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Colossians
BC Weekly Digest Monday, January 5 1998 In this issue: Colossians 2:13,14 Colossians 2:15 Colossians 2:14 Colossians 2:16,17 Colossians 2:13,14 Colossians 2:13,14 (OPV) 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made alive together with Him, having forgiven all our traspesses, 14 having blotted out the document against us in ordinances, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. === 2:13 "Dead in your trespasses" Notice that there are different kinds of death and different kinds of life. Although physically alive, the Colossians were dead spiritually before they were made alive with Christ. The same idea is stated in the letter to the Ephesians: "And you [did he make alive] when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:1,2). "...even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2"5,6 ASV). God warned Adam and Eve that they would die if they disobeyed His command. This shows the seriousness of sin. It separates us from God who is the source of all life. They who rebel against God deserve to die. "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). 2:13 "Made alive together with Him" God's gracious gift of eternal life is IN Christ. We all deserve to die "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of Christ" (Romans 3:23), but if we believe in Christ, and are buried with Him, and are raised with Him, we are also made alive with Him. 2:13 "Having forgiven all our trespasses" Forgiveness is our only hope. Our sins have separated us from the Source of Life. Our only means of forgiveness is the sacrifice of Christ "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins" (Colossians 1:14 OPV). 2:14 "Having blotted out the document against us" In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul calls the law of Moses "in letters engraved on stone" an administration of death (2 Cor 3:7) and an administration of condemnation (2 Cor 3:9). Although the law itself was holy and good (Romans 7:12) it resulted in death because of sin (Romans 7:13). Even the most faithful through the centuries have never accomplished perfect observance of the ordinances God gave them. 2:14 "He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross" This is beautiful imagry. Christ has removed the formal writ of condemnation. He Himself fulfilled the law, He lived without sin, which qualified Him to bear our punishment: "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:24). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). That document which was "against" us - it condemned us to death because of our sins - is GONE! It has been taken away. God nailed it to the cross. Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 2:15 Colossians 2:15 (OPV) 15 Having disarmed the principalities and the powers, He exposed them openly, triumphing over them thereby. == 2:15 "The principalities and the powers" We have already learned that all principalities and powers were created in, through and for Christ (1:16) and that Christ is the head of all principalities and powers (2:10). The ruling forces were created by God. When God created man, for example, He said "let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:26 KJV). Man has rebelled against God and often misuses the authority God has given him. Similarly, although few details have been revealed, there are forces in the heavenly realms that have rebelled against God. The redemptive work of Christ on earth not only offers salvation to man but also brings about a complete victory over the rebelious forces of evil and brings glory to God among those who serve Him. No principalities or powers can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38,39). After His resurrection, the position of Jesus is "far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20,21). Now, with Christ as head (Ephesians 1:22) through the church, the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). Although Christ has gained the ultimate victory through His sacrifice and resurrection, the forces of evil will continue their efforts until the consumation of this age: "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]" (Ephesians 6:12). 2:15 "He exposed them openly" Nothing in the history of the world has revealed the true nature of evil as effectively as the way the Son of God was treated when He came to earth. Nor has anything else demonstrated so thoroughly that good triumphs over evil through faith even in the face of seeming defeat. Evil tries to hide. "For everyone who practices evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his works be exposed" (John 3:20 RD). Like Christ, we too are to expose evil. "And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them instead, for it is shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret, but everything that is exposed by the light is revealed, and everything that is revealed is light (Ephesians 5:11-14 RD). 2:15 "Triumphing over them thereby" Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). He overcame evil with good (compare Romans 12:21). God leads us in triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). If we overcome by remaining faithful until death, we will sit down with Christ on His throne, as He overcame and sat down with His Father on His throne (Revelation 3:21). The only way we can overcome Satan is by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). The Lamb, who is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, triumphs over all forces of evil. The called, and chosen, and faithful who are with Him, also triumph with Him (Revelation 17:14). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Colossians 2:14 The question has been asked, "That which is "nailed to the cross", is it the old law or rather is it the sins that we bore before Christ redeemed us? In the context of the verse, that which was "nailed to the cross" was the old law of Moses. That which was blotted out was the "handwriting of ordinances" which is a reference to the ordinances of the law of Moses. Ephesians 2:14-16 is an excellent commentary on Col. 2:14. In verse 15 of that passage, we are told that Christ "abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." (KJV) This explains that ordinances is a reference to the law of Moses, and that is what was "nailed to the cross." This marked the end of the necessity of keeping the ordinances contained in the law of Moses. When Christ died, he fulfilled the old law, took it out of the way, and brought in a new one. This new law was revealed on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached the first gospel sermon (Acts 2). The bringing in of a new law was one of the purposes of the death of Christ. Heb. 2:16-17 says, "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. (KJV) Therefore, Christ died to take away the law of Moses and bring into effect his new law which is the gospel. It should also be noted that even though this is the meaning of Col. 2:14, it is true that Christ's death on the cross did take away the sins of those who lived before the cross. Heb. 9:15 states, "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (KJV) So, another accomplishment of the death of Christ was the forgiveness of sins to those who lived under the law of Moses. It also made the forgiveness of sins available to those of us who live during the gospel age. Lonnie Woodruff ------------------------------ Colossians 2:16,17 Colossians 2:16,17 (OPV) 16 Therefore, let no one judge you in eating and drinking, or concerning a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day, 17 things which were a shadow of something coming, but the [actual] body belongs to Christ. === 2:16 "Let no one judge you in eating and drinking" Jesus declared all foods to be clean (Mark 7:19). If a Christian, because of his background, prefers to avoid certain foods, he is free to do so, but he may not bind this on others: "But him that is weak in faith receive ye, [yet] not for decision of scruples. One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him" (Romans 14:1-3 ASV). In Romans 14:4-23 Paul goes on to say, however, that there can be instances when one - of his own free choice - should avoid certain things which, although good in and of themselves, might under the circumstances cause someone who is weak to stumble. Notice, however, that this whole discussion is in the framework of things which are neither good nor bad in themselves. Some people misuse Paul's admonition to try to justify doing things which are wrong (for example, to keep from offending someone). That is NOT what Paul is saying. Whether one does or does not eat meat has nothing to do with right and wrong, but with personal preference. In such cases one should consider the sensitivities of others. But the sensitive (weak) person with exaggerated scruples, may not bind his personal preferences on others: "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17 ASV). 2:16 "A feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day" This refers to the various high days under the law of Moses. Jews who became Christians often continued to observe certain rituals of the Old Covenant, but they were not allowed to incorporate Old Testament practices into the Christian faith (See Acts 15:1-29). The word sabbath means rest. The sabbaths in this verse include all Old Covenant days of rest, including the weekly sabbath on the seventh day (Saturday). Sectarian groups who teach that Christians should keep the weekly sabbath, violate this verse. Most of them are also hypocrites because they do not actually keep the sabbath themselves. If a Christian wishes to do no work on Saturday (Exodus 20:9), not to build a fire (Exodus 35:3), not to carry anything heavy (Jeremiah 17:27) he is free to do so. But he may not bind this on others. The weekly sabbath was given to commemorate the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage: "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day" (Deut 5:15). 2:16 "A shadow of something coming" Deliverance from Egyptian bondage prefigured our deliverance from sin by Jesus Christ, who gives us rest: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:28,29 ASV). Every day is a sabbath for a Christian, a day of rest for the soul in Jesus Christ. Roy Davison