Embracing Your Position “in Christ.” Colossians 2:8-15
“8) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11) and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12) having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13) When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14) having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15) When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” Colossians 2:8-15
I know this is a long paragraph, but the Bible student must stand back and look at it as a whole. It is filled with numerous transactions that happen for the believer either “in Christ” or “with Christ.” It can be illustrated by the hundreds of features on a smart phone or tablet. They are present, but only beneficial to those who learn to use them.
This context pivots on the claim in verse 9 that “… in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” Through ignorance or by default you and I can be looted by Satan and the world and be led into captivity; or we can step into the fulness of what it means to be “in Christ” and live victorious and transformed lives. If Jesus Christ is the God of Creation, His power and authority have no limit. Don’t minimize Him through ignorance.
This text postulates that because Jesus Christ is God the implications are unfathomable. We are absolutely complete in Christ, lacking nothing, heirs of His fulness and absolutely forgiven and set free from our sin and transgressions. Not only that, but on the cross Satan was totally defeated and rendered powerless against us. Read verses 13-15 over and over again until these truths permeate your soul. Paul states emphatically that Satan and his cohorts were disarmed through the public triumph of Christ on the cross.
So how does Satan have so much power and influence in the world and in the lives of so many people, Christians not excluded? The answer is: “through ignorance and by default.”
By not knowing the truth or standing in our position “in Christ”, we empower Satan’s influence in our lives. He rules our emotions and life circumstances because… we let him do it! We have failed to embrace the manifold blessings that are ours “in Christ.”
If this is true, every believer should launch into a study of the fulness of Jesus Christ and every benefit that accompanies salvation. We should embrace the ministry of the promised Holy Spirit and invite His full and complete work in our lives.
I challenge you to start with this paragraph and begin to compile a list of the benefits you have “in Christ” or “with Christ.” As your list grows so will your faith and your spiritual capacity. Don’t stay small through ignorance or default.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
