Colossians 2:6-15

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Scripture 2:6-15

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 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, 12having 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. 13And 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, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.



Devotion:

            The Colossian believers who because of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savoir should now be prepared to live a life of obedience in following him. Paul mixes metaphors here in verse 7. First an agricultural example of being rooted like a garden plant that has taken root in the soil. Then he switches to a construction example of being “built up”. The believers are to be “established in the faith” as they were taught by their evangelists. And to be thankful for the word and instruction they had received,

            The Colossians were to by wary of those who claimed to have special knowledge that the believers needed to believe beyond what they were taught in Christ. These things included being circumcised like the Jewish people. Or to believe in the heresy that one needed special knowledge in addition to Jesus Christ to be saved. Since they knew from their teachers that Jesus was equal to the Father and the Spirit in all ways. Jesus was God in bodily form. “The fullness of deity was Paul’s way of stating that Jesus is every bit God”.[1]

            Paul goes on to state that if the Colossians truly believed in Christ they had been filled to fullness with Jesus. They had been circumcised with a circumcision that had been done spiritually that is without hands. “Thus, the statement here refers to putting off the fallenness that guides people naturally, i.e., apart from the moral insight that comes from the Holy Spirit.”[2]



            Then comes the idea that the Colossians have been buried in their baptism and raised to new life Christ with all their debt of sin erased. The flesh is no longer in control of them, but Christ is now in the driver’s seat of their lives. “Paul related the concept of circumcision to baptism. The primary stress lies on the spiritual experience of believers in their union with Christ. The three points of identification with Christ are death, burial, and resurrection. The many references to “in him” and “with him” demonstrate that this is done vicariously, as believers accept the work of Christ on their behalf. Clearly, it is at the time of salvation that this spiritual circumcision was performed.”[3]

            Jesus having done all of this for the Colossians has opened the way from spiritual death to spiritual life. He has triumphed over the powers of sin and death. All these things Jesus did for the Colossians he can do for you today if you will truly trust him with your life. The powers that used to have control over your life have been defeated by Jesus at his cross and resurrection. So put off your old nature and put on the armor of God so you can defeat the enemies of your soul when they come to try to put you into bondage again.


[1] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 255.
[2] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 258.
[3] Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 259.

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