Herbert Armstrong - Does Colossians 2:17 Require Observance of Sabbaths and Festivals?

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Some groups - especially those influenced by Herbert W. Armstrong -claim that Colossians 2:16–17 actually commands Christians to keep the Sabbath and festivals.

Most believers simply read the passage as written and see the opposite: Paul warns against being judged over these things because they were shadows pointing to Christ. To reach the Armstrong conclusion, the text must be turned 180 degrees - and that is exactly what happens.

This is an illuminating example of the danger that arises when doctrine begins to drive exegesis rather than the other way around. Once a system feels free to reshape the meaning of Scripture to protect its teachings, the authority of the text is lost.

In the full analysis I’ve written elsewhere, I set out the issue in detail and show why the Armstrong interpretation lacks any textual, historical, or grammatical support. What follows here is a concise summary of that argument.

For those who want the full analysis, I’ve set out the complete argument in a detailed note available here. This is a link to my posts in Quora.

  

Hello. My name is Bill. I live in Canberra, Australia. I retired from work some 5 years ago, I believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour by whom we are justified and sanctified by the miraculous workings of God. I don't attend a particular church but may go from time to time. I like to study the scriptures and I read quite widely generally. I had an experience over four decades ago with a church founded by Armstrong which claimed to be the one true church of this time. My wife (who passed away five years ago) and I left it a long time ago and one is grateful such bonds were broken.

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