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

1For I would have you know what a great conflict I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen me in person: 2that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and to all the riches of a full assurance of understanding in these things, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of our God and Father, and of Christ: 3in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4And this I say, least any one should deceive you with fine speeches. 5For though I be absent in body, yet am I with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your regularity, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Alive with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1–10)

6Therefore as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him; 7rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught it, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8Take heed least any one make a prey of you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ: 9for all the fulness of the deity dwelleth personally in Him. 10And ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision not performed by hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision which is of Christ: 12being buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are raised together with Him, through faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13And when ye were dead in trespasses, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14and cancelled the obligation we were under by ritual decrees, which was grievous to us, and hath taken it quite away, even nailing it to his cross. 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made them an open spectacle, triumphing over them by it.

16Let no one therefore judge you on account of meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast, or a new-moon, or sabbaths; 17which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ. 18Let no one deprive you of your reward by an affected humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into what he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal mind; 19and not adhering to the head, from which all the body, being supplied and held together as by joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.

20If therefore ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the world; why, as if living in the world, are ye subject to ceremonial ordinances, 21(such as "touch not, taste not, 22handle not," which all tend to corruption in the using,) according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23which things indeed have a pretence to wisdom in voluntary worship, and humiliation, and bodily penance, as having no regard to the satisfying of the flesh.