Colossians 2:9-15 - Triumphing in Christ.

The heretics were in error and displayed flaws both at the theological level as well as ethical level. Paul condemned both their theological position and their ethical practices. First they had erroneously substituted Christ with inferior created beings or angelic mediators. And at the ethical level, they had insisted on the observation of ascetic habits as the basis of their moral teachings.         

In verse 9, Paul dealt with the theological part. He showed us how important it is for Christ to assume a bodily form. Untrue to the heretical teachings, Christ is not an inferior mediator. He is God incarnate. In Him the entire fullness of God was pleased to dwell in bodily form. In other words, the total divine power and attributes were resident in Christ when He assumed His human body here on earth. Without that incarnation we will never be able to comprehend God. Christ is the fountainhead, the center of all vital force and the source of all life, and He controls all the powers and authorities of the angelic beings which the heretics were teaching.  

Having put the theological perspective of Christ in place, Paul turned to put the practical errors in place in verses 11-15. He began by showing why circumcision was unnecessary, for believers already had a circumcision of the heart. The circumcision of the heart had three distinct features. Firstly, It was not carried out externally but internally; not with the hand but by the Spirit. Secondly, it dealt not with the flesh but the whole the human evil fleshly desires. Thirdly, it was not a circumcision done by Moses or any of the patriarchs but Christ the Lord.

In verse 12, Paul continued to deal with the issue of Baptism. The act of baptism is the burial of the old self and the birth of a new life. As the believer goes underneath the water, his sinful nature, his old corrupt past with all its affection and desires were buried. In coming out of the water, the believer rises with a regenerated body, a new hope and a new life. Baptism pictures our participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. 

In verse 13, Paul showed that the believers in their past un-regenerated life were dead in their sinful nature. Christ regenerated all believers and made them alive in Him. He gave all regenerated believers a new lease of life through His forgiveness. The new lease of life comes when on the cross he cancelled the document that detailed our past sinful debts and nailed them on the cross. This pictures the tearing up of the certificate of debt we the believers owe God.  At the cross Christ dealt with the power and authorities of evil. He made a public spectacle and displayed them as the trophies of His triumph.

In Christ we are always on the winning side. Our life, freedom and victory can only be found in Him. Any defeat in life is a lack of Christ revealed. We need to see our life from that perspective. To truly live freely and victoriously, we need to be empowered by Him each moment of our life. Remember, our victory is found in keeping in step with Christ the Lord.