Paid in Full! (Colossians 2)
Colossians 2.14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. [nkjv]It was one of those embarrassing moments which has probably happened to most of us at some stage of our life. Frances Martinez was trying to pay for her groceries but was having problems with her debit card. The eftpos machine was refusing to accept it, citing 'insufficient funds' as the reason for its non-cooperation. After a few attempts she left her groceries on the counter and went to phone the bank. When she came back, the cashier had surprising news for her. "Someone has paid for your groceries!" When Martinez asked who this Good Samaritan was, the only clue the cashier could give was that it was a lady who had been standing behind her in the queue. When Frances Martinez arrived home, all she could do was cry. She later told her local newspaper that, "with times the way they are and the economy so bad, it's wonderful to think that someone would do something like that for a complete stranger!"
Although we are no strangers to Jesus, this is exactly what He has done for us! When we were left with no means to pay, He took the long list of sins we have committed and paid for these in full with His blood, nailing them to the cross for all eternity. Our debt is gone!
However we need to make sure that list stays nailed to the cross. The temptation for all of us is to listen to the lies of satan, who tries to get us to remember our past. He wants us to take our list back off the cross. When it is in our hands, it's easy for him to pour on the guilt and condemnation, causing us to doubt God's work in our lives. We forget that it was all settled at Calvary.
Martin Luther once told how satan laid heavy condemnation on him because of his sins. Luther told satan to list them all, and even reminded him of some he had forgotten. Then he told satan to write across the whole list, "paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ."
Just like Luther, we can rejoice and rest in the knowledge that our sins have been 'paid in full' by Him who loves us. They have been nailed to the cross and to the cross they must stay.
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Colossians 2:8Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
As an educator I have been guilty for many years of advocating things that seemed to be presented as facts about the world and our lives. According to scholars, scientists, historians and philosophers there is truth in a secular world and explaining existence without God. But after a great deal of research and listening to the Spirit within me I realise the deception of these intellectual arguments.
Evolution, Big Bang Theory and billions of years are espoused through our educational institutions and are all contrary to the wisdom that can be found in God's word. When we look for knowledge and understanding of our world through the principles given to us in the Bible we see that man's explanations are lacking
I look at what is being forced on young people through schools, the media and the notion of celebrity and feel we have to strive to overcome the false teachings our young people are given that lead them away from the truth of God.
We owe it to our children to show them the Bible is more than a book of morals but gives us the guidelines by which to understand our world and its history.
Col 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
I love the imagery of this verse.
Christ is not my weekend activity or even an every-morning part of my life. Just as the roots of a plant are entwined and firmly embedded in the soil, Christ needs to be inherent, foundational, totally saturating my life.
Colossians 2:7 (MSG) Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.
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