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

1For I woulde ye knewe what great fighting I haue for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as haue not seene my person in the flesh, 2That their heartes might be comforted, and they knit together in loue, and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding, to know the mysterie of God, euen the Father, and of Christ: 3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. 4And this I say, lest any man shoulde beguile you with entising wordes: 5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, reioycing & beholding your order, and your stedfast faith in Christ.

Alive with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1–10)

6As ye haue therefore receiued Christ Iesus the Lord, so walke in him, 7Rooted and built in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye haue bene taught, abouding therein with thankesgiuing.

8Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through philosophie, & vaine deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily. 10And yee are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power. 11In whome also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without handes, by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh, through the circumcision of Christ, 12In that yee are buried with him through baptisme, in whome ye are also raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God, which raised him from the dead. 13And you which were dead in sinnes, and in the vncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, forgiuing you all your trespasses, 14And putting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs, which was contrarie to vs, hee euen tooke it out of the way, and fastened it vpon the crosse, 15And hath spoyled the Principalities, and Powers, & hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse.

16Let no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke, or in respect of an holy day, or of the newe moone, or of the Sabbath dayes, 17Which are but a shadowe of thinges to come: but the body is in Christ. 18Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenesse of minde, and worshipping of Angels, aduauncing himselfe in those thinges which hee neuer sawe, rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde, 19And holdeth not the head, whereof all the body furnished and knit together by ioyntes and bands, increaseth with the increasing of God.

20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ fro the ordinances of the world, why, as though ye liued in ye world, are ye burdened with traditions? 21As, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not. 22Which al perish with the vsing, and are after the commandements and doctrines of men. 23Which thinges haue in deede a shewe of wisdome, in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde, and in not sparing the body, which are thinges of no valewe, sith they perteine to the filling of the flesh.