Colossians 2:11-15 Bible Study

Colossians 2:11-15 Bible Study

Text: Colossians 2:11-15

Introduction: (3min)

Let us first be reminded of of the place where we are at in the building process of the Christian life. In chapter 2, we are now understanding that the believers life is not only rooted downward in Christ but also built upward in Christ. In chapter 1 we learned the “deeper life” but in chapter 2 we are learning of the higher life that is found when one has a personal relationship with Jesus.

Now, the problem that had risen was that the Jewish believers wanted to graft Christianity onto Judaism. They were trying to merge their “physical” circumcision in with the “spiritual” circumcision. There are several epistles that were written to battle this fleshly desire (Colossians, Galatians, Hebrews, Acts 15). You see, the Old Testament shadows have been replaced by the New Testament substance; Jesus.

1) (8min) The Removal Of The Believer’s Past (vv11, 13-15)

A. It is beyond your ability

The Jews continued to relapse back to thinking that their “physical” circumcision played a part of their regeneration.

Paul was saying this to prevent an objection that might be made to the perfection of the Gentile believers. Many think today that they can simply adjust their behavior and become a different person.

Those who are not saved sometimes believe this.

Some believe in a merit based salvation. Those who are saved sometimes believe this.

When does a liar stop being a liar? When he only tells the truth. When does a thief stop being a thief? When he gets a job and only works hard for his money.

B. It is the work of Christ

“…with the circumcision made without hands.”

Turn to: Ephesians 2:11-16

Quote: “…until he is circumcised by Christ and his Spirit; which is done, when he is pricked to the heart, and thoroughly convinced of sin, and the exceeding sinfulness of it; when the callousness and hardness of his heart is taken off and removed, and the iniquity of it is, laid open, the plague and corruption in it discerned, and all made naked and bare to the sinner's view; and when he is in pain on account of it, is broken and groans under a sense of it, and is filled with shame for it, and loathing and abhorrence of it: now this is effected not "by the hand of man”…”

“…in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh…”

“putting off” = speaks of one stripping off of one’s clothes.

Its more than that: not only getting out of one’s old clothes, but also of leaving them behind forever!

“the body” — The inward motions of sin united with the outward actions of it are seen as a garment.

Christ has wrapped himself in the sins of his people, bearing them in His body, and becoming a sacrifice for them.

The old man is crucified, the body of sin destroyed. You are now clothed in a new raiment.

It is by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Illustration: Take coat off / drag it behind you / leave it behind.

This enables us to get quite away from what we are by nature.

“sins of the flesh” — The body as controlled by the flesh is “put off.”

By Christ we can experience a glorious deliverance.

“…by the circumcision of Christ.”

Not speaking of Jesus’ “physical” circumcision at 8 years of age, but that which is by His Spirit.

The Spirit is the author of “cutting away” of our sin.

*Removal of your past

2) (8min) Immersed In Christ

Paul is now wanting them to understand that not only is the “body of the sins” of their flesh is put off, but they and all their sins were buried with Christ.

The word “baptism” is used figuratively.

No amount of water could bury you in Christ.

“Water baptism” is simply a picture of the spiritual submersion carried out by God’s Spirit.

When a person receives Christ, he/she is immediately submerged by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

Whatever happened to Christ, happened to us.

“…through the faith of the operation of God”

Power of God, NOT the power of water!!!

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Six: Saints Alive—And Alert (Colossians 2:4–15)

The Greek verbs are very expressive: co-buried, co-raised, and co-made alive.

If faith alone in Christ brings to our soul death to sins bondage and righteousness before God, WHY turn back to the deadness of the Law?

3) Christ Freed Us From The Law

VERSE 14

Jesus also fulfilled the law through His crucifixion.

Why would this need to be done?

The law was an instrument to reveal to us God’s holiness.

By that revelation, we learn that we stand as the guilty party.

The demands of the law were impossible for us!

Gentiles may have not been given the letter of the law, but God’s law was written on their hearts.

Romans 2:12-16 “12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

The law became a debt on our shoulders we could not pay!

Blotting = to erase

handwriting = record of debt

Christ cancelled our debt.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Six: Saints Alive—And Alert (Colossians 2:4–15)

Bible days, financial records were often kept on parchment, and the writing could be washed off.

The Father did not cheapen the law through the work of Christ like a judge does when he sets free the guilty part from his crime.

God paid the debt with His Son and upheld His perfect holiness.

God upheld the holiness of His own law!

“took it out of the way”

In Christ accomplishing this, He disgraced all supernatural power (except God) publicly!!!

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

(v13) The cross has thus become God’s instrument for dealing effectively with all that we are by natural birth! We who are were dead spiritually by reason of our sins are now alive.

Quote: “What the knife did to the flesh by way of circumcision, the Cross does to the heart by way of crucifixion.” — John Phillips

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Hebrews 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

What an opportunity God has extended to all Jews and Gentiles to lay aside the dead rituals for the living reality of being taken “together with Him” to resurrection ground.

B. The outward expression

Turn to: 1 Peter 3:21

In baptism, the believer is making a proclamation of his/her conversion.

“Buried with him in baptism” — Their water baptism was a lively representation of that already inward experience.

(Turn to: Romans 6:1-4)

Christ having died for their sins, was laid in the grave, where he continued for a while, and then rose again.

As they were crucified with him, they were also buried with him, as their head and representative; and all their sins too, which he left behind him in the grave, signified by his grave clothes there

Baptism being performed by immersion, when the person baptized is covered with water, and as it were buried in it, is a very significant emblem of all this; it is a representation of the burial of Christ, and very fitly holds him forth to the view of faith in the state of the dead, in the grave, and points out the place where the Lord lay.

it is also a representation of our burial with him, as being dead to sin, to the law, and to the world, by him. This shows now, that baptism was performed by dipping, or covering the whole body in water.

No other form of administration of baptism, as sprinkling, or pouring water on the face, can represent a burial, or be called one; and this is what many learned interpreters own, and observe on this place:

“…wherein also ye are risen with him…”

Not only is their physical baptism an emblem of being “buried with Christ” but also resurrecting with Christ.

This also can only be signified by emersion.

It is a beautiful picture that the believer is raised to “walk in newness of life.” “…through the faith of the operation of God…”

It is through faith that saints see themselves buried and risen with Christ.

The ordinance of baptism is greatly assisting.

Without faith, this ordinance would be of no use.

Turn to: Ephesians 2:8-9

Illustration: have someone call my phone / God always initiates.

“…who hath raised him from the dead.”

We understand that is was the Father’s hand by which Jesus was raised from the grave.

When a believer is baptized, you symbolically raised by another’s hand.

*Removal of your past; Believer’s reality

Conclusion: (3min) Have you experienced Christ by way of receiving Him as Savior? Have you unashamedly proclaimed your commitment to Him?