2146.—Shadows of Things to Come.
What is meant in Col. 2:16, 17 where meats, drinks, holy days, and sabbaths were just shadows of false images, and in Romans 14 Paul says very clearly that one day is not above another? S. 1. As to Col. 2:16, 17. It is sufficient to remark that all shadows, all types, rites, and ceremonies came in in consequence of sin, pointed forward to Christ, and were lost in Him, even as the shadow is in the substance. Among these things were various yearly or typical sabbaths. See Leviticus 23, and especially verse 38. While the Sabbath of the Lord was given before sin entered at all, and in the very nature of the case is not typical or shadowy in nature; but even then there is nothing whatever in Col. 2:16, 17 which would indicate that it was not duty to keep the Sabbath. The thought is not, Let no man pay any attention to eating or drinking or in respect of feast days or Sabbath days, and so on. Not at all. The question is not a prohibition of these things in any way. It is that the Christian finds his headship in Jesus Christ, and Christ alone, and His word is, of course, the thing to which the Christian should look for his leading and guidance. And therefore he is not to be judged by man, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." Do not be condemned by what men say as to what your duty is or is not. Take Christ Jesus and His word for your guide. If we follow teachings of men alone we will really follow shadows, even tho these teachings are of things divinely ordained. If we follow Moses alone we shall still wear over our face the veil of unbelief; but if we look beyond the human to Christ Jesus, God's glory and His law will be written in our hearts. 2. The same truth is taught in Romans 14, "One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind." Not in any way does this tell us that one day is like every other day. It only speaks of two different classes, one of whom esteems all days alike, and the other one day above another. The teaching is that every man should be fully assured in his own mind. "He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord." The clause that follows in the Common Version is not in the Revised Version, but the thought is, and the thought of the chapter is, "Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling." If the Christian is well instructed in the Lord Jesus Christ, he will never use Rom. 14:5, 6, nor any other text, to excuse him from doing that which is enjoined by the word, and tho he may be doing his duty he will not set himself up as judge over the hearts of others. God alone is Judge.