Eternity 94 - The Work Of The Cross

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Colossians 2:11-15 ASV in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; (12) having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. (13) And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; (14) having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross; (15) having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

(Colossians 2:11-15 NIV) 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, {12} 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. {13} When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, {14} having canceled 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. {15} And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.


The cross is not just a symbol of a sacrifice, or a piece of jewelry but a place where spiritual work was done and a place where transformations are accomplished. The work of the cross is radical, total and eternal.

In Colossians 2:11-15 the cross does seven things:

1. Deals with our old sinful nature:
ASV "ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;"
NIV "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,"

2. Accomplishes a spiritual death to that part of us that loved evil: "having been buried with him in baptism". (both ASV & NIV)

3. And giving us a new nature that is high and holy and alive:
ASV "wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead."
NIV "and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."

4. And moves us from spiritual death to spiritual life - which is a life with Christ:
ASV "And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him,"
NIV "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ."

5. And grants us forgiveness of sin, all our sins, forever nailed to the cross and dealt with:
ASV "having forgiven us all our trespasses; (14) having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross"
NIV He forgave us all our sins, {14} having canceled 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.

6. Removing all ground of accusation against us and this robbing Satan of any power to accuse us or triumph over us. With our sins forgiven Satan has no ammunition to use:
ASV "having despoiled the principalities and the powers",
NIV "having disarmed the powers and authorities,"

7. The cross thus triumphs over evil and the demonic world, the spiritual realm and all taboos and curses:
ASV "he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
NIV "he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

The cross in Colossians is about a transition between old nature and new nature, death and life, guilt and forgiveness, and between subservience to spirits and complete victory over them and their taboos. In the Old Testament, and in the pagan religions, God was scary and unapproachable except by a spiritual elite. But such mediation is not necessary if our sins are completely dealt with. The fact that the powers and principalities no longer "have any ammunition" and that we have "died to" them and their world, means that all the old religious regulations that kept the Gentiles in fear and trembling are now powerless.The old religious systems for dealing with a dangerous deity are now void of meaning. All the rules about new moons, festivals, Sabbaths, diets, oblations, sacrifices, vows and all the curses and spells and invocations and temples and shrines and priests and charms and holy days and offerings and robes and taboos and fears are just swept aside. We have died on the cross and they are powerless over us.(see verses 16-23 of Colossians 2) We have been raised with Christ to a realm where they simply cannot apply. Paul is saying that the old religious realm is finished. Faith in the cross has made dealing with God a safe thing to do.

Blessings,


John Edmiston
Asian Internet Bible Institute
https://www.aibi.ph/
email: [email protected]