Colossians_2
Scripture
Colossians 2:11-12
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Observation-What does it say?
Paul is writing this letter to the church in Colossae, which is in modern day Turkey. They were apparently dealing with the church accepting and implementing influences and beliefs from other religions and philosophies, known as syncretism. The church in Colossae included Jews, Greeks, and people native to the area called Phrygians. And so they were beginning to practice traditions such as circumcision, food-laws, religious festivals and the worship of angels. These things were deterring from the central message of dependence on Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Understanding-What does it mean?
In my short time at bible college, I loved to learn about the church history. We learned about the different icons of the Christian faith and their significance. We learned about the buildings and the dates when they were built, as well as the significance of the shape of the building. For example, the shape in which churches were built were in the shape of a cross, with the intention of encouraging one to think about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. As well as a church building having a vaulted area, which was meant to draw your eyes upward toward heaven. And the pictures in the stained glass window were intended to help illustrate the story, for the parishioners that could not read.
Unfortunately, I have retained very little of the real valuable information that was given to me in that time. But the idea of the symbolism has always stuck with me. The bible is full of uses of metaphor and symbolism that draw us to an understanding of our reality with Christ. Communion is a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Baptism is used as a symbol of our death to sin and rebirth in Christ. These things are used as a reminder of our spiritual position and the future glory when we leave this world behind.
I remember my baptism. I was in the sixth grade, and I was baptized in the same tub that sits in the front of the sanctuary now. Many others have been baptized in it since. My baptism was my public statement of how I intended to live, as a devoted follower of Jesus. Have I made mistakes and sinned since then? Absolutely, but I can always look at that as the a reference point in my life where I made the commitment to continually die to my sin.
Paul gives us this explanation in Romans 6: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? …Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Life Application
Jesus, there is not a day that goes by that I can comprehend the breadth of your love. Your mercies are new everyday. While I don’t intend to sin, I know I fall short everyday. Help me to live with courage everyday. To fall more deeply in love with you, and to express that love with my actions.
-Tyler Galloway