Right Goal - Wrong Method, Part 1

“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” Colossians 2:16-23

The tackler could see it coming - a fullback carrying the football loosely at his side. A sudden turn and the tackler lunged after the ball. It popped loose and spiraled toward the ground. He started to dive on the ball, but it bounce just high enough for him to pick it up and run.

Breaking free from the other players, he started running down the football field as fast as he could run. The crowd was shouting wildly as he crossed the goal line and pounded the ball proudly in the dirt. It was his first touchdown of his high school career - and perhaps his last - he had run into the wrong end zone.

We often have the right goal in mind spiritually when tackling the Christian faith but wind up in the wrong end zone. The Colossian believers had a sincere desire to serve God. However, they had become entangled in legalism and were imposing unrealistic demands on young believers. They had also begun judging actions of others.

The moment we think we have it together enough to judge another person is the moment we run into the wrong end zone. Paul described legalism as a bondage. Don’t get caught up in it. Instead...“keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1).

“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Galatians 3:3