Absent in Body, Present in Spirit
(Revelation 3:14-22)

1For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you, and those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.

4I say this so that no one might delude you by persuasive speech. 5Truly indeed, if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

6Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being strengthened in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding with thanksgiving.

8Take heed lest there will be anyone taking you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the principles of the world and not according to Christ. 9For in Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily. 10And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority, 11in whom also you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in the removal of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised with Him through the faith of the working of God, the One having raised Him out from the dead.

13And you being dead in the trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed the rulers and the authorities, He made a show of them in public, having triumphed over them in it.

16Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food, or in regard to drink, or in regard to a feast, or a New Moon, or Sabbaths, 17which are a shadow the things coming. But the body is of Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, detailing what he has seen, being puffed up vainly by his mind of the flesh, 19and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, being supplied and being knit together by the joints and ligaments, increases with the increase of God.

20If you have died with Christ, away from the principles of the world, why as if living in the world do you submit to decrees: 21“You should not handle! You should not taste! You should not touch!”?— 22which are all unto decay with the use, according to the precepts and teachings of men, 23which having indeed an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility and harsh treatment of the body, are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.