Tag: Colossians 2
Alive in Christ!
Scripture reading for September 9: Colossians 2
“In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, Who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” Colossians 2:11-15
Paul wanted to insure that the Colossian believers had a full understanding of the will of God working in their lives through repentance and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. He used the image of circumcision to describe God’s surgery done on each person who repents and believes. The old covering of flesh and sin is cut away without human hands by the Holy Spirit in the removal of the old nature from man’s heart. This is acted out by faith in water baptism when we symbolically are ‘buried’ in the water in identification with Christ’s death and burial. In baptism we are then raised up out of the water in identification with Christ’s resurrection to life. We are buried in sin’s deadness but raised in eternal life’s promise of a future glorified body.
Legally, the satanic rulers and authorities, had accusations of sin written up against us and these accusations stood before God. But God in His justice, took these accusations and nailed the record of our debt to the cross of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died taking the punishment for our sins, thus disarming these rulers and authorities and making a show of them openly. We now have victory over our sins and their penalty of death through faith in Christ’s blood and sacrifice on the cross. In Christ’s resurrection we have the guarantee of eternal life and a glorious body like unto Christ’s body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Does your world view include an invisible element of demonic forces against us? Does it include the invisible realm of Heaven and God’s throne where Jesus is seated awaiting His return? Have you taken advantage of the forgiveness of your debts nailed to Jesus’ cross?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for defeating the rulers and authorities of Satan’s false kingdom of accusers through the cross of Jesus Christ. I have and now identify with Jesus’ through water baptism and through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. I await Jesus’ soon return in power and glory! Amen!
Rooted in Christ Jesus
Scripture reading for September 8th: Colossians 2
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Colossians 2:6-9 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”
There were false teachers roaming about in Colossae. These teachers were using false “humility” and visions of angels that they had supposedly seen to draw members of the Church away from true faith in Christ Jesus. Paul warned this church of the danger that they faced and encouraged them to go deeper in Christ and become rooted and built up in Him and the faith that comes from studying His word and not the fleshly and puffed up visions of the false teachers. In Christ alone is Deity in bodily form and by faith in Him is fullness given to all who believe. Beware of counterfeits!
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers are saved by faith in Christ Jesus and become rooted and strengthened in Him by growing in faith and full dependency on Christ’s fullness and sufficiency. In this way they spot false teachers and avoid their traps! “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:1-2)
Rooted in Christ!
Scripture reading for September 9th: Colossians 2
Paul wrote to the Colossians, some of whom he had never met. He had struggled for them in prayer with a goal in mind. “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3) Paul’s pastor’s heart was with the church and earnestly desired their highest good. This was found in full understanding of Christ and love of the brethren.
But starting out right is only the first step to a journey of knowing Christ and meeting Him face to face one day. Christ’s followers must grow! “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8) The danger of not growing in Christ and being deeply rooted in Him is deception by our enemy, Satan and this worldly system. Humanistic philosophy puts man at the center of everything instead of Christ!
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been give fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10) Through the Holy Spirit, the church has been given fullness in the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus is over all worldly powers and authorities, including Satan! Christians must be rooted in Him!