The term “judging” is the Christian boogeyman, and rightly so. Jesus said, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matt 7:1-2). There is much of that going around today. But at other times we are instructed to make judgments. For indeed, Jesus also said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

For example, I might observe a friend beginning to drink alcohol every night of the week and come to the judgment that he is descending into alcoholism with all its destructive behavior. Out of love, I confront the person to help stem the behavior. I am judging his behavior as counter-spiritual. However, if I approach him with the idea of calling his salvation into question, I begin wandering into Colossians 2:16-17 territory. I have made alcoholism into an additional sin that somehow needs to be paid for beyond the cross.

However, Paul just finished saying God has, “canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col 2:14). No law can stand up to that, even the man-made “Christian” law, “Thou shall not drink alcohol.” Yet, so many churches require such total abstinence for membership, effectively making it a legalistic requirement. That’s like saying no fat person can be a member of the church because gluttony is a sin.

True, excess and ceding control of our bodies to food or drink is not good. Paul says in another place, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify” (1 Cor 10:23; see also 1 Cor 6:12). Alcoholism is a terrible waste of a human life, but for the Christian it is nailed to the cross. The debt of that sin, along with all other sins, has been done away with. Jesus paid it all. Our standing with God is not in question.

So, therefore, Christians need to act in freedom, making our daily choices not on the basis of guilt or fear of how others might judge us or even the fear of losing our salvation. We should, rather, act in the freedom of those whose debt has been forgiven. That includes the freedom to walk in good conscience, even when others might criticize how we worship (observing or not observing special religious days, including Sundays). Our salvation is secure! We are free!

But, didn’t God command things like the Sabbath? We look at that next.