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Colossians
BC Weekly Digest Monday, December 22 1997 In this issue: Colossians 2:9,10 Colossians 2:11,12 Colossians 2:2-10 Colossians 2:11-13 Colossians 2:9,10 Colossians 2:9,10 (OPV) 9 For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, 10 and you have been made complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. == 2:9 "All the fulness of the Godhead" In both the Old and the New Testaments we read of men who were filled with the Spirit of God. Of John the Baptizer it was said: "and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). [See also Luke 1:80.] The Apostles were "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4). Christians are told to be filled with the Spirit: "And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18 ASV). Jesus was also "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Luke 4:1). [See also Mat. 4:1 and Mark 1:12.] Paul is making clear in verse 9, however, that Jesus is not only filled with the Spirit of God. In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily! Christ had the Spirit without measure. "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure" (John 3:34 ASV). As we are told in Hebrews 1:3, Christ is "the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His substance." 2:9 "Bodily" Christ is the embodiment of the Godhead! 2:10 "Made complete" The literal meaning of this word is "completely filled up." When we are in Christ, we receive all that we need to be whole. 2:10 "In Him" Many people who are superficial adherents of some form of the Christian religion have no understanding whatever of what it means to be IN Christ. Yet this concept is fundamental to being a true Christian and permeates the entire New Testament. 2:10 "The head of all principality and power" It is impossible to overstate the greatness of Christ. In New Testament times and in our time, some want to view Christ as one among many. But Christ is not only unique, the only-begotten, the one-and-only Son of God, He is ABOVE everyone and everything. Again, this is similar to what we read in Ephesians. Paul told the Ephesians that he was praying for them "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:17-23 ASV). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 2:11,12 Colossians 2:11,12 (OPV) 11 in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not done with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. === 2:11 "A circumcision not done with hands" God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision when he was 99 years old (Genesis 17:9-26). Circumcision was also included in the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3). It was a sign of purity, and the need for purity of the heart in addition to the outward sign is emphasized (Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4). Paul even goes so far as to say that a Jew whose heart is not circumcised is not really a Jew (Romans 2:28,29). Although certain Jews who had become Christians tried to add physical circumcision to the Christian faith, this was specifically rejected (Acts 15:5-29). In Christ we are "circumcised with a circumcision not done with hands." 2:11 "In the putting off of the body of the flesh" In "the circumcision of Christ" the "old man" of the flesh dies! This happens when we are baptized: "We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin" (Romans 6:4-6 ASV). 2:12 "Having been buried with Him in baptism" Recall from verse 11 that it is IN Christ that we receive true circumcision. This purification takes place through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, His death, burial and resurrection. In baptism, which is a burial (immersion) in water, we participate in the burial of Christ. The same truth is expressed in Romans 6:3,4. "Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death" (ASV). 2:12 "In which you were also raised with Him" In baptism we are also raised with Christ: "that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection" (Romans 6:4,5 ASV). 2:12 "Through faith in the working of God" Baptism, "the circumcision of Christ," is based on personal faith. This is not something parents can do for their children without their knowledge or consent, as was the case with physical circumcision. This renewal, this death of the old man, this being raised with Christ in baptism, is the operation of God, not man (see John 1:12,13). 2:12 "who raised Him from the dead" The resurrection of Christ is the assurance God has given us that we too, in Christ, may have eternal life. "But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him" (Romans 6:8,9 ASV). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 2:2-10 All the wisdom of godliness, once hidden, is now revealed in Christ-Jesus. 'Godlikeness' was not found in any form of human wisdom or philosophy, but made understandable to us through the veil of Christ's flesh. All the attributes of Deity, knowable to us in our flesh, - - love, compassion, forgiveness, etc. are seen in Jesus. He is God with us. He alone reveals the Father. If we know Jesus, we know the Father. When we walk after His divine example, we are made complete. Read: John 1:1,18; 8:19,58; 10:320:28 J.Lee Roberts ------------------------------ Colossians 2:11-13 Before our new birth, we were spiritually dead in sin and without the spiritual circumcision found in Christ. But we died to our old self and were buried with Him in baptism, and with the same power that brought Jesus back from the grave, we were resurrected to a new life through faith in Christ.We thus put off the old body of sin and God forgave us and made us spiritually alive. J.Lee Roberts