Sermons

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Killing Your Sin – Colossians 3:5-11

Killing Your Sin

Colossians 3:5-11

My sermon today is on “Killing Your Sin” which comes from Paul’s command in Colossians 3:5, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth …” This is similar to what Paul says in Romans 6:11, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But the command in Colossians 3:5 is stronger than just considering or reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin. Rather, the idea here is that we are to put sin to death, to kill sin. Paul isn’t instructing us merely to decrease our sin or wound it a little. He isn’t telling us to not think about it or cover it up. The idea here is to root sin completely out of our members, destroy it, and throw it away. We are to treat sin as we would a mortal enemy, showing no mercy by utterly eradicating it. One preacher said, “You don’t trick it, train it or tame it; you terminate it.”[1]

1. What does it mean for us to kill sin?

Frist, it implies that sin is an extreme problem which requires an extreme solution. It is like the urgency that Jesus taught when He taught against adultery, saying,

29 “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Mat 5:29-30).

Very clearly, Jesus is not telling us to literally cut off our hand or pluck out our eye. Remember that in Colossians 2, Paul showed that ascetic practices of “false humility and neglect of the body” have “no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Col. 2:23). Sin does not originate in our hands and eyes, it comes from our minds and hearts. Jesus is teaching us to deal drastically and decisively with sin—to kill it immediately before it spreads and takes over. Paul expressed this same urgency in Romans 8 when he wrote, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13). Puritan John Owen in his work, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, famously wrote about that verse, “be killing sin or it will be killing you.”[2] Joel Beeke wrote…

I once read of a missionary who had in his garden a shrub that bore poisonous leaves. At that time he had a child who was prone to put anything within reach into his mouth. Naturally he dug the shrub out and threw it away. The shrub’s roots, however, were very deep. Soon the shrub sprouted again. Repeatedly the missionary had to dig it out. There was no solution but to inspect the ground every day, and to dig up the shrub every time it surfaced. Indwelling sin is like that shrub. It needs constant uprooting. Our hearts need continual mortification.[3]

The basis for this command for believers to kill sin can be found in the first word of Colossians 3:5, “Therefore.” It points back to the description of our union with Jesus Christ in Colossians 3:1-4. As believers in Christ, we are united with Christ. We died with Christ (Col. 3:3); we were raised with Christ (Col. 3:1); Christ is our life (Col. 3:4); and we will be glorified with Christ when He appears (Col. 3:4). Our union with Christ is the basis for living a transformed life in Christ. So, because you are united with Christ in His death, resurrection, ascension, and return, you must kill the sins Jesus died to save you from. In other words, we are to live out practically who we already are positionally.

We are dead, therefore we must “put to death your members which are on the earth” (Col. 3:5). In the plural (as in this verse) “members” refers not just to your physical limbs but to the seat of your desires and passions. Your “members” are your physical mind and body so far as they are employed in the service of sin. Paul is not teaching that matter is evil or our bodies are evil – that was the philosophy of the false teachers. Our bodies are not evil, but they are corrupted by sin and are susceptible to be used by sin. You died with Christ, but you still fight the battle against sin in your members. You have habits of your mind, attitudes of your heart, and behaviors of your body that, in your life before Christ, were accustomed to sin.

Now, even though you have been born again as a child of God, a new creation in Christ so that “old things have passed away,” and “behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17), yet sin still plagues your members. It is an ongoing battle that we face. Paul describes it in Romans 7 this way:

22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom. 7:22-24).

Paul’s answer to that question in Romans is the same as his answer here in Colossians, “through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:25). The way that we overcome sin in our members is to kill it by our union with Christ and His indwelling Spirit. Sin should have no more life in your earthly members.

In Colossians 3:8, Paul uses another metaphor, that of removing clothing. He writes, “But now you yourselves are to put off all these.” The idea is to throw it off and be done with it for good. Paul uses a similar image in Romans 13:12 when he writes, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”

During the Civil War, a Confederate soldier from Virginia became so tired of living in his lice-infested clothes that he decided to do something about it. He wrote his wife with instructions to meet him at a certain place on a certain day, bringing with her a fresh change of clothes and a jug of kerosene. The soldier met his wife at the designated spot, bathed in the kerosene to rid himself of the lice, then burned his infested clothes and returned to his unit.[4]

That’s what Paul says we must do with sin. Strip it off like a filthy, infested garment, burn it, and be rid of it for good. As a believer in Christ what do you do with sinful thoughts, desires, and behaviors? Put them to death and remove them like an old piece of clothing.

In Colossians 3:5 and 3:8-9, Paul gives us specific examples.

2. What are some sins to put to death?

What are we to put to death? Paul gives two lists of sins. In Colossians 3:5, he gives the examples of personal, sensual sins or sins of idolatry: “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry,” (Col. 3:5). These, we are to kill. Then in Colossians 3:8-9, Paul gives the examples of relational sins or sins of hostility: “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” and lying to one another. These, we are to put off.

Paul says these are some of the things you must put to death in your life. The word translated “fornication” is sexual immorality. It is associated with excess and indulgence of every kind of extramarital, unlawful, or unnatural sexual activity. This would include premarital sex, prostitution, adultery, homosexual relations, incest, and even such things as pornography or sexual fantasy. Paul says as a believer in Jesus Christ you must put these things to death.

Second on the list is “uncleanness.” This word describes anything that is filthy or dirty or impure. Figuratively it refers to moral impurity in thought, word, and deed. It reminds us that sexual sin even on the thought level defiles us. To the Thessalonians Paul writes, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”

Next on the list is “passion.” All three times this word is used in the New Testament it refers to out of control sexual lust (Rom. 1:26; 1 Thess. 4:5). This is tied to the fourth, “evil desire” which is wickedness as an evil habit of the mind. Jesus used this word to describe the wrongful lust for a woman (Matt. 5:28). Paul used this word to describe the sinful craving for idols and other gods (1 Cor. 10:6). James used this word to describe the selfish desires that creates fights and quarrels among people in the church (James 4:2). Evil desire is simply any sort of desire that’s a wrong desire.

The final one on this list is “covetousness” which literally describes a strong desire to acquire more and more, an insatiable selfishness. It can be the desire to have more money, more things, more power, more fame. In this context it also refers to the desire to have more forbidden sex. That’s why when the tenth commandment says, “You shall not covet,” it specifically includes, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” (Exodus 20:17). Covetousness is the desire for more of what’s not yours. It takes the place of God and God’s will for your life. It’s like “He’s not meeting my needs,” or “She’s not meeting my needs. I want something more.” That’s covetousness.

Paul says “covetousness … is idolatry.” Ephesians 5:5 also makes that connection, Paul writes, “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Idolatry is putting something else before God. It is setting your hearts and minds on earthly things rather than things above. In the Bible, idolatry is often connected to sexual immorality. Describing the result of rejecting God for idols, Paul writes in Romans 1, “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” (Rom. 1:24-25).

All of these are issues of the mind and the heart. By the way do you know what is the number one most obvious cause of all sexual immorality today? It’s not the cell phone in your hand; it’s the love for sin in your heart. Listen, the Colossians didn’t have cell phones, and yet Paul was still telling them put sexual immorality to death[5]

I don’t know if you are allowing any of these things a place in your life right now. But I can tell you this: the answer isn’t to try to cope with or control your sin. It’s an idol. Make a clean break with it. Put it to death. Kill that sin.

Notice in Colossians 3:8-9, the second list, “8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,” These are interpersonal sins or sins of hostility. They deal with your heart toward other people.

“Anger” is the sin of an internal hostility toward others, a deep, smoldering, resentful bitterness. It’s a settled animosity toward another person. “Wrath” refers to a burning anger which flares up and burns with the intensity of a fire. It manifests in sudden outbursts of temper and explosions of rage. “Malice” is a mean-spirited or vicious attitude that wishes or does harm to others. Malice is glad when the other person is hurting and sad when they do well. Anger, wrath, and malice are heart-level sins that reside just below the surface, often boiling over into hurtful words and deeds.

The next three have to do with our words. “Blasphemy” is slander or speech that denigrates or defames. Obviously, blasphemy against God is a great sin, but this sin also includes slander against men, wounding someone’s reputation by evil reports, evil speaking. “Fithly language” is to be foul-mouthed, speech that is obscene, filthy, or abusive. Finally, Paul says in Colossians 3:9, “Do not lie to one another.” Lying means to tell a falsehood with the intent to deceive. The command is to “stop lying” or “do not have the habit of lying.”

Paul gives similar instructions in Ephesians, he writes in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” And then in Ephesian 5, “3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” (Eph. 5:3-4). Our attitudes and words matter. Jesus said,

35 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:35-37).

All of these are sins that damage relationships and disrupt fellowship between believers. And Paul says, take them off, get rid of them, don’t wear these things anymore.  

3. Why should we kill sin?

Paul not only tells us to kill sin and names examples of sins to kill, he also tells us why it is important for believers to kill sin.

A. Because of the wrath of God.

First, in Colossians 3:6, Paul says, “Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” The Bible is clear. Those who practice these kinds of sins will not inherit the kingdom of God. Listen to what Paul writes in his other letters:

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Eph. 5:5).

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21).

And Revelation 21:8 tells their fate:

8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8).

We must put these sins to death because they are the cause of the outpouring of God’s righteous wrath for sin upon this world. God pours out the wrath of His judgment for sin against “the sons of disobedience.” As born-again children of God, we need not fear God’s wrath. Christ has taken away the wrath of God against us by His death on the cross. However, we should also not participate in those things which will provoke God’s wrath. God’s wrath is coming because of these things. So why would you want to participate in them?

Another reason to kill these sins is:

B. Because they belong to your old life.

Colossians 3:7 says that these are sins “in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.” Paul reminds those in Colossae of how they had changed. They used to walk in these ways. They used to live in immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. That was their old life before Christ.

In Romans 6, Paul writes,

21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:21-23).

Those sins only brought slavery and death. But Christ brought holiness and eternal life. You already said goodbye to your old way of life, why would you welcome these things back into your life?

In Colossians 3:9-10 we see the third reason:

C. Because God is making you new.

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (Col. 3:9-10).

Paul says that you’ve already changed clothes, you’ve put off the old man and put on the new man. Why would you pick up your old filthy rags and put them on over your new holy robes? We kill sin in our life because we are already clothed in the righteousness of Christ. We are made new “according to the image of Him who created” us.

We have already learned in Colossians what Christ has done for us. God has ” delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13). In Christ, “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:14). God in Christ “has reconciled” us “in the body of His flesh through death” (Col. 1:21-22). We died with Christ and were “raised with Him through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In Christ, we have been made complete (Col. 2:10). Our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). Our new man is “renewed in [this] knowledge” (Col. 3:10). We, who have died with Christ and been raised with Him should make every effort to kill our sin.

D. Because Christ is all and in all.

Colossians 3:11 says that we are in Christ “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” The new self in Christ is not just the transformation of the individual but also of our relationships with each other. It’s not just doing away with sinful patterns or habits but also with the man-made barriers that divide us. In Christ, all the man-made barriers of race, religion, culture, and social class have been removed between believers.

“Christ is all” means Christ is all that matters. “Christ is … in all” means that Christ dwells by His Spirit in each every believer, so how can you sin against them in attitude, words, or actions? Christ is central, and in Christ all the sinful man-made barriers have been removed.

What is the Christian’s attitude to sin? Get rid of it! You died with Christ; you have been raised with Christ; now Christ tells you to get rid of the sinful things in your life. So off with the old, on with the new! Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.

As we come to the Lord’s Table today, has the Lord spoken to you about sins that are still residing in your members? Are some of these attitudes still clinging to your heart? Do they sometimes come out of your mouth? Take time right now as we sing a hymn to kill any residing sin. You died with Christ to sin, so kill any sin that remains in your flesh.

 ———————————————————————-

 

[1] Ray Fowler, Off with the Old, https://www.rayfowler.org/sermons/colossians/off-with-the-old/.

[2] John Owen, Of the Mortification of Sin, https://ccel.org/ccel/owen/mort/mort.i.v.html chapter II.

[3] Joel Beeke, Reformation and Revival Journal, 4:2, Spring, 1995. Quoted on https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_35#3:5.

[4] Story related on https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_36-11#3:8

[5] Grace Hill Church, Put Your Sin to Death, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLlFeqtigVQ.

/ / , / 0

5th-sunday-singing-e1583163614310

Who Do You Worship? – Psalm 36

Who Do You Worship?

Psalm 36

Our scripture reading today is Psalm 36. And before we read it, I want us to think about Psalm 36 in the context of worship. Psalms is the worship book of the Bible. And the worship question that confronts us from Psalm 36 is this: Is your life about you, or is your life about God?[1] In this Psalm, we see David contrasting His worship which is all about God with people whose lives are all about themselves.

The first four verses of Psalm 36 detail the way that the wicked seek fulfillment and pleasure in sin and themselves. Then, in Psalm 36:5-9, David turns his focus on the incomparable delight of knowing and worshiping God. Finally, the psalm concludes with a prayer that the Lord will continue His lovingkindness to His people and protect them from the wicked.

But even though the lives of the wicked are all about sin and self, that doesn’t mean they are not worshiping. It’s just that they love and worship themselves and their sin instead of loving and worshiping the LORD, the one true God. That’s why as we read Psalm 36, I want you to think about the question: Am I living life like it’s all about me or all about God?

Look at the first four verses as we consider:

1. The Worship of the Self and Sin (Psalm 36:1-4)

Psalm 36:1-4

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.
An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
There is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.

3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
He has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4 He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself in a way that is not good;
He does not abhor evil.

These verses are a snapshot of the fallen human heart apart from God’s grace in Christ.[2] We all know that our world is full of wickedness. We see it on the news daily. We hear about mothers murdering their children; fathers abusing kids; nations committing genocide against neighboring nations; every kind of immorality and impurity being not only tolerated, but celebrated. What in the world is wrong? God gave David a special revelation (An oracle within my heart) about what the wicked were thinking. How can people transgress the law of God and their own consciences to continually do wicked deeds?

First, because at the heart of sin is a complete lack of understanding of who God is, so that sinners do not fear Him.[3] David says, “There is no fear of God before his eyes” (Ps. 36:1). If people think about God at all, they think of Him as a lenient and indulgent God who is tolerant of all but the worst sins. They may speak about God’s love, but not His holiness and judgment. Those fooled by sinful thinking assume God will not know or care about what they have done.

Instead, David says, “… he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.” (Ps. 36:2). He flatters himself by thinking that he is not as bad as other sinners, “I’m not a child molester or serial killer.” He doesn’t look past the surface level to the depth of depravity in his own heart. This self-deception allows him to excuse what he sees as little sins. But listen, no sin against a holy God is a minor sin.

So he lies to his own heart about his sin and becomes even an even worse sinner, “The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.” (Ps. 36:3). Do you see the downward spiral? Psalm 36:4, “He devises wickedness on his bed; He sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil.” He is not only falling into occasional sin, he is planning it.

James Hamilton comments, “Where our minds go when we’re not thinking about anything else reveals what we consider to be ultimate, reveals what we most desire. It’s a revelation of what we worship.”[4] What we comtemplate reveals what we desire and what we love. Let me ask you, when you lie awake at night, are your thoughts drawn to God or to self and sin? Are you worshiping God or worrying about yourself?

This is what the wicked worship—self and sin. “There is no fear of God before his eyes,” (Ps. 36:1). Instead, “he flatters himself in his own eyes,” (Ps. 36:2).

Then in Psalm 36:5, David takes an abrupt turn to focus on worshiping the LORD. “From the depths of depravity, David leaps to the heights of God and His abundant blessings towards those who seek Him.”[5]  

2. The Worship of the LORD (Psalm 36:5-9)

Listen to how David extols the Lord and His attributes:

5 Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains;
Your judgments are a great deep;
O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.

8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.

9 For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light. (Psalm 36:5-9).

What a stark contrast to the previous verses! David praises God for His measureless and boundless loving mercy and faithfulness (Ps. 36:5). God’s loyal love never ends, and He always keeps His promises. David worships God for His massive righteousness and unfathomable judgment (Ps. 36:5). We may not always understand what God does and why He allows suffering, but with God all things are made right and true always justice wins. David extols the preciousness of God’s love and delights to take refuge in Him (Ps. 36:7). God’s love satisfies our deepest longings (Ps. 36:8).

I love Psalm 36:9, “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light,” a verse that is fulfilled so perfectly in our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water,” (John 7:37-38); and who also said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life,” (John 8:12). Jesus died to take the penalty for the sins of rebellious people like David described in Psalm 36:1–4. He did it because of God’s love and righteousness described in Psalm 36:5-9. Trusting in Christ, we find all our delight and joy in worshiping Him.  

David ends this Psalm with a prayer showing …

3. The Wish of the Worshiper of God (Psalm 36:10-12)

Listen to David’s prayer:

10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.
(Psalm 36:10-12).

As David showed in Psalm 36:5-9, God is all satisfying, yet worshipers of God always want more of God. They are so enthralled with God’s love and righteousness that they continually plead for more. And though God has promised His lovingkindness and righteousness, we still need to ask Him for it. Seek to know God more. Ask God for a pure heart.

David also prays that the Lord will protect him from “the foot of pride” and “the hand of the wicked” (Ps. 36:11). Without the Lord’s help, we are all vulnerable to falling into the ways of the world. Don’t let the ways of the world drive you away from worshiping the LORD.

In the final verse, David prophetically looks ahead and sees the place where the wicked meet their final demise. God is righteous and will judge righteously.

Let’s take Palm 36 to heart. Keep looking to our sovereign God, trusting in His protection and preservation. Keep worshiping the LORD, keep looking to Christ, keep drinking deeply from the river of His delights, keep praying in His name, keep preaching His gospel, keep believing Him for the glorious day in which all evil will be put away and everything will become completely new.

 

 

[1] James Hamilton, Sin or God, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZHz385yob0&t=19s.

[2] Steven Cole, Deceived by Sin or Delighted in God?, https://bible.org/seriespage/psalm-36-deceived-sin-or-delighted-god.

[3] Cole, ibid.

[4] Hamilton, ibid.

[5] Cole. Ibid.

/ / , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Heavenly Living While Still on Earth – Colossians 3:1-4

Heavenly Living While Still on Earth

Colossians 3:1-4

We have probably all heard the saying, “He’s so heavenly minded that he’s no earthly good.” The idea is that someone is so consumed by thoughts of heaven that he neglects the important things of daily living. And although we can certainly imagine someone doing that, I believe that the greater problem in our day is people who are so consumed with temporal earthly things that they neglect important eternal matters.

The apostle Paul encourages us to be heavenly-minded. In Colossians 2, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he commands us to “seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1) and “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). And he expected that heavenly-mindedness would result in us being earthly good. After commanding the Colossians to have a heavenly mindset, in the rest of Colossians 3 and 4 Paul applies this truth to godly living for Christ in areas like our moral and sexual purity, church and family relationships, work ethics, and our witness to a lost world. Having a heavenly mindset is decidedly practical. C.S. Lewis said it effectively in Mere Christianity,

…a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next… It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth “thrown in”: aim at earth and you will get neither.[1]

Remember that in Colossians 1-2 Paul has set forth Jesus Christ as the very fullness of God, having preeminence over creation, the church, and empty human philosophies. We have a complete salvation in Jesus Christ. So, Paul warned about being taken captive by human traditions and false teachings that promote legalism, mysticism, or asceticism as ways to spiritual fullness. As He summarized in Colossians 2:23, “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

Why are these things ineffective at helping us against sin? Why do they all fail to make us righteous and godly? Because sin is not just a matter of outward behavior; it is a problem of the heart and of the mind. And the only one who can change our heart and mind is God Himself. And the only way He has provided for redemption and forgiveness of sins is Jesus Christ. So, the only way to live a righteous and holy life is to live in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The key to living in godliness is Christ. Notice that in Colossians 3:1-4 Paul refers to Christ five times: We are raised with Christ (Col. 3:1); Christ is sitting at the right hand of God (Col. 3:2); Your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3); Christ is our life (Col. 3:4); and we will appear with Christ in glory (Col. 3:4).

Christ is all we need. And Christ is in heaven at the right hand of God the Father. So, Paul is saying in Colossians 3, “If you want to be more earthly good, you need to be more heavenly minded!” Let’s take a look at what Paul says about heavenly living while still on earth. First, we see that Paul gives,

1. Two Requirements for Heavenly Living (Col. 3:1-2)

Paul instructs his readers to “seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1) and “Set your mind on things above” (Col. 3:2). The foundation for these commands are at the beginning of Colossians 3:1, “If then you were raised with Christ.” Our position in Christ is the determining factor in how we think and how we live as Christians. Paul has written two chapters in this letter establishing the truth of Christ and our position in Him. We just saw in Colossians 2 that you should reject the false philosophies and practices of human tradition because “you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world” (Col. 2:20) Now its because “you were raised with Christ” that you must pursue heavenly living.

It all goes back to what Christ has done for us in our salvation. By faith, we have been joined with Christ, united together with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is what we saw that baptism symbolizes in Colossians 2:12, “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

In light of our union with Christ in His death and resurrection we are to have,

A. A heavenly pursuit “Seek things above” (Col. 3:1)

The verb “seek” means to ‘aim at,’ “strive after,’ ‘investigate,’ or ‘pursue’ in order to obtain something. It’s the word Luke used in Jesus’ parable of the woman who “search(ed) carefully” for her lost coin (Luke 15:8). It’s the word Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). So, Paul is talking about what you pursue in life. He is saying that because you are raised up with Christ to a new life, you have a new aim, direction, or pursuit. Seeking things above is our ongoing daily pursuit.

What is your new heavenly pursuit? You are you “seek those things which are above” (Col. 3:1). “Things above” is in contrast to “things on the earth.” Things on earth are temporary while things above are eternal. So Jesus teaches in Matthew 6, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matt. 6:19-20). Our Lord says that our pursuit should not be these things, “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matt. 6:33).

What is it about “things above” that demands our wholehearted pursuit? Because, Paul reminds us that is “where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). Our passion and pursuit of heavenly things is all about being with Christ. He is the supreme focus of heaven.[2] Paul alludes to Psalm 110:1 where David writes about the Messiah, “The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”” Jesus made it clear in Matthew 22 that by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit David prophetically wrote about Christ.

The “right hand of God” is the highest place of honor and authority. “Heaven is not just the place where Christ resides; it is where Christ reigns.”[3] The fact that Jesus is “sitting” indicates His complete victory over sin and death. Hebrews 1:3 speaks about Jesus Christ, “who being the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Heb 1:3; cf. Heb. 10:12; 12:2).

Ephesians 2 tells us that not only has Christ been raised and seated in the heavenly realms, spiritually we are sitting there with Him. Ephesians 2:6 says that God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We participate in the honor, authority, and victory of Christ. We are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).

Seeking things above doesn’t mean that we checkout of our responsibilities or that we neglect our duties to work, church, or family. But it means that we do all these things recognizing that Jesus is Lord and King. We no longer love the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15), but we love the Lord with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39).

Seeking the things above is to pursue the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). It is to set the goal of your life to live for God’s glory instead of your own (1 Cor. 10:31); to serve Him in building His kingdom instead of yourself in building your own (Col. 3:23-24). It is having your treasure in heaven instead of pursuing the things defined by this world as success (Matt. 6:20). That is our heavenly pursuit.

Paul’s next instruction is for us to have,

B. A heavenly posture “Set your mind on things above” (Col. 3:2)

The second command comes in Colossians 3:2, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” This may sound like Paul is just restating the instruction from verse 1, but there is a different emphasis here. We are not only to seek heavenly things, we are to think heavenly things. The word translated “set your mind” is a word that means “to think about something,” and it is phrased in such a way here that it means “to think about constantly.” And so if seeking things above means having a new direction or pursuit, setting your mind on things above means having a new attitude and outlook.

Paul writes about two different mindsets in Romans 8:

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Rom. 8:5-6).

We’re to no longer have our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes centered on the things of this world. Paul goes on in Romans 8 to say that “…the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:7-8).

But we are no longer in the flesh, we are in Christ. We have died with Him and been raised to live in Him. His Spirit dwells in us (Rom. 8:9). Therefore, as Paul writes in Romans 12, we are no longer to have a mind that is conformed to this world, but we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2).

Paul also writes in Ephesians 4,

22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:22-24).

Setting our minds on things above is contrasted with “things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). Paul repeats that exact phrase in Colossians 3:5, where Paul instructs us to “put to death your members which are on the earth.” Then he lists sins that having an earthly mindset produces: “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). Instead, the heavenly mindset will produce “tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another,” (Col. 3:12-13).

Listen, a heavenly mindset produces godly living. How you think about God, yourself, and others determines how you act. Setting your minds on things above will not pull you away from helping others here on earth. It will compel you to love and serve them. You must be heavenly-minded if you want to be any earthly good. A heavenly mindset views people around you differently. You view each person in light of eternity. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5 that Christ, “… died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.” (2 Cor. 5:15-16).

Is your mindset conformed to the world or transformed by Christ and His word? Don’t let the world influence your thinking, but let your mind be transformed by Christ and his word. Let your mind be soaked with Scripture and with thoughts of Christ. Since you have been raised with Christ, you have a new direction and a new focus. Seek things above and set your mind on things above.

Then in Colossians 3:3-4, Paul gives,

2. Three Reasons for Heavenly Living (Col. 3:3-4)

Paul gives us three motivations for seeking and setting our minds on things above. The first one is what Christ has done for you in the past.

A. You died with Christ (Col. 3:3)

Colossians 3:3 says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Before you were saved, you were alive to the world and dead to God (Eph. 2:1-5). You were “dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh” (Col. 2:12). But now, having died with Christ, you are no longer dead in sin, you are dead to sin. We are now dead to sin and alive to God. Christ has cancelled your debt, given you a new heart, and filled you with His Spirit. Romans 6 says,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (Rom. 6:6-7).

The sinful pleasures and fleshly enticements of this world once held an attraction for us—but no more![4]  Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal. 5:24). Warren Weirsbe tells the story about two sisters who enjoyed attending dances and wild parties. Then they were converted and found new life in Christ. They received an invitation to a party and sent their RSVP in these words: “We regret that we cannot attend because we recently died.”[5] Those women had set their mind on things above. It’s the truth that Paul declared in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

That’s the first reason you should seek and set your mind on things above. You died. The second reason is,

B. Your life is hidden with Christ (Col. 3:3)

Here is our present reality. Paul says, “… your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). What does it mean that your life is hidden with Christ? I think it refers to at least three things. First, our identity. To have our life hidden in Christ means that our lives are so wrapped up in Jesus, that you can’t see us without seeing Jesus. Our identity is in Jesus. The Bible declares Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:4; 8:12; 9:5). But because we are in Him and He in us, Jesus also Our Lord taught, “You are the light of the world,” (Matt. 5:14) and you are to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16). Christ is our identity. As Paul says in Colossians 3:4, “Christ … is our life.”

Second, Christ is our security. Your life is hidden with Christ. And where is Christ? At the right hand of God in heaven. Can you get any more secure than that? Who can steal your salvation if your life is hidden with King Jesus at the right hand of God? I can’t think of any safer place to be. The old hymn says,

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.[6]

A newer hymn says,

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

One with Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased with His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God![7]

The third aspect of our being hidden with Christ in God is the mystery. By this, I simply mean that there is an aspect to our life that isn’t entirely evident for all to see. When we are born again as a child of God by faith in Christ, most of the time we don’t look significantly different physically. We still look like the same person from the outside. But there has been a transformation on the inside. And certainly, that will change our attitudes and actions. And when lost people see that change, they often don’t understand it. They may even oppose it and persecute you.

It’s a mystery, and those who do not know Christ cannot possibly understand it. We can barely understand it ourselves! But your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The third reason to for heavenly living is,

C. You will appear in glory with Christ (Col. 3:4)

Paul writes, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:4). You died with Christ in the past, your life is now hidden with Christ in the present, and in the future you will appear with Christ in glory. On that day when Christ returns, what is hidden will be revealed. The world will finally see Jesus as He is, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Every knee will bow before Him and every tongue confess that He is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11). And when the world see Him for who He is, it will see you for who you really are in Christ.

John makes this clear in his first epistle, writing,

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. (1 John 3:1-2).

When Christ is revealed in glory, you will be revealed along with Him. Your life is totally bound up with Christ. Remember, you are united with Christ by faith, so what happens to Christ, happens to you. Christ died—that means you died with Him. Christ rose again—so, you were raised with him. Christ will appear in glory—and you will appear in glory with Him. You are united with Christ not only in His death, burial and resurrection but also in His ascension and His return.

The world presently does not know us. It has no clue of the glory that will be revealed in us at the coming of Christ. God will take a bunch of ordinary saved sinners like you and I, and He will glorify us with Christ. When Jesus comes back to earth and is revealed in full glory, we will also be raised up bodily with Him, and revealed in glory with Him. What a life changing hope that is! And this hope of heavenly glory motivates us to heavenly living today. 1 John 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Are you longing for that day? Are you living for that day? Do heavenly thoughts fill your mind? Are heavenly pursuits what you live for? You have died.  You are hidden.  You will be revealed.  This is your life.  But, there is only one reason why these things are so.  It’s because of Jesus.  He is our life.  He is our only hope and joy!  He is the only one that gives life.  What else is there to live for?  What other hope might we have?

 

[1] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, book III, Chapter 10.

[2] H.B. Charles, Living with Heavenly Priorities, https://hbcharlesjr.today/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Living-with-Heavenly-Prior_Col-3_2-pg-up1.pdf.

[3] Charles, ibid.

[4] Greg Allen, Living the Resurrection Life, https://bethanybible.net/index.php/2013/04/10/living-the-resurrection-life-colossians-31-4/.

[5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 133.

[6] Edward Mote, The Solid Rock,  Baptist Hymnal 2008 #511.

[7] Vikki Cook, Before the Throne of God Above, Baptist Hymnal 2008 #448.

/ / , , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Reject Self-Made Religion – Colossians 2:16-23

Reject Self-Made Religion

Colossians 2:16-23

If I were going to summarize the situation at the church in Colossae when Paul wrote his letter to them, it would be that false teachers came into the church and said something like, “We know you’re Christians, but that’s not enough. There are things that you need to add to your Christianity—things that will make you more spiritual than just believing in Jesus Christ.” The same kind of dangers face us as Christians today—saying that Christ is not sufficient or that Christ is not enough.

Paul warns the church about these things in Colossians 2. Notice first in Colossians 2:8, Paul writes, “Beware lest any man cheat you” or “take you captive.” Next, in Colossians 2:16, he writes, “So let no one judge you.” Then, in Colossians 2:18, “Let no one cheat you (or “defraud you” NASB) of your reward”. I like the word “disqualify” you (ESV). Paul puts his final warning in the form of a question, “why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations?” (Colossians 2:20). In other words, “let no one enslave you.”

So in our text, Paul gives us three warnings. He warns us not to be taken-in, judged, disqualified, or enslaved by three empty philosophies and traditions of men. The first is legalism (Col. 2:16-17). The second is mysticism (Col. 2:18-19). The third is asceticism (Col. 2:20-23). I’ll define each of those as we come to them. The features of all three of these are that they are deceitful (Col. 2:8), worldly (Col. 2:8, 20), fleshly (Col. 2:18), hypocritical (Col. 2:18, 23), man-centered (Col. 2:8, 23), and Christless (Col. 2:8, 17, 19). In Colossians 2:23, Paul refers to “self-imposed religion,” literally, “self-religion”. These three forms of self-religion (legalism, mysticism, and asceticism) are dangers that not only the Colossians faced, but we also face today. Paul urges us to reject self-made religion that can derail us as believers.

1. Legalism – Don’t let anyone judge you (Col. 2:16-17)

“Legalism” is the idea that I can be made more acceptable to God on the basis of what I do—reducing my relationship with God to an observance of certain rituals and regulations.[1] The heart of legalism is an attitude of pride. The legalist prides himself for keeping certain standards and judges others who do not keep those standards.[2] It’s the religion of human achievement. And it’s dangerous, because legalists are not content to live according to their rules and leave others alone. They are recruiters who seek to bring everyone under their system of bondage (Matt. 23:15).

The Pharisees are an example of legalism. In Mark 7, the Pharisees and scribes accused Jesus’ disciples of not walking “according to the tradition of the elders,” eating with “unwashed hands” (Mark 7:5). Jesus rebuked them for their hypocrisy, quoting from Isaiah, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7).

Paul commands the church in Colossians 2:16, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.” The legalists in Colossae were judging or condemning others in two specific areas: keeping a special diet and observing special days. When Paul says, “let no one judge you in food or in drink,” he is likely referring to Old Testament Jewish laws that had to do with clean or unclean animals (Leviticus 11), fasting or not fasting (Matthew 6:16-18), regulations about wine for priests (Lev. 10:8-11) and Nazirites (Num. 6), and rules about drinking from an unclean cup (Lev. 11; 15; Mark 7:8; Matt. 23:25-26). So, the false teachers were imposing Jewish legalism on the Christians in Colossae as a means of spiritual growth.

But Jesus taught that the dietary laws of the Old Testament no longer applied. Speaking of foods, He said, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” (Mark 7:14-15). And Mark comments a few verses later, “Thus He declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:19 NASB). God, in Christ, has declared all foods clean (Acts 10:9-15). And Paul wrote in Romans 14:17 that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” So, Paul warns the Colossians, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink.” That’s not what makes you right with God. If you don’t want to eat meat, that’s fine; skip it. Maybe it will improve your health; maybe it won’t. But don’t tell me that God insists that I skip my bacon or hamburger. Don’t try to tell me that I will be closer to God if I follow your rules about eating and drinking. Writing to the Corinthians about eating food sacrificed to idols, Paul said, “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.” (1 Cor. 8:8).

In Colossians 2:16, Paul also warned them not to let anyone judge them “regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.” These are Jewish religious holy days, such as seasonal “festivals” (Lev. 23), monthly “new moon” celebrations and sacrifices (Numbers 10:10; 28:11-15), and regulations about “sabbaths” (Exodus 31:14-16). These observances were important in the Old Testament because they pointed the Jewish people to Jesus. When Jesus came, however, He perfectly fulfilled the intention of those laws in His own life of obedience, and in His sacrificial death on the cross (Matthew 5:17; Romans 3:27-31). The New Testament never commands that Gentile followers of Jesus observe these days (Acts 15:28-29). Paul wrote in Romans 14,

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. … 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”  (Rom. 14:5-6, 13).

There may be nothing wrong with eating special foods or observing special days, but we must understand that these are not requirements for any believer. 

The problem with these things is that they were only shadows of the things that were to come. Colossians 2:17 says, “which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Whenever you have a shadow, you know that you have a substance that is creating that shadow. Your shadow may give a vague outline of what you look like, but it is a poor representation of who you really are. A shadow is a poor substitute for the real thing. 

When Kathy and I were engaged, and I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB 1200 miles away from her in Colorado Springs, I had a photo of her displayed prominently in my room. I looked at it every night and every morning as I thought about how much I loved her. But after we were married and lived together, I didn’t spend time admiring her photo. I had the real thing! How silly would it be for me to be in the same room as my wife and hold her photo instead of holding her hand? That’s like hugging a shadow instead of the person you love.

The Old Covenant regulations and ceremonies were like a shadow. Jesus is the real thing! Once we’ve come to Jesus, we don’t need the shadows anymore. We can put the shadow away because we have the reality. The Old Testament laws were only there to point us to Jesus. Now, Jesus Christ has come, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:14).

Paul says don’t be enamored by the shadows because “the substance is of Christ” (Col. 2:17). Already in Colossians, Paul has said that Christ is our hope of heaven (Col. 1:5). He is the one who came and delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into His kingdom (Col. 1:13). He redeemed us through His blood, forgiving our sins (Col. 1:14). Jesus Christ alone is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15), being the creator and sustainer of all things (Col. 2:16-17). He alone has the preeminence as the head of the body, the church, and the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18). All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 1:19). By the blood of His cross He has reconciled us to God (Col. 1:20-23). In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). In Him we have been made complete (Col. 2:10), being united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection (Col. 2:11-13). He canceled out our certificate of debt (Col. 2:14) and triumphed over the spiritual forces of evil that were against us (Col. 2:15).

Why would you need anything or anyone else? The cure for legalism is to focus on Christ. He is the fullness of God and we are full in Him. So, instead of focusing on ceremonial food, focus on Jesus who is the Bread of Life (John 6:41). Instead of focusing on religious festivals, focus on Christ who is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7). Instead of focusing on Sabbath days, focus on Jesus who is our eternal rest (Hebrews 4:1-11). How do you fight legalism? Don’t let anyone judge you. Focus on the reality which is found in Christ.

Next Paul deals with …

2. Mysticism – Don’t let anyone disqualify you (Col. 2:18-19)

Paul warns about mysticism in Colossians 2:18, “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.”

Here’s a description of mysticism: Mysticism looks for reality in subjective experience. The deceitful idea behind mysticism is believing that you can somehow be made more holy or acceptable to God on the basis of what you know, feel, or experience in a subjective way.

So, Paul warns the Colossians, “Let no one cheat you of your reward” (Col. 2:18). The imperative literally means to “rule or decide against, disqualify, or defraud” like an unfair umpire calling you out, or a judge being bribed to condemn you.[3] Paul often pictures the Christian life as an athletic race where the finishers win the prize (2 Tim. 4:7; Acts 20:24; 1 Cor. 9:24-27). Having just begun the race, the Colossians were in danger of being disqualified from the prize by this false teaching. The false teachers were acting like self-appointed spiritual referees who were disqualifying the Colossians because they didn’t have certain religious experiences. We’re not to allow anyone to declare that we are unacceptable to God simply because we didn’t have some mystical experience that they claim we should have.

Paul points to some dangers the Colossians faced that others used to disqualify them. First, some false teachers were boasting in “false humility and worship of angels” (Col. 2:18). Most of the time in the Bible, the word for “humility” is used in a positive sense. In Colossians 3:12, Paul instructs us to “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.” Christians are commanded to be “clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5). But here, Paul probably is being sarcastic, saying that these false teachers take pride in their humility! That’s why the NKJV translates it as “false humility.”

One way this false humility showed itself was in their “worship of angels” (Col. 2:18). They may have said something like, “We know we are not worthy to come into the presence of God or Christ, so we approach Him through the angels.” This probably grew out of a false teaching that physical or materials things were evil and only spirit was good. They reasoned that if our bodies were evil, we could not worship God directly, so we would need to go through a series of angels in order to reach God. Archaeologists and historians tell us that an angel-worshiping cult eventually developed in the region near the Colossian believers.

Just as then, people today often try to seek a relationship with God through intermediary spirit beings—“guardian angels” or “spirit guides” or “saints”—instead of through a simple faith in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” We don’t need any other mediator. We don’t need to seek the help of angels or saints in heaven. Such practices may look religious or super spiritual, but it is false spirituality. Don’t fall for the false piety of people who claim to know another way to intimacy with God that is not according to Christ.

Another way that mysticism showed up in the Colossian church was supposed visions. Paul writes to not let anyone disqualify you by “intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Col. 2:18). People foolishly intrude into error and false spirituality based on things that only they have “seen”—things which, in fact, they haven’t really “seen” at all.

Beware of religious practices that play on your emotions to give you a mystical feeling of closeness to God. In some churches, you find people who claim to have special visions, trips to heaven, or special words of knowledge by which they claim to discern the will of God—not just for themselves but often for others too. Some claim to receive direct revelations or prophesies from God. They often use these visions and revelations to intimidate other believers.

Listen, the way to determine what is true and what is false, what is real and what is not, what is of God and what is not, is the objective truth of God’s Word, the Bible. It’s not your subjective feelings. Beware of those who tell you, “I feel like God wants you to…” or “I feel like God is saying…” What about the Bible? Is what you feel true with God’s Word? Is it according to Christ as revealed in scripture? Isn’t the word of God sufficient? It’s our authority, not visions or subjective feelings.

There are two major problems with false mysticism. The first is that it promotes self. Paul says that the one who practices it is “vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Col. 2:18). Because of their supposed visions or spiritual experiences, they parade around like spiritual superheroes. They make you feel like a second-class Christian if you don’t have these same kind of experiences. But their spirituality is empty and fleshly. Listen, there are no second-class Christians. Colossians 2:10 said, “you are complete in Him”—complete in Christ. You don’t need any special revelation or visions to make you more. Don’t let anyone intimidate you or disqualify you.

This false mysticism promotes self. And the real problem with it is that it demotes Christ. As Paul writes in Colossians 2:19, the problem is that they are “not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.” Who is the head of the church? Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:18, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” The only way to spiritual life, nourishment, and growth is in Christ. We must stay connected to our head. H.B. Charles says, “A body without a head is dead. A body with two heads is a monster!” We must never allow ourselves to be deceived by the supposed spiritual experiences, or mystical insights, or even miraculous signs, of those who claim to have found “a better way” to God’s favor than through Jesus. There should be no jockeying for position within the church based on our religious experiences. Beware of anything or anyone who wants to add to what Christ has done as though He is not enough! Beware of those who promote self and demote Christ.

Finally, beware of …

3. Asceticism – Don’t let anyone enslave you (Col. 2:20-23)

If legalism is relying on religious rules, and mysticism is relying on religious experiences, what is asceticism? Asceticism is relying on religious acts of extreme self-denial. It is the practice of avoiding physical pleasure by depriving your body or practicing self-imposed suffering for supposedly religious reasons. This is what Paul addresses when he writes,

20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations– 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. (Col. 2:20-23).

You might think, “But isn’t self-denial taught in the Bible?” Didn’t Jesus teach, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”? Isn’t self control a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:23)? Didn’t Paul say, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” (1 Cor. 9:27). Didn’t he instruct Timothy to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3) and “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7 NASB)?

Obviously, godly self-discipline is not what Paul is warning against here. One difference is that rather than focusing on following Christ, asceticism focuses on the negatives, “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle.” It teaches that depriving yourself of good things will lead to greater holiness and approval with God. Asceticism focuses on temporary and physical things. As Paul says, “which all concern things which perish with the using.” The Ascetic thinks, “My body is evil, therefore, I’m going to starve it. I’m going to punish it. I’m going to afflict it.” A lot of pagan religions do this. Asceticism is submitting my body to my will. But biblical self-discipline is submitting my whole life to God’s will.

Notice that the source of these commands is “according to the commandments and doctrines of men” (Col. 2:22). These are not God’s commandments but man’s rules. They are all destined to perish. They have to do with material things that will pass away. None of these commands will carry on into heaven. There will be no fasting in heaven. There will be no asceticism. Rather, we will experience the fullness of joy in God’s presence. These commands have no eternal value because they are not based on God’s Word, but man’s word. They are not Christ-centered; they are self-centered.

Ultimately, these ascetic practices are hypocritical. Paul says, “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (Col. 2:23). So, it’s a feigned or phony religion. It appears to be spiritual. It appears to be humble. But it’s all fake and useless. Kent Hughes said, “Asceticism feeds the flesh by starving it.”[4] These kinds of self-imposed rules are powerless against indulging the flesh. Men and women can deny themselves all the legitimate pleasures of life, cause unrelenting pain and suffering to their bodies, and make an exhibition of personal humility and supposed self-control, and yet, the whole time, be filled in their hearts with lust and sin. Jesus called such people “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).

Asceticism is not necessary because, as Paul writes in Colossians 2:20, “you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world.” You don’t need to keep killing yourself through repeated acts of asceticism. Why? Because you already died with Christ. Colossians 2:11-15 just taught us that we have died with Christ, been buried with Christ, and been raised to new life in Christ. Therefore, we are not subject to the rudiments of the world. Christ has paid our debt to the law, nailing it to the cross. He triumphed over all the spiritual forces of darkness. We are complete in Him.

People are always tempted to substitute something for Christ, but there are no good substitutes for Christ. The Christian life is not about religious rules, religious experiences, or religious acts of self-denial. Legalism, mysticism, asceticism – these are all poor substitutes for Christ. The answer to legalism is the grace of Christ. The answer to mysticism is my completeness in Christ. The answer to asceticism is that I have died with Christ, and I have risen with Christ. The answer is Christ. Jesus Christ is all that we need and all that we want.

 

[1] Greg Allen, No More Chains, https://bethanybible.net/index.php/2013/04/03/no-more-chains-colossians-216-23/.

[2] Steven Cole, Reject Legalism, Hold to Christ, https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-13-reject-legalism-hold-christ-colossians-216-19.

[3] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2603/nkjv/tr/0-1/.

[4] R. Kent Hughes, quoted by John Miller, https://www.revival.tv/sermons/colossians/dont-be-spoiled/.

/ / , , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Complete Salvation in Christ – Colossians 2:11-15

Complete Salvation in Christ

Colossians 2:11-15

It’s amazing how many religious people attempt to add to the completed work of Christ. Christians are led to believe that something more is needed in their spiritual lives other than Christ. This was the atmosphere being spread by the antagonists of Colossae. They intimidated the young believers into thinking that they must know secret mysteries, have mystical experiences, or practice ascetic regulations in order to complete their salvation in Christ.

And in the heart of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church, he warns to them not to be captivated by any other philosophy, human tradition, or legalistic rules that would take them away from the truth of Christ. Colossians 2:8 says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” And this warning is just as relevant for us today as it was for them.  Temptations to drift from the supremacy and centrality of Jesus Christ are all around us.

In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul gave us three reasons why we must not be taken captive by anything that is not according to Christ. First, because Jesus Christ is the fullness of God (Col. 2:9). Second, because we are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10a). And third, because Christ has all authority (Col. 2:10b). Today, as we look at Colossians 2:11-15, Paul gives a fourth reason why we ought not to be captivated by philosophy and empty deceit rather than the truth in Christ. The reason is because God has provided for us complete salvation in Jesus Christ.

When God saves you by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ, a whole spectrum of things happen to you, for you, and in you. One of the reasons why some Christians are easily led astray is that they do not understand what God actually did for them and in them when they were saved. Often Christians will think about how they heard the gospel, repented and believed in Christ, and received forgiveness and eternal life. But our salvation is not complete because of what we do. We are complete in Christ because of who He is and what He has done. This is what Paul outlines for us in Colossians 2:11-15.  

Because of our sin, before we were saved by Christ, we all had three major problems that kept us from a right relationship with God: the sinful nature of our hearts, the condemning authority of the law, and the hostile accusations of Satan. In the sinful nature of our hearts, we desired sin and rebelled against God. God’s law showed us our sin and condemned us to death. And Satan and his evil powers tempted us to sin and then accused us before God. We were under the power of our sinful nature, the power of the law, and the power of Satan. We needed a savior.

The good news is that God did not leave us helpless in our lost condition. He sent His only begotten Son into the world to save us from sin, death, and the devil. And Jesus Christ has the power over sin, over death, over the law, and over spiritual forces of evil. Colossians 2:9-10 says, “9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” This is who Jesus Christ is—the almighty God who became man, the sovereign ruler over all things. The key phrase repeated throughout this whole section is “in Him” or “with Him.” Our salvation is complete in Christ.

In Colossians 2:11-15, we see what Jesus Christ has done for us and in us in providing complete salvation from sin, from death, from the condemnation of the law, and from the spiritual forces of evil against us. My aim today is to deepen your understanding and appreciation for the salvation you have in Christ. After my sermon today, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper, focusing on what Christ has done through His substitutionary death and victorious resurrection. Let’s look at our complete salvation in Christ.

1. In Christ we are saved from the sinful nature.

If you have trusted in Christ, He has saved you from sin and your sinful nature or sinful heart. Paul uses two pictures or religious symbols to teach us this truth: circumcision and baptism.

A. You were circumcised in Christ (Col. 2:11)

Colossians 2:11 reads, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.”

Circumcision was something that was established by God in His covenant with Abraham and by the law of Moses. By it, God distinguished the Jewish people for a special purpose in His great plan of salvation (see Genesis 17). Every male child born of Abraham was to bear on his body the mark of the removal of flesh. It identified them as God’s covenant people.

But Paul is not talking about the Jewish rite of physical circumcision. No, Paul says theirs was “the circumcision made without hands.” In other words, it was not done physically by men but spiritually by God.  Even the Old Testament distinguished between physical and spiritual circumcision – between circumcision of the foreskin and circumcision of the heart. We read in Deuteronomy 10:16: “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Or again, in Jeremiah 4:4 God commands, “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

And so physical circumcision was only a sign of a deeper reality. Without circumcision of the heart, physical circumcision had no value. As Paul writes in Romans 2: “28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” True circumcision is circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God.

So, what is this spiritual circumcision? Not the cutting away of the foreskin, but the cutting away and “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh” (Col. 2:11). John MacArthur explains that “The body of the flesh refers to the sinful, fallen human nature totally dominating believers before salvation.”[1] Paul is saying that in this spiritual circumcision, the sinful body of flesh is cut away and cast off, setting us free from sin’s dominion and power over us. What is cut away is “the old unbelieving, blind, rebellious self and its use of the body for sin.”[2] At the cross, the power of the sinful nature was broken, and it was deprived of its control over the body.[3] This body of the flesh has been put off in the sense that it has been rendered inoperative. Paul writes in Romans 6:6 “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

We are all born with a sinful nature that makes us desire sin and makes us slaves to sin. But in Christ, that old man, that sinful body of flesh, has been cut off. Christ’s death on the cross overcame the power of sin in our lives. This is “the circumcision of Christ.” Spiritual circumcision means that through the power of the cross your sinful nature has been cut off and you no longer have to sin. You have been given a new heart that seeks after God and desires true righteousness and holiness. He took away your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26). You are a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), born of the Spirit (John 3:5-6). Sin no longer has control over you; Christ does.

That brings us to the second symbol—baptism.

B. You were baptized in Christ (Col. 2:12)

Paul uses the imagery of baptism in Colossians 2:12 when he writes, “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” The meaning of Greek word for “baptism” simply means “to dip or immerse.” Physical baptism is being immersed in water as a confession of faith in Christ and identification with Him and His covenant people.

Just as circumcision had a spiritual reality behind it, baptism, for the Christian, also has a spiritual reality behind it. It’s not being dunked in water; it’s being immersed into Christ, baptized by the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ. And the moment you were saved, as a Christian, you were baptized by the Holy Spirit. That means that the work of the Spirit took you out of Adam and identified you or placed you into Jesus Christ.

Paul says you were “buried with Him in baptism.” When you go under the water in baptism, that is a symbol of being buried with Christ. The spiritual reality is that by faith in the death of Christ for your sins, you have died with Christ and been buried with Him. But baptism pictures not just our spiritual death and burial with Christ, it also pictures our spiritual resurrection with Christ. Paul continues, “in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). When you come up out of the waters of baptism, it is a symbol of you being raised with Christ from the dead.

Paul explores this symbolism even further in Romans 6 where he writes:

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:3-7).

This is similar language to the circumcision language we saw earlier. Spiritual circumcision was the putting off of the sinful nature. Spiritual Baptism is being crucified with Christ so that the whole body of sin might be put to death. When you put your faith in Christ, you are united with Christ by faith. In our union with Christ, we participate in the saving work of Christ. Jesus died which means you died with Him. Jesus was buried which means you were buried with Him. And anyone who has died has been freed from sin. In Christ, sin no longer has power over us.

Paul says this spiritual baptism of being buried with Christ and raised with Him is “through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). It’s the work of God. It’s the energy or operation of God. You can’t resurrect yourself. You can’t give yourself new life. It happened the moment you were born again. Every Christian, the moment they believed and trusted in Jesus Christ, was crucified, buried and resurrected.

And the result of your salvation in Christ is that the sinful body of flesh has been cut off, put to death, so that it does not rule your life any longer. Christ is Lord in your life. He IS your life. You have been saved from sin and the sinful nature.

Next we see that …

2. In Christ we are saved from death.

Paul writes in Colossians 2:13, “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

I love this description of our salvation. God takes us from a helpless and hopeless state to a living and active state. He takes us from death to life. This is the great reality of Christianity that is true of no other world religion. When people believe in Jesus, God doesn’t merely help them be a better person. He doesn’t merely renew their broken life. God doesn’t merely make sick people well. He doesn’t just make alive people even more alive. God makes dead people live.

Again, this is a spiritual deadness. Before Christ saved us, we were spiritually dead, separated from the life of God, dead to holiness and righteousness. And if we had continued in that state, we would not only die a physical death one day, but we would be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death—forever separated from the love and goodness of the life of God.

Paul teaches the same idea in Ephesians 2, where he writes,

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Eph. 2:1-3).

Apart from God’s grace toward us in Jesus Christ, that’s what we were—spiritually “dead” in God’s eyes (Ephesians 2:1-6). What’s more, we were dead in “the uncircumcision of our flesh” (Col. 2:13); that is to say, we were living in a condition of alienation from the God of Israel. We were not ‘His people’, and He was not ‘our God’ (Ephesians 2:11-13).

But now, Paul says, “You . . . He has made alive together with Him . . .” You can see three dynamic elements that are involved in our being made alive together with Christ:[4]

The One who made us alive—God Himself. We, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh, were utterly helpless to do anything for ourselves. But by the unmerited grace of God, we have been rescued from that state by “Him”—the almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The action that God did—He made us “alive”. Only God can raise the dead. Apart from an act of grace, there was no hope that we would ever live again. But in love, He has made us alive and raised us up from our condition of death.

The means by which God raised us—He united us to Jesus Christ. We were powerless and there was no life or strength within us. And so, God joined us to the life and strength of Another, “He has made alive together with Him” (Col. 2:13). We were “raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:12).

In Christ we are saved from the power of sin and from the state of spriritual death. But there’s more!

3. In Christ we are saved from the condemnation of the law.

You have not only been saved from sin, you have also been freed from the condemnation of the law. You were freed from sin by dying with Christ and receiving new life in Him. And you have been freed from the condemnation of the law by the forgiveness of your sins. Paul writes, “having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Col. 2:13b-14).

In Christ, God forgave us all our sins. Not just some of them. Not just part of them. But all of them. Paul uses an unusual word for forgiveness in this verse. It’s a word (χαρίζομαι charizomai) that specifically means to forgive someone out of kindness and grace. We didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness. We could never have earned it on our own. But God in his grace forgave us all our sins.

And how did God do that? Two things. First of all, He cancelled your debt. That’s what Paul means when he writes, “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us” (Col. 2:14). The “handwriting” refers to a debtor’s obligation that was written out in the debtor’s own handwriting, like an I.O.U written out and signed by the debtor. The “requirements” refers to a publicly posted obligation.

So, what was this debt that you owed, posted publicly for everyone to see? You were in debt to God’s law. His law spells out your obligations to God – obligations which you have not met and which you cannot meet on your own. This debt was “contrary” to you. It was against you and stood opposed to you, condemning you.

Imagine a written record of all your sins! Imagine just the sins that you committed this past week. Perhaps you were angry with your spouse (Col. 3:8) or said harsh words to your children (Col. 3:8). Maybe you were unkind to a neighbor because (Col. 3:8) or spoke unfairly about a fellow co-worker (Col. 3:8). Did you uttered some swear words (Col. 3:8) or lie about your activities in some way (Col. 3:9)? Maybe, you failed to be compassionate with a family member (Col. 3:12) or were impatient with someone on the phone (Col. 3:12). Were you were proud about a certain ability you possessed (Col. 3:12), or thought you were better than a fellow believer (Col. 3:12)? Perhaps you failed to forgive your fellow Christian (Col. 3:13) or failed to love sacrificially (Col. 3:14). Were you anxious, rather than letting the peace of Christ rule your heart (Col. 3:15)? Did you fail to love your spouse (Col. 3:19)? Perhaps you demanded too much of your children (Col. 3:21). Did you have a poor attitude with your boss at work (Col. 3:22)? Did you complain about the weather this week? Since God causes the weather (Psalm 135:7), any complaining about the weather is ultimately a complaint against Him.

That’s just one week! The debt we owed to God for our sin was so massive that we could never pay it back, no matter many good works we did or religious achievements we had. God through the power of the cross cancelled your debt. That word “cancelled” is a word that means “to blot something out, to plaster over it,” similar to using white-out. God “has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). He didn’t simply deal with those requirements by ignoring them, or by ignoring our failure to keep them. Instead, He extracted the full penalty that “the handwriting of requirements” demanded, by sending His own Son to pay the death penalty for us.

Do you know the blessing of having the debt of your sin cancelled? Psalm 32 says: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity.” (Psalm 32:1-2). How wonderful to have your debt of sin cancelled by Christ at the cross!

But Jesus not only cancelled your debt to the law. He also took away the law as a condemning force in your life. When Christ died at the cross, the condemning force of the law died with him. I like the way Peter O’Brien puts it: “God has not only removed the debt; he has also destroyed the document on which it was recorded.”[5] Just like the charges against Jesus were nailed to the cross, so the charges against us were nailed there and died with Christ.

When you put your faith in Christ, you are freed from the law because the law no longer has any power to condemn you. As Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Paul writes in Romans 7:6, “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter..” Romans 8:1-2 says, “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” That is the power of the cross. You have been saved from the law by the forgiveness of your sins.

Finally,

4. In Christ we are saved from the forces of evil.

Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” The terms in this verse are all military and the idea is that Christ has achieved complete victory and has subdued our enemies by His death, so that all creation is now in subjection to Christ. Satan and the demons no longer have authority over a believer who is walking in the light.

The cross not only saved you from sin and the condemning law, it also saved you from Satan and all the spiritual forces of evil that were against you. Paul says that at the cross, Christ “disarmed principalities and powers.” That word “disarmed” means either to strip off clothes or to strip off weapons. He stripped them of their power and authority. Hebrews 2:14 says about Christ, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” When Christ died on the cross, Satan was defeated and all his spiritual forces were disarmed.

When it says Christ “made a public spectacle of them,” the picture is of a Roman general’s triumphal parade. The conquered foes were stripped of their armor and paraded in shame through the streets in chains. It was a public display of the conqueror’s victory as well as a public humiliation of his enemies. Christ won the victory over Satan and over death on the cross (1Co 15:55, 57). His victory was confirmed when God raised Him from the dead. And we who believe are raised with Him (Col 2:12), seated in heaven with Him (Eph. 2:6) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (Eph 1:21). Satan has no power over us because Jesus died and was raised on our behalf (1 John 4:4).

So, what have we learned this morning about our complete salvation in Christ? Before you were saved, you had three major problems that kept you from God: your sin, God’s law, and Satan’s schemes. But through the power of the cross, God has saved you from all three.

If you are in Christ, your sinful nature no longer has power over you. You were united with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. You were spiritually dead, but God made you alive with Christ. You have been freed from sin by the putting off of the sinful nature, and receiving new life and a new heart in Christ.

If you are in Christ, the condemning law no longer has power over you. God cancelled the debt that was against you, and then He took it away, nailing it to the cross. You have been saved from the law by the forgiveness of your sins.

And if you are in Christ, Satan no longer has power over you. Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities, and He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. You have been freed from Satan by Christ’s defeat of all the spiritual forces of evil.

What a Savior!

 

[1] John MacArthur, New Testament Commentary: Colossians, Chicago: Moody Press. p. 107.

[2] John Piper, Buried and Raised in Baptism Through Faith, http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1997/996_Buried_and_Raised_in_Baptism_Through_Faith/.

[3] Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies – Eerdman Publishing Company, referenced by https://www.preceptaustin.org/colossians_211-13#2:11.

[4] Greg Allen, https://bethanybible.net/index.php/2013/03/27/the-abiding-impact-of-the-cross-colossians-211-12/.

[5] Quoted by Ray Fowler, https://www.rayfowler.org/sermons/colossians/the-power-of-the-cross/.

/ / , , , , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Fullness in Christ – Colossians 2:8-10

Fullness in Christ

Colossians 2:8-10

The Apostle Paul has been giving his heart to the Colossian believers, struggling in prayer for them and encouraging them to walk in the Lord Jesus Christ just as they had received Him. Paul is concerned that the false teachers that had begun to trouble the church would turn them away from their faith in the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. In our passage today (Colossians 2:8-10) Paul warns the believers about the false ideas that had invaded the church and combats these false teachings with the truth of Jesus Christ.

More →

/ / , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Walk in Christ – Colossians 2:6-7

Walk in Christ

Colossians 2:6-7

In our study of Colossians, we have seen that the apostle Paul is writing from prison in Rome to a young church in the city of Colossae. The gospel had been preached there by a servant of Christ named Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12). Sinners were led to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a growing and fruitful church was planted there. Epaphras traveled to Rome and gave a report to Paul of their faith in Christ, their love for the all the saints, and their hope in heaven (Col. 1:4-5).

Paul had never met the Colossians (Col. 2:1), but the report he received stirred up his pastoral concern for them. There was trouble on the horizon for this young church. They were in danger from deceptive errors that minimized the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul warned them in Colossians 2:4 about those who would try to “deceive you with persuasive words.” And right after our passage today, Paul warns: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8).

Colossians 2:6-7 concisely encapsulate the message of Colossians, summarizing Paul’s teaching in the first part of the letter and pointing to Paul’s instructions in the later part of the letter. In these verses, Paul gives one imperative that drives his instructions: “walk in Him” (Col. 2:6).

More →

/ / / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Protecting the Church – Colossians 2:1-5

Protecting the Church

Colossians 2:1-5

When we looked in Colossians 1, we saw how the church was grounded in the gospel truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ. We saw who Christ is as the image of the invisible God, the creator and sustainer of all things. He is the reconciler of all things and the head of the church, so that He has preeminence in all things. We saw His work of reconciliation by the blood of His cross. We saw Christ’s work through the labor and struggle of His servants in the church, preaching, warning, and teaching to present everyone mature in Christ. Jesus Christ the central focus of everything.

Now, in Colossians 2, having laid the foundation of truth in Christ, Paul focuses on guarding the church from error. Colossians 1 grounds the church in truth, Colossians 2 guards the church from error.

More →

/ , / , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Christ-Centered Discipleship – Colossians 1:28-29

Christ-Centered Discipleship

Colossians 1:28-29

It’s a joy to come again to Paul’s letter to the Colossians. We have seen already in Colossians 1 that Colossians is a Christ-centered book. To protect the Colossians from false teaching that was invading the church, Paul focuses on the supremacy of Christ and the sufficiency His atoning work on the cross. We saw the centrality of the gospel of Christ in Paul’s thanksgiving (Col. 1:3-8) and prayer (Col. 1:9-14). We saw the preeminence of the person and work of Christ in Colossians 1:15-23. And we saw that Christ was central to service or ministry in the church (Col. 1:24-27).

Now in Colossians 1:28-29, Paul emphasizes the centrality of Christ in the church’s discipleship. Paul does not use the word disciple or discipleship in these verses, but that is what he is describing.

More →

/ / , / 0

Latest Sermon Church Near me Grand Junction CO

Servant of the Gospel – Colossians 1:24-27

Servant of the Gospel

Colossians 1:24-27

Who is Jesus Christ? Is Christ enough for salvation? How should our relationship with Him affect our daily lives? Paul’s letter to the Colossians answers these questions. Today, we pick up this letter at Colossians 1:24, where Paul describes his work as a servant of the gospel. He had just reminded the Colossian believers of Christ’s work of reconciliation accomplished through His death on the cross and revealed in the gospel (Col. 1:2-23). Now, Paul continues with the theme of the gospel and what it means for him to be a servant of the gospel.

More →

/ / / 0

Load More

Reftagger

<script id="mcjs">!function(c,h,i,m,p){m=c.createElement(h),p=c.getElementsByTagName(h)[0],m.async=1,m.src=i,p.parentNode.insertBefore(m,p)}(document,"script","https://chimpstatic.com/mcjs-connected/js/users/70f66913091b3c237435152de/66347ab3cb7bf6d0a8c0a6a51.js");</script>

↑

Powered by OurChurch.Com Web Hosting ● WP-EZ Website Builder ● Admin