Wednesday – May 25, 2016
We are into the middle of the week already, hump day. As each of us prepare to read and speak (faith comes by hearing) this teaching let us also purpose to study it, meditate on it, prove it, and then take the Truth and make it our own thoughts, not my words or “just words from the Bible”. Part of our goal is to think, talk, and act like Jesus. Now back to our study in Colossians.
Colossians 2:12-14 (KJV)
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
“Buried with him in baptism” is referring to the plunge we take at salvation into Him, when we receive Him as Lord. We heard the Word and acted upon the Word by faith (Romans 10). A secular example of this would be a new recruit in the military. When they sign on the dotted line they then go to boot camp and are immersed fully into military life. The old way of living is gone and there is a new way of living a new order of things.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Of course in the military how much we integrate is not negotiable or a free-will choice. However, in the body of Christ we make choices daily (exercise free-will) about how much Kingdom of God we want. The exercise of free-will can operate to the detriment or the benefit of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was made sin for us, He died spiritually and physically, the price of sin. However, He was innocent having never sinned. Therefore, His innocent Blood, the Words of His mouth spoken with faith in the Father caused the justice, the judgment of God, to bring Him up out of Hell and the grave victorious over both. Now we all can fully participate in that victory. Fully means to the full extent to which He participated before and after Calvary. Full participation in the Kingdom of God requires full obedience to the Word. If we are not walking in abundance in every area of life especially finances and health then our obedience is off track. We must judge ourselves and prove all that we believe. Colossians 2:12 goes on to say that at salvation we have undergone a circumcision of the heart, we have changed our mind (repentance), selected a new Lord, a new Kingdom, light in place of darkness, life in place of death, and have been seated with Him (Jesus) in Heaven.
Ephesians 2:5-6 (KJV)
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
I was dead but now I am alive in Him! At the moment of salvation, of being born again, being saved, the ordinances that were against me demanding judgment were blotted out. This is so wonderful, let’s look at this verse in a couple of other Bible translations.
Colossians 2:14 (AMP)
14 Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.
Colossians 2:14 (HCSB)
14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross.
Our sins are gone! Now, our relatives and old friends still remember and are generally quite happy to remind us, however Jesus never will. Just as they were blotted out of the devils paperwork so they were erased from God’s memory for eternity. Sin was defeated at Calvary. We were sentenced to eternal death but the shedding of the innocent blood of Christ took that out of the way. Life is in the blood, the blood of Jesus. Not only did Jesus come out of Hell after spoiling and triumphing over (evil) principalities but we did too. He went there for us, we do not have to go. When the Father raised Him to life, He did the same for us, all we have to do is say “yes Lord”. He seated Jesus fully restored to the Godhead at His own right hand and we are there not just as a figure of speech but in reality.
Hebrews 1:1-3 (KJV)
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Ephesians 2:5-6 (KJV)
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
We can indeed be in two places at once and perhaps more. The only thing the devil can accuse us of is new sin (since salvation) that has not been repented of. When he does in the absence of repentance the Father has no choice but to render a judgment in favor of the devil and like Job the devil has a certain degree of license to steal, kill and destroy in our lives.
By Pastor David R. Wood
