Now carefully observe—there is only one sacrifice mentioned, so far, in the book of the law—the Passover sacrifice (Exodus 23:18) and God called it "My sacrifice."
God did not originally command these sacrifices to be offered. This clarifies why none of those temporary sacrifices were perpetuated by different symbols in the New Testament Church. The record shows that only the Passover is preserved except by different symbols today—because it began prior to the Old Covenant being made. (See Exodus 12.) The very reality that Jesus substituted unleavened bread and wine for the sacrificial Passover lamb only, and not for the temporary sacrifices, is absolute proof that the ceremonial Old Covenant offerings are not binding today; only the Passover is still binding today! Paul, in addressing the subject of justification, says (Gal. 3:19) these temporary rituals and sacrifices were "added [later] because of transgression"—because God's spiritual law was being broken—until Christ should come. They foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ and were a "reminder of sin"—after the Old Covenant was sealed—after the marriage agreement was sealed—to instruct the people the dire need of the Messiah who would pay the penalty of human transgression (Hebrews 10:3) with His own blood. Notice that these temporary laws did not define sin. They were reminders of sin. God’s spiritual laws define sin, which explain what sin is—these laws we are to continue in today. The Passover sacrifice has not been abolished today. It has only been changed. Instead of the lamb we now have the bread and wine. That is the reason Paul tells us that the lamb is not our Passover, but rather, Christ is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7). We now partake of Christ—figuratively, His body and His blood. The body of Christ, not the lamb, is our Passover. None of the sacrifices in the sacrificial system, however, were changed by Christ like the Passover, which was never a part of that system. There is no question about the fact that the Passover was a unique sacrifice completely separate from the sacrificial system.
The principle of voluntary offering of sacrifice is again nothing new and certainly existed well before Moses. In fact, Jesus offered Himself from the very beginning as payment for the inevitable sins of mankind. Of course, we have the example of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:3-4), as well as, others. But in the time-frame from Moses to Christ the sacrificial system was reduced to a ritualistic plane and regulated in great detail. Why? Because the “congregation in the wilderness” were physical, carnal people without the promise of the Holy Spirit. Every promise given to the collective whole was material. God promised to walk among them, He did not promise to dwell in them through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. The Israelites were incapable of offering themselves in spiritual obedience to God (Deut. 29:4), so they performed ritualistic washings and animal sacrifices as types of the true spiritual worship to come (John 4:24). They performed them as a reminder of Jesus’ future sacrifice. At this point, consider the New Testament instructions about sacrifices. Today offerings and sacrifices are a spiritual principle as Peter writes: "Ye ... are being built unto a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Peter 2:5, 9). We are to "present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, your spiritual service" (Romans 12:1). It’s a spiritual principle to offer oneself in living obedience—to sacrifice the self—to God who is worthy to receive such service from us. Therefore, we can conclude that the spiritual sacrifices of which those in the Law of Moses were merely temporary types—are still to be offered up by us today!
The question arises, "weren't the Levitical sacrifices ordained forever?" Indeed, the Bible indicates that the Levitical priesthood and its sacrifices were to be perpetual or forever. But let’s understand the real implication of the Hebrew word translated "forever." It signifies continuous, so long as the factors involved exist. There are three scriptures, which make the meaning plainer. Men could be the slaves of a master forever—denoting until the death of one of the parties. (See Ex. 21:6; Lev. 25:46; Deut. 15:17.) What are the aspects, which may limit the offering of sacrifices: One—the need of a physical, human priesthood and two—the need for sacrifices. Now reflect on the following—what is the function of the priesthood—to offer sacrifices and to act as intermediaries on behalf of men relative to God (Heb. 5:1; 8:3). But how long do offerings as reminders of sin need to be made? Paul answers: “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Heb. 10:18). To offer sacrifices as reminders of sins already paid for by Jesus, who gave His life in full payment for the sins of mankind in A.D. 31, is unnecessary. Furthermore, since the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was made available to the Church beginning Pentecost A.D. 31 (Acts 2), physical offerings and assorted washings, which are types of the Holy Spirit are no longer necessary, no longer binding as the factors involved have ceased to exist. Some fail to realize that God alone has the right to add and change or alter carnal, fleshly laws, which He instituted. The carnal laws were expected to change because they were only types of the promised seed, Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins of mankind (Rom. 3:23). When the circumstances were altered, the debt to perform the carnal laws ceased. But what about the spiritual laws? God will not amend His spiritual laws—they describe the very moral fiber of God—they tell us who He is. They permit us to know what God is like. God is love and since the character of God remains unchanging—“I change not, saith the Eternal" (Mal. 3:6) and "Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8)—the spiritual laws cannot change.
Now let us explore what the Bible teaches about what exactly constituted the temporary laws. We have to turn again to Hebrews 9:9-10. In these two verses we read of the material gifts and sacrifices, which included "only meats and drinks and diverse washings—carnal [fleshly] ordinances, imposed until the time of reformation." These ordinances are referring to the Levitical priesthood’s service of the tabernacle. (See also Heb. 9:1.) These are superseded today, since they were only obligatory until the coming of the Holy Spirit (“time of reformation”). Observe carefully that the temporary laws did not pertain to murder, idolatry or Sabbath-breaking, but concerned only those ordinances regulating meat and drink offerings and different washings or ablutions of the unclean. These external measures were foreshadowing God’s Spirit cleansing us from within. Any other laws not incorporated in Hebrew 9:9-10 were not part of the rituals added because of sin! This point is crucial! It will guide us to know, which rites in the Old Covenant were added to the commandments, statutes and judgments already in existence. Some fundamentalist theologians point to Colossians 2:14-17 in an attempt to prove that the entire Law of God, Sabbath days and God’s annual Festivals were done away—nullified and abrogated at the death of Christ. According to some, these verses seems to say that the Ten Commandments were “against us,” and so Christ took them out of the way, “nailing them to the cross” when He died. What do these verses in Colossians 2 really mean? Do we understand what was really nailed to the cross? We know that mere men are not our authority. The opinions of fallible men cannot be our guide in matters dealing with our salvation. Rather, the Word of God (void of personal opinion) must be our guide—our mainstay—our bulwark of faith and foundation of belief (2 Tim. 3:16).
Because pagan teachings and anti-Christian influences were rife in the city, and deceptive teachings of numerous religious philosophies abounded, the Apostle Paul was deeply concerned for the brethren in Colossae. He was actually alarmed lest false teachers, propounders of a mixture of Oriental philosophy and Judaistic beliefs, should again deceive them and subvert their faith in Christ. In Colossians 2:8 Paul warned, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Here Paul clearly outlined the danger. False teachings of philosophy—pagan philosophical ideas—as well as traditions of men, and elementary concepts of the world were rife in Colossae and threatened to subvert new believers in Christ, deceiving them, pressuring them into returning to their old pagan practices and beliefs. It is important to note that in that day the word “philosophy was often used to describe an ascetic approach to life. Notice! This truth is made even clearer as we drop to verses 20-23: “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?” These “ordinances,” or religious customs and decrees, seemed to be wise and good to the human mind (v23). They involved “neglecting of the body” and various forms of asceticism—abstinence from pleasure, strict codes of conduct. These religious customs involved numerous taboos (v22)—they did not come from the Bible. In Colossians 2:13-14 we read: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (emphasis mine) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” If, as certain fundamentalists assert, the Ten Commandments are “against us,” and “contrary to us,” then the Bible must contradict itself, because the same Apostle Paul wrote elsewhere of the Law of God: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). He wrote: “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” (v14). How then can God’s Law be against us or contrary to us? The plain answer is—it isn’t!
The Ten Commandments, which are the basis of the Law of God—are good for us. They show us how to love and worship God and how to love our neighbor (Ex. 20). Do you see any one of them, which is “against us?” Of course not! Each one of the Ten Commandments is a good commandment, ordained for our welfare, established for our benefit. That is why Jesus told a rich young man, “…but if thou wilt enter life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19:17). Now Jesus could have told this individual, “Listen, there is nothing you must do and the Ten Commandments are going to be abolished soon anyway!” But He didn’t say that. Why? Obviously, because it is not true. If we believe the words of Jesus, our Savior, then the Ten Commandments are still in effect and if force today! But this being true, then what “ordinances” was the Apostle Paul referring to?
First, notice that what was blotted out was the “handwriting of ordinances.” Why did Paul use this strange-sounding expression if he merely meant the Ten Commandments? The original Greek word here translated “handwriting” is cheirographon and actually means “a (hand-written” document, specif, a document of indebtedness, bond” (Arndt-Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament). This lexicon translates the expression in Colossians 2:14, “the bond that stood against us.” Thus, the original Greek, according to the most up-to-date scholars and authorities, shows that a “bond” or “note of indebtedness” was against us. What was this particular “bond” or “I.O.U.” note? Again, notice the original Greek. The whole expression is: cheirographon tois dogmasin. The whole expression in English should be translated “the note of indebtedness in the decrees.” The last word, dogmasin, is the dative plural of dogma, which actually means “decree, ordinance, decision, command” (Arndt, Gingrich). It is used in Luke 2:1 in reference to a decree from Caesar Augustus. It is also used in Acts 17:7, again referring to the “decrees of Caesar. In Acts 16:4 it is used in reference to “decrees…ordained of the apostles” (obviously Paul wasn’t referring to these decrees being blotted out!). The same Greek word is also found in Ephesians 2:15, where we find that Christ has reconciled Jews and Gentiles: “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity [hostility, hatred that existed between Jews and Gentiles], even the law of commandments contained in ordinances [dogmas]; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace” (v14-15). But here again the question comes up, “What is this law of commandments contained in ordinances?” The original Greek is ton noman ton entolon en dogmasin. Literally, it should be translated “the law of commandments in decrees.” Some have assumed falsely that it refers to God’s law, or the Ten Commandments—but, as we have already seen, God’s Law is spiritual and endures forever (read Ps. 111:7-8; Rom. 7:14). Whatever this law is—it is subject to abolition, and one that consists of “commandments or decrees”—the same decrees mentioned in Colossians 2:14. So this brings us back to Colossians 2. The decrees (or “ordinances”) are mentioned both in verse 14 and in verse 20. As we have already seen, verse 20 plainly refers to man-made regulations, restrictions, decrees or ordinances—not the laws of God. This is very plain! These particular “ordinances” or decrees, were not those of the apostles, or of God, but restrictions or regulations and taboos imposed by men! But precisely what restrictions, or regulations? The parenthetical expression in verse 21 explains. The decrees consisted of various ascetic do’s and don’ts such as “Touch not, taste not, hand not”—pagan religious injunction’s and teachings of non-Christian philosophers. Some of these pagans, of course, were masquerading as Christians (compare 2 Cor. 11:13-15), but had substituted their own regulations and practices for the teachings of Christ.
The word dogma is never used in the New Testament to refer to the statutes or Old Testament ordinances of God or the Ten Commandments. You can check this for yourself in the Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the Bible. When the Old Testament ordinances of the Levitical priesthood are mentioned in the New Testament, God inspired the Apostle Paul to use other words. Remember, in Hebrews 9:10, Paul wrote of the rites and ceremonies of the Levitical priesthood—“ordinances”—the Greek word here is dikaiomasi, not dogma. The same word is used in Hebrews 9:1 speaking of “ordinances dikaioma of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary,” referring to the Levitical priesthood’s ordinances and service of the tabernacle. These are superseded today, since the coming of the Holy Spirit, which made them unnecessary—spirit-begotten Christians now being able to worship God “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). However, nowhere in the New Testament are these ordinances called dogma. The KJV also uses the word “ordinances” in Luke 1:6, speaking of the parents of John the Baptizer, Zacharias and Elizabeth: “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” “Ordinances” also appears in the KJV in Romans 13:2, “Whosoever therefore resisteth the [government] power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” But the Greek word here is diatage, not dogma. 1 Peter 2:13 reiterates, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme”—Greek ktisis. Finally, “ordinances” is used in 1 Corinthians 11:2: “Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances [paradosis], as I delivered them to you.” On the other hand, when Paul refers to dogma in Ephesians and Colossians, he means human religious decrees—ascetic regulations or at best pseudo-Christian taboos! The “ordinances”—dogmas—referred to in Colossians may have seemed good to the natural mind, but there is a way, which “seems right” and ends in death (Prov. 14:12; 16:25). What, then, was the cheirographon (“bond of indebtedness”) of ordinances? It was the “debt note” that was incurred as a result of having followed human religious taboos and decrees. What was the “debt” incurred from following those “ordinances?” The debt of forfeiting one’s life! Now note this carefully. Obedience to the Ten Commandments never led anybody into sin—“All thy commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119:172). Rather, sin results from breaking the Ten Commandments (1 John 3:4), not from keeping them.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ time had also fallen into the same ascetic spiritual trap as the Gentiles. They had strayed away from properly keeping the Law of God. They added their own rigmarole of religious do’s and don’ts to the Law of God. They developed a whole system of religious regulations and traditions which, not uncommonly, were against the Law of God, but which appeared “holy” and “righteous” in the eyes of the common people. Christ rebuked them for these human-devised laws and decrees (Mark 7:6-8). These human inventions and additions were included in the decrees Paul also condemned in the epistle to the Colossians. Whether added by Jews, Gentiles, Pharisees, ascetics, philosophers or whoever, such dogma was wrong! That which was really nailed to the cross was not the Ten Commandments at all. Rather, it was the figurative record of our indebtedness due to sin, which we incurred as a result of breaking God’s laws in order to follow human precepts, which was “nailed to the cross!” Before being converted, we followed the wrong way of life. We became slaves to sin (Rom. 6:12-14, 16, 23). Due to false teaching, compromise, weakness and carnality we broke God’s Laws and incurred a “debt”—we owed God our lives—because we had sinned, we were “as good as dead” in the sight of God. When we repent of breaking God’s Law we acknowledge our debt. It is as if we had sent God an I.O.U., a legal certificate, stating: “Because I have followed wrong teachings, and the traditions of men, I have broken your Law. Therefore, I owe you my life. I have incurred the death penalty for my sins. Signed: “John Doe.” But when Christ died for our sins, He took that death penalty upon Himself. In His Person, our sins were “nailed to the cross.” As it is written: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). He ransomed us from the grave. He paid our debt-note due to sin for us, in our stead! He died for us! Therefore, God tore up the I.O.U. Consequently, when we repent of our sins and accept Christ’s payment for them, we are no longer under the death penalty. We have been forgiven. The penalty of death has been removed. We now have peace with God. Those who quote Colossians 2:14 in a vain attempt to prove God’s law is abolished generally go on to use verses 16 and 17 of this same chapter to argue that Christians should not be concerned if people “judge” them for not observing the Sabbath days. But do these verses show that the Sabbath or Holy Days of God are abolished? Absolutely not! Read carefully what Paul wrote, word for word: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: {in meat...: or, for eating and drinking} {respect: or, part}Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is (“is” is in italics in the KJV, and was inserted by the translators—it doesn’t belong in the verse) of Christ” (Col. 2:16-17). In other words, Paul was telling the brethren at Colossae not to be worried, anxious or concerned about Gentile neighbors or other humans beings who dared to “sit in judgment” on them for eating, drinking and rejoicing instead of being ascetic, in observing God’s annual Holy Days and Sabbath. They were not to allow outsiders to “judge” them, but rather to let the Body of Christ—the church of God (Col. 1:18), which is in training to “judge” even the angels (1 Cor. 6:2-3). God tells us how to observe His Holy Days through His Word and through the guidelines of His Church. His ministers instruct the people how these days are to be observed. Therefore, brethren should be concerned with how the church of God would view certain activities on or connected with the Holy Days, or Sabbath and not with the ignorant opinions and gossip of unconverted neighbors or surrounding people.
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