Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“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, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” — Colossians 2:16–19 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Paul warns the Colossians about a subtle but deadly danger: replacing Christ with Christian-looking shadows. In their case, it was dietary rules, religious festivals, mystical experiences, and various forms of asceticism—self-imposed vows, strict denials, and voluntary humiliation. None of these practices were sinful in themselves, but the moment they became the standard of spirituality, they became chains instead of tools.

Paul calls these rituals “shadows.” A shadow may resemble the shape of something real, but it has no life, no power, and no substance. Christ alone is the substance. Any practice—no matter how noble, ancient, or sacrificial—that begins to replace Him becomes an idol in disguise.

Ascetic practices still exist today. Vows of poverty, celibacy, silence, or extreme fasting are sometimes taken with sincere devotion. But sincerity alone doesn’t make something spiritually safe. The question isn’t What are you giving up? The question is Why? Why are you doing this? If any vow, discipline, or self-denial is believed to add to your salvation, increase God’s love for you, or elevate your spiritual status, it immediately becomes toxic.

God does not love you more when you perform well, nor less when you stumble. You do not contribute one ounce to your salvation—not with suffering, not with sacrifice, not with vows, and not with spiritual achievements. Christ is your righteousness, your acceptance, your access, your hope.

Paul says the danger is in “not holding fast to the Head.” When we loosen our grip on Christ, we inevitably tighten our grip on something else—rules, rituals, visions, experiences, or self-made religion. But nothing nourishes the soul except Christ Himself. He is the One who holds the body together. He is the One who causes true growth. He is the One who sustains, strengthens, and sanctifies.

Hold fast to Christ—and let every other practice serve Him, not replace Him.

Reflection Questions

1. Are there any spiritual practices you’ve allowed to define your worth before God?

2. Where are you tempted to rely on rules, achievements, or self-denial instead of resting in Christ’s finished work?

3. How can you realign your heart today to “hold fast to the Head”?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, guard my heart from the trap of self-made religion. Keep me from trusting in shadows instead of Your substance. Help me hold fast to You—the Head, the Savior, the source of all true growth. Strip away every motive that seeks to earn Your love, and remind me that Your grace is full, free, and complete. Grow me by Your power and for Your glory. Amen.