Don’t Trust the Shadow
“These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:17)
Do you ever feel like your faith is built on shifting sand? Like what you can see and touch is more real than your spiritual walk with Jesus?
Paul, in our verse, is writing to believers who were being told they need more than Christ. False teachers insisted they must follow Old Testament food laws, observe special days, and perform ceremonies. These teachers made it sound like spiritual things were less real than physical rituals.
But Paul turns this thinking upside down through proper biblical interpretation. The Old Testament rituals were never meant to be permanent. They were shadows cast by something far greater.
When you see a shadow on the wall, you know it points to something real. The shadow isn't the substance. This fundamental principle of shadow and substance is important to understanding the gospel. And what casts these shadows? Christ himself.
He is the substance, the solid reality that all the Old Testament ceremonies point toward. Every sacrifice whispers his name. Every festival celebrated his work. Every regulation revealed humanity's need for him. This Christ-centered approach to understanding Scripture reveals the unity of God's redemptive plan.
When we move from Old Testament type to New Testament fulfillment, we're not moving from solid to foggy. We're moving from temporary to eternal. From symbol to reality.
Think about it this way. Which is more real? A photograph of your loved one or your loved one standing before you? The photograph serves a purpose, but the person is the substance. The Old Testament gave us precious photos of Christ. But now we have Christ himself, and through him we understand the gospel that was promised from the beginning.
Abraham looked forward to the city with foundations whose designer and builder is God. He knew the promises he held were more solid than the tents he lived in. The physical was temporary, the spiritual eternal. This should fill you with confidence, not doubt.
When you read about the temple, think about Christ's body. When you study the sacrificial system, see his cross. When you learn about the priesthood, remember he intercedes for you right now. Your spiritual life isn't weaker than what you can touch. It's infinitely stronger.
Christ is your substance. He is the solid ground beneath your feet. Your daily walk with Jesus is built on bedrock, not sand. When you pray, you're not reaching into empty air. You're speaking with the one who fulfills every promise and is more dependable than anything else.
When you trust his word, you're not grasping at shadows. You're holding on to the most solid reality in the universe, the gospel itself, made known to us in Christ.
Remember that what you cannot see is more real than what you can see. Your faith is not built on wishful thinking, but on the solid foundation of Jesus' finished work. The spiritual realities you enjoy, forgiveness, adoption, eternal life, are not just misty hopes, but certainties. In a world of shadows, you walk in the light of the substance himself.
Kind Father, you are the unchanging God who reveals yourself through shadows and substance alike. Forgive us for seeking security in temporary things. Thank you for Jesus, our solid foundation. Please, cause us to walk confidently in the substance of our faith and not be fooled by the shadow.
Song: O Praise the Name