And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. 12 And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16 Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ. c 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind. 19 He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.
20 If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: 21“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”? 22 These will all perish with use because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
2 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[b] was put off when you were circumcised by[c] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[d] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (The law of sin and death the punisment for sinning)15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[e]
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. 19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.