‘In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.
When you were dead in your sin and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all your sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.’
(Colossians 2: 11-14)
This week’s readings, leading to this final passage, lead us to the cross – it’s ALL ABOUT THE CROSS.
Note that we have ‘by Christ’ (the circumcision of the heart) and ‘with Christ’ (dying and rising to new life through baptism); note also the initiative of God – His activity:
- Christ circumcises our hearts (cleansing / purifying)
- God raises Christ from the dead
- God makes us alive with Christ
- God forgives all our sins
- God takes away the written rules and regulations and the condemnation they bring, NAILED TO THE CROSS
- God disarms the powers and authorities, triumphing BY THE CROSS.
The cross is the place of surrender and victory
of the death of death, and the gateway to new life (full life)
of transformation of our lives
God did it all, for us, ALL AT THE CROSS.
There is nothing more needed – no circumcision, no adherence to additional rules and regulation, no other ‘saviour’. ‘It is finished / accomplished / done / paid / settled’ or in the words of an Eastenders script : ‘sorted’.
PRAYER
And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Saviour’s blood
Died He for me, who caused His pain
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love, how can it be
That Thou, my God, should’st die for me
No condemnation now I dread
Jesus, and ALL in Him is mine
Alive in Him, my living Head
and clothed in righteousness divine
Bold I approach the eternal throne
and claim the crown through Christ, my own.
AMEN.