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“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind.” (Colossians 2:16-18, ESV)

 “Godly women don’t wear pants, only long dresses to the ankles are acceptable.”

“You can’t be a Christian and wear makeup.”

“A woman of God should not cut her hair.”

“I thought you were a Christian, why are you tanning your body, don’t you know that’s a sin?”

Have you ever heard statements like these? I certainly have.

You may have as well.

If you prefer not to wear makeup and never cut your hair – that’s fine.  But if you’re doing it because you think it will make God love you more – that’s legalism.  Basically, meaning you’re relying on the efforts of yourself (mankind) to earn holiness (redemption).

But redemption relies on God alone, not mankind.  He gave us a way to redeem our sin through his son, Jesus.

In Psalms 34:22 we’re reminded “the LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”

Paul was stressing this point again and again to the church in Colossae.  It had only been about 60 years since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus had taken place.  Yet people were falling back into their old patterns of thinking. Creating rituals that people had to follow.  New believers were being led to falsely believe that they had to follow along with these manmade rules of their day in order to be “saved.”

If you’ve committed sins you regret, they can all be forgiven and redeemed through the blood of Jesus.

Once you have confessed your sin to the Lord and chosen to believe in Jesus as your Savior – you are saved.  That’s it.  The problem comes when the enemy tries to attack your mind with reminders of the past.  Sometimes feelings of guilt or inferiority creep in (condemnation).

Instead of feeding those negative feelings – we should speak truth to ourselves. Some call it “self-talk”, others may refer to it as “taking your thoughts captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

For example, Romans 8:1 (ESV) tells us – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That’s the truth of God’s Word – the final authority. If you’re feeling condemnation over a situation that you’ve given to Jesus – then that is coming from the enemy of your soul – Satan.

When we live our lives by God’s truth – He can redeem anything we’ve done wrong.

“Father thank You that we can be saved through Your son Jesus.  Teach us how to walk in the freedom that truth brings today.”

For His Glory

Laura Holmes (www.ephraimministries.org)
TRBC Women’s Life