Context No. 3305 of 4322 · Colossians

Colossians 2:6-15: in context

6As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving. 8Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily, 10and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. 11In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Paul gives one governing command: as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. Beware of being taken captive by hollow philosophy and human tradition. For in Christ all the fullness of God dwells bodily, and in him you were buried and raised in baptism, forgiven all your trespasses.

The Christian life is simply continuing as it began, in Christ, not moving on to some higher philosophy or hidden knowledge. And Paul shows what Christ has done with our sins: he canceled the record of debt that stood against us, with its legal demands, nailing it to the cross. The charge sheet of our offenses was not merely set aside but nailed to the cross and put to death there. And having done that, he disarmed the powers that accused us, triumphing over them openly. Our debt is not managed or reduced; it is canceled, nailed to the cross, and the accusers are defeated. There is nothing left to add.

Do I live rooted in the Christ who nailed the record of my debt to the cross, or am I still trying to add something to what he has already finished?

Sources

Colossians 2:6: "As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him."
Colossians 2:14: "Wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us... He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross."
Colossians 2:15: "Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."