DIGGING DEEP NO. 1073 MARCH 4, 2025 A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS (PART 6) DRAW ON YOUR DEPOSITS Col.2: 11 – 15.

The false teachers in Colosse were made up of several elements: Eastern mysticism, Astrology, Philosophy, and Jewish legalism. It is the latter element that Paul dealt with in this section. Apparently, the false teachers insisted that their converts submit to circumcision and obey the Old Testament law. Paul made it clear that the Christian is not subject in any way to the Old Testament legal system; nor can it do him any good spiritually. Jesus Christ alone is sufficient for our every spiritual need, for all of God’s fullness is in Him. We are identified with Jesus Christ because He is the Head of the body Col.1: 18 and we are the members of the body 1Cor.12: 12- 13. Paul explained our fourfold identification with Jesus Christ that makes it not only unnecessary, but sinful for us to get involved in any kind of legalism.     

1. Circumcised in Him – Vs.11.Circumcision was a sign of God’s covenant with the Jewish peopleGen.17: 9- 14. Though it was a physical operation, it had a spiritual significance. The trouble was that the Jewish people depended on the physical and not the spiritual. A mere physical operation could never convey spiritual grace Rom.2: 25- 29. Often in the Old Testament, God warned His people to turn from their sins and experience a spiritual circumcision of the heart Deut.10: 16; 30: 6; Jer.4: 4; 6: 10. People make the same mistake today when they depend on some religious ritual to save them; such as baptism or the Lord’s Supper. When Jesus Christ died and rose again, He won a complete and final victory over sin. He not only died for our sins (salvation), but He died unto sin (sanctification) Rom.6: 10. What the law could not do, Jesus Christ accomplished for us. The old nature was put off so that we need no longer be enslaved to its desires. The old sinful nature is not eradicated, for we can still sin 1Jh.1: 5- 10. But the power of sin has been broken as we yield to Christ and walk in the power of the Spirit.
2. Alive in Him – Vs.12- 13.Here Paul used the illustration of baptism. In the New Testament, the word baptize has both literal and figurative meaning. The literal meaning is “to dip, to immerse.” The figurative meaning is “to be identified with.” For example, the Jewish nation was baptized unto Moses when it went through the Red Sea1Cor.10: 1- 2. There was no water involved in this baptism because they went over on dry land. In this experience, the nation was identified with Moses. Paul used the word baptism in a figurative sense, for no amount of water could bury a person in Christ or make him alive in Christ. Water baptism by immersion is a picture of when a person is saved, he is immediately baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ and identified with the Head, Jesus Christ 1Cor.12: 12- 13. This identification means that whatever happened to Christ also happened to us. When He died, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. When He rose again, we arose with Him and we left the graveclothes of the old life behind Col.3: 1- 14.  It was the power of God that changed us, not the power of water. The Spirit of God identified us with Jesus Christ; and we were buried with Him; raised with Him; and made alive with Him. Because God raised His Son from the dead, we have eternal life. The practical application is clear: Since we are identified with Christ and He is the fullness of God; So why turn to the deadness of the law? God has forgiven us all our trespasses so that we have a perfect standing before Him Col.2: 13.
3. Free from the law in Him – Vs.14.Jesus not only took our sins to the cross1Pet.2: 24, but He also took the law to the cross and nailed it there; forever out of the way. The law was certainly against us, because it was impossible for us to meet Its holy demands. When He shed His blood for sinners, Jesus Christ cancelled the huge debt that was against sinners because of their disobedience to God’s holy law. But Jesus Christ did even more than the debt; He took the law that condemned us and set it aside so that we are no longer under its dominion. We are delivered from the law Rom.7: 6. We are not under the law, but under grace Rom.6: 14. This does not mean that we are lawless; our relationship with Jesus Christ enables us to obey God out of love, not out of fear.
4. Victorious in Him – Vs.15-Jesus not only dealt with sin and the law on the cross, but He also dealt with Satan. Speaking about His crucifixion, Jesus said, “Now is the judgment of this

world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” Jh.12: 31.

The death of Christ on the cross looked like a great victory for Satan, but it turned out to be a

great defeat from which Satan cannot recover. Jesus had three great victories on the cross. First, He disarmed the powers and authorities Col.2: 15, stripping Satan and his army of whatever weapons they held.

Second, Jesus made a public spectacle of the enemy Col.2: 15. In His death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ vindicated God and vanquished the devil.

His third victory is found in the word triumph. Whenever a Roman general won a great victory on foreign soil, took many captives and much loot, and gained new territory for Rome, he was honored by an official parade known as “The Roman Triumph.” Paul alluded to this practice in 2Cor.2: 14. Jesus Christ won a complete victory, and He returned to glory in a great triumphal procession Ephe.4: 8. In this, He disgraced and defeated Satan.
In conclusion –

The satanic armies of principalities and powers are defeated and disgraced.

You and I share in His victory over the devil.

What a wonderful position and provision we have in Christ Jesus.

Are we living up to it by faith?