Colossians 2:13-19

13 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle otions.
19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow."

Here are some key points that stand out to me in this passage of scripture:

• we were dead in our sins
• God made us alive with Christ
• He forgave all our sins
• He canceled the writtten code - He nailed it to the cross
• He triumphed over sin
• Don't judge each other by rules
• People who do this possess false humility, and their unspiritual mind puffs up
• People who judge by rules have lost connection with the Head - God
• The Body grows as God causes it to grow

This scripture is pretty clear that Jesus came to give us salvation - that no longer are we bound by the Old Testament laws. A study of the life of Jesus shows that He came to usher in the age of love and forgiveness. When asked about the greatest commandment, He replied in Matthew 22:37-39

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

When we try to base spirituality on anything but a relationship with Jesus Christ, we've lost connection. When we judge each other's spirituality on rules and regulations, we've lost connection.

He wants us to focus our lives on our connection with Him, and He wants us to build His kingdom with people connecting with Him. He'll take care of all the rest.

We can do that, right?