Temporary problems can get us all down. But we need to have our theology straight in order to not get consumed by them.

There have always been those who want to take away from the Bible and those who want to add to it.

When Paul wrote his letter, many of the Christians in Colosse were not circumcised and the false teachers were arguing that circumcision would lead to a higher sanctification.

Paul addresses this when he writes, “In Him you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism in which you were also raised with Him from the dead.” (Col 2:11-12)

Paul is reminding believers of the gospel.

He goes on to say, “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, 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. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Col 2:13-15)

Jesus did it all. All those legalistic requirements have been nailed to the Cross. We did not do anything, nor could we do anything, to raise ourselves from the dead and become alive in Christ.

We are alive in Christ and set free from the basic principles of this world because of the redeeming work of the Lord on the Cross.

We, who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb are no longer condemned but are free.

Why is this important to remember when it comes to our problems?

When we remember this, we live differently. We live with hope knowing that even death has absolutely no hold on us. We are already citizens of Heaven.

Our problems are magnified when we forget this and begin to live like this world is all there is. That’s why temporary problems can feel eternal.

What’s more, and what Paul is getting at here, is that even after salvation we are tempted to forget grace and go back to cause and effect thinking. Yes, we should feel convicted when we sin, and we should turn from our sins, but we aren’t condemned.

We can’t forget grace!

Paul was warning those in Colosse not to forget grace and go back to their old way of thinking—“Common to both Jews and pagans was the basic idea of cause and effect-and in a sense it rules nature and the minds of men. We live under the idea that we get what we deserve; when we are good, we deserve to receive good; when we are bad, we deserve to receive bad. Paul warned the Colossians to not subject themselves to this grace-eliminating kind of thinking, and to consider themselves dead to it”. (Enduring Word App)

We must daily tell ourselves we’ve been FREELY GIVEN SO VERY MUCH because of Jesus.

Let’s prayerfully ask God to remind us that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” .(2 Pet 1:3-4)

Yes, as we study the Word and remember God’s promises we more naturally partake of the good things He has for us. As we believe truth, we will live truth and we will experience freedom.

One last thought— sometimes, it helps me to think of God’s Word and the guidance it gives as a sturdy chair— If I believe a chair is sturdy, I will trust it to hold me up, so I will sit down, and rest.

But, if I think I need to add something to the chair in order to make it truly sturdy enough to hold me —my good works etc—then I’m not truly trusting the chair and I won’t be able to sit down and rest in it.

Does that make sense?

Oh friends, let’s rest in the Word!

What a Savior!

readColossians

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