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

1For I wish you to know how great contest I have for you, and them in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2That their hearts might be comforted, being joined together in love, and to all the riches of the complete certainty of the understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and the Father, and of Christ; 3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4And this I say, lest any mislead you with persuasive arguments. 5For if also I am away in the flesh but in the Spirit am I with you, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive with Christ
(Ephesians 2:1–10)

6Therefore as ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him: 7Being rooted and built up in him, and rendered firm in the faith, as ye were taught, abounding in it with gratitude.

8See ye lest any be carrying you off by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in him dwells all the completion of divinity bodily. 10And ye are completed in him, who is the head of all beginning and power: 11In whom also were ye circumcised with the circumcision not made by hands, in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12Buried together with him in immersion, in which also were ye risen together by the faith of the operation of God, having raised him from the dead. 13And you, being dead in faults and uncircumcision of the flesh, he made alive together with him, having propitiated to you all faults; 14Having wiped out the handwriting against us in enactments, which was opposed to us, and he has taken it from the midst, having nailed it to his cross. 15Having stripped off beginnings and powers, he made an example in freedom of speech, having led them in triumph in it.

16Therefore let not any judge you in food, or in drink, or in turn of festival, or of the new moon, or of sabbaths: 17Which are a shadow of things about to be; and the body of Christ. 18Let none condemn you being willing in humility and religious worship of angels, going into what he has not seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh, 19And not having power over the Head, from whom all the body, by all the senses of touch and connections furnished and joined together, increases with the increase of God.

20If therefore ye died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, do ye dogmatize, 21(Touch not; neither taste; neither shouldest thou handle; 22Which are all for corruption in the using;) according to the commands and doctrines of men? 23Which things truly are having the word of wisdom in worship according to one's will, and humility, and prodigality of the body; not in any honour to satisfying the flesh.