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, (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. (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, (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.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to deny heretical attacks on the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ; in Christ believers have been made complete. Circumcision is made without hands in Christ – spiritual circumcision – here used figuratively of believers being set free from sinful nature through union with Christ. Spirit baptism is at the moment of faith and we are raised to a new life; old things have passed away. By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. The faithful are made alive in Christ, having forgiven us all our transgressions; taking them away having nailed that debt to the cross. We were spiritually dead because all people are sinners by nature and choice. A rebirth is required and that comes from the outside, not ourselves. God deals with the sin nature and transgressions through forgiveness in Christ – no worldly philosophy, not legalism, nothing else. Do not give up rebirth, completeness, forgiveness, and victory in Christ for religiosity. Christ is God incarnate and has complete salvation in Him alone by grace alone through faith alone. Following of the law or any system of rules or traditions has no merit or value toward our salvation nor sanctification – legalism means tradition,, man made doctrine or rules which take the place of Scripture.

No stress is laid on the age of baptism – or on one place or another but only on our being renewed ny the power of the HolySpirit in the soul at the moment of belief. Basically those who affirm infant baptism do so because of views of continuity between the Old Testament and God’ new covenant people. Paul uses the language both circumcision and baptism to refer to spiritual realities that are true for all those who are in Christ Jesus. Repentance and faith are the covenant al obligation for those who receive the sacrament.

Paul recognized that a person might be physically circumcised but NOT have a proper relationship with Our Lord – one of the body but not of the heart. He is talking a spiritual reality when buried in baptism. C.S.Lewis was adamant that eternal life must be spread not by purely acts like belief, but also bodily acts like baptism and Holy Communion. He insisted that Christianity “is not merely the spreading of an idea ……..(because) God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature.”

I now rejoice in my suffering for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (25) of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God. (26) which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God. (26) the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (27) To them God willed to make what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (28) Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul. The context is about gospel suffering – suffering as one hears the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. Paul was in a Roman prison for his love for Christ when he wrote this letter, writing to the Collossians in order to refute heretical teachings and establish the truth of the gospel. When we make Jesus Christ and Christian revelation only part of total religious system or philosophy we do not give Him pre eminence. When we strive for spiritual perfection or spiritual fullness by means of formulas, discipline or rituals, we go backwards instead of forward. Paul’s heart was so full of thankfulness and praise for rhe Lord, he would have the Colossians continue in the faith in Christ, grounded and saved; built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. We find that Paul is doing what he exhorted the Colossians to do – namely rejoicing in his own suffering. He rejoiced not because of its own sake but because he bears it for the church, regarding himself as filling up that which is behind the afflictions of Christ; Paul is not talking about atoning sacrifice.

We do not share the cross of atonement but we share the suffering which exhibits the power of faith. Ours is the struggling against sin even unto death. We have to be crucified to the world. The glory of fellow suffering with Christ is that afterward there may follow triumph with Him in the power of His resurrection. Many interpreters of verse 24 think it is referring to an atonement supplemental of Christ on the cross – this is directly antagonistic to Scripture which states the sacrifice of Christ as perfect in obedience and suffering: perfect as to need neither supplement nor repetition..

The personal sufferings of Jesus are over but suffering in His people continues. They are still defective for much remains to be endured in this world. The glory of Christian is yet to come but it is certain. Delivering from all evil is followed by the introduction of all good. Christ is the hope of this glory.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or

Or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things and in Him all things consist. (18) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. (20) and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the apostle Paul when he was under arrest in Rome for preaching theegospel. The faith of the new converts was being distorted by Greek mystery, religions and mysticism as well assthreatened by some Jewish laws and customs. Paul wrote these verses regarding the sufficiency and supremacy offJesus Christ over all. Paul disputed Colossians heresy by claiming Christ is God Himself – because of this all creation is under His power and He is pre-eminent. Today’s verses give us one of the clearest revelation of Christ’s deity in the New Testament. The Son of God was sovereign over the universe before He came in flesh. In Christ God will reconcile Himself to all things – not universalism whereby all people will be saved but teaching a cosmic restoration. Our Lord’s work on the cross redeems His people from sin and death.

In Colosse Paul is combating a teaching there that questions the suffering of Christ and that therefore the implication of Christ being supreme for everything we need for salvation. Christ is the image of the invisible God, and the manifestation of God. He said He is the exclusive way to God. First born does not mean there was a time when Jesus Christ was not. He is not one of creation because of all creatures were created by Him. In Him the whole created universe came into existence. He is the eternal Son meaning He is sovereign. He is Lord of the first creation and also Lord of the new creation – ownership and controlling authority over all.

We were not redeemed by any mere man but by Jesus Christ. He became the first born of the dead because He is the only one of Himself to break the power of death – He is the only one who has a resurrected body. He is supreme, ptreminent, sovereign and should be in all our lives. Christ reconciled all things to Himself by making peace with God through the blood of the cross. There is no hierarchy of mediation between God and man. He is the one and saving mediator between God and man.

But God forbid that i should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.15) for in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision not uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. (16) And as many as walk, according to this rule, peace and mercy, be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (17) From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body, the marks of the Lord Jesus. (18) Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirit. Amen

The letter to the Galations was written by the apostle Paul. Paul received a report that the church he had planted in Galatia had fallen into error. Groups of Judiazers – those who make a living under the Mosaic Law – had gained an influence in the Galation church in advance of the Council of Jerusalem. A letter was sent from that Council that speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in the early years and it was decided that circumcision was not necessary. The relationship between Jews and Christian Gentiles was preached as unity in Christ.

Paul peaches the gospel of grace to them and justification comes from people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works under the law.Even today we must walk a fine line – not to fall into legalism – but we cannot live as if anything goes. THe Christian commitment is to Christ based on the free gift of grace through faith in Christ and that results in the life of walking in the Spirit. Circumcision or uncircumcision are contrary matters. Paul denies either of them do any good. In both the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God. Paul felt he was talking about two different gospels, not two different Interpretations of the same gospel. In one gospel man stands before God on the basis of human merit, in the other he stands before God recognizing he can do nothing to satisfy God. So there is nothing under the sun that can make us righteous before God – and a new creature – except by Christ Jesus. We cannot be a new creature by good works but by Christ alone.

Paul felt he should not glory except in the cross. Circumcision is not relevant. This epistle is of rhe contrast between faith and the law. Our salvation is through Jesus Christ and is always and only through the Lord.