Colossians 2
When we receive the revelation of who we are in Christ, there is tremendous freedom! In verses 9-15 we read about what Christ did for us and how we can enter into a union with Him and live a limitless, supernatural life. I encourage you, as you go through Colossians, circle every time you read a reference to being in Him or in Christ. This relationship has everything to do with us living life to the full.
What does it mean to be in Christ? Maybe this illustration will give a helpful perspective. Think of a sphere, and think of you being inside the sphere, which represents Christ. Then imagine the sphere being placed inside of another sphere, representing God, all three nestled inside each other, becoming one union. When sin entered into the human race, we were all separated from God, outside of His sphere. The only way to enter back into the sphere was to be surrounded and carried in. Jesus is that carrier, and God was the One who sent Him to come get us.
There was one issue that stood in the way of Christ being able to initiate this reconciliation. We were all in debt to sin, legally belonging to Satan. In order for us to be free from Satan and sin, Jesus was going to have to pay off our note. He didn’t owe anyone; in fact, in Him, everything had its fullness, qualifying Him to be our Redeemer. Jesus became one of us, entered into the world as a human being, and died our death. In doing so, He was able to pay the debt on our behalf. In verses 14 it says, “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.”
The only way to enter into the sphere of Christ is to yield our lives to His possession. He bought us fair and square, but it’s still our decision to accept Him as our Lord or not. If we accept His authority, then we surrender control as a “death to self.” He then transfers us out from underneath the control of Satan, and brings us under His loving care. In Him, we are returned to a legally, right position with our Father. Hallelujah!
In the following verses, Paul emphasizes how ridiculous it is, then, to think our performances and disciplines of the flesh could do anything to alter or add to the finished, complete work He provided for us at the cross. It’s done! All we can do is receive it through the surrender of faith. Thank you, Jesus.
Isaiah 43-44
Here we read about the Redeemer. Again, we can see dual meaning, one for the time period in which they lived, having to do with Cyrus, Persia, and Egypt. Another application could apply for the Jews in the end times. As Scripture is living and active, coming from our same Father, the Holy Spirit may even take Scriptures and apply them to our lives as well. As New Testament believers, we can say that God has blotted out our transgressions for His sake. We can relate to being witnesses. We can consider these Scriptures when God is doing something new in our lives, being encouraged to let go of the former things. As we read the Bible, we should read it in context and literally, we can also see the mystery of Christ in prophecy, and we can keep open to what the Holy Spirit may be saying to our hearts in our season.
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