Christianity is a religion of substance and not shadow
just for your thought.
Christianity is a religion of substance and not shadow
A religion of shadow is in fact a religion of the flesh
. It purports to be more spiritual, but in reality it is all of the flesh. It appeals to the sensation and not to the intellect, to the feeling faculties of man and not to his thinking faculties.
In connection with this, a religion of shadow is more concrete or even more "real," that is, from the perspective of the flesh.
It is less spiritual and less intellectual, but more physical and sensual. This is what the carnal mind wants. Christianity is too spiritual and too intellectual for a fleshly mentality.
Related to this is the sense that in a religion of shadow there is more for the flesh to do and more for the flesh to control. And by equating one's spirituality with fleshly activities, such a religion accommodates the pride and unbelief of its adherents
.
Then, some people prefer a religion of shadow simply because they are bored with the actual Christian faith. Christ is complete, and his work is complete – he does not need them to add anything.
And for some, this is just unacceptable, and boring. There is not enough in a religion of reality to satisfy their lust for sensual and animalistic stimulation. Based on the above observations, the simple way to explain the attraction of a religion of shadow is that it is really for people who do not like God very much.
A simple lifestyle of reading about him, thinking about him, talking about him, and praying to him is not enough. A direct contact with God through the mind with minimal sensual activities and distractions is unattractive and frustrating to them. Their lust for fleshly stimulation thus invents more complicated theories to believe and elaborate rituals to perform. All of this, it is most important to note, is not just a matter of preference.
For one to persist in a religion of shadow when God commands a religion of reality means that this person has no spiritual reality, and no true contact with God.
As we proceed to verses 18-19, we must continue to keep in mind the positive context against which these negative criticisms are contrasted.
That is, Christ's person and work are complete, and anything that undermines this idea of completeness is a false doctrine.
COMMENTARY ON COLOSSIANS by Vincent Cheung Cpt 2: 16