THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 2:9-15
During a particularly challenging period of my life, I found myself “stuck” in Colossians, which I read and re-read for about two months. The clarity and straightforward teaching didn’t immediately resonate with my hurting heart, but I am grateful that God stuck with me and didn’t abandon me, even though my faith wavered and struggled.
God’s demonstration of love shines through Colossians, as Paul highlights the supremacy of Christ and the transformation that comes to those who have trusted in Him. These verses speak to how His fullness, His circumcision, His death, His resurrection, His life, and His freedom accrue to the believer. The teaching echoes Romans 6, another clarion call of our connection with Christ through His death and resurrection.
Because of the fullness of Deity in Christ, we have received power and authority as His ambassadors (Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:7,8). He wishes to grant us power through the Holy Spirit so that we may shine as stars in the heavens and bring glory to His Name (Philippians 2:14ff). Through our connection to Christ, we have become crucified to our flesh and its “uncircumcision” and traded this death for real, free life. Christ has won judicial freedom for us. While we rightly deserve condemnation, God has canceled the “charge” – our evident sin – and nailed it to the cross for a secure and lasting freedom. He not only brought freedom through the Cross, but also brought triumph and victory.
In Romans 6, Paul indicates that we have received freedom from the slavery of sin so that we might, in our freedom, surrender ourselves to serving God. This language of surrender doesn’t look palatable from the world’s perspective, but we only experience the true fullness of God when we have poured out our emptiness. In recognizing our limitations and emptiness, we find the unlimited fullness of His love, grace, and mercy. We are too easily satisfied with small things that we can touch when God desires to pour everything we need (most importantly, His presence) into our lives.
How could you give thanks for this wonderful truth today? What difference does His freedom mean for you today? How could you celebrate this day as one of glorious liberty and surrendered dependence to the One Who calls us His own?
Lord Jesus, thank You for canceling the written code through Your death on the Cross. Thank You for Your example of surrender to God’s perfect and pleasing will. Give us greater knowledge of Your freedom so that we may experience Your fullness and worship You completely. Thank You for giving us this day as an opportunity to know You better. We love You, our great Savior and King. In Your Name, amen.
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