September 19, 2021 – Colossians revisited

Paul strongly encourages the Colossians as to how they are to live: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (2:6). Our lives are so intimately connected with Christ that John (chapter 15) was able to describe that relationship as ourselves having been grafted into the true vine, drawing our very life from him. And here: “rooted and built up in him” (2:7), “filled in him” (2:10), in him circumcised (2:11), “buried with him in baptism” (2:12), “raised with him through faith” (2:12), “made alive together with him” (2:13). Furthermore, in Jesus we have all our transgressions forgiven, the Father “canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (2:13,14). “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (2:15).

Reading over all this and understanding all that Jesus is to us and all he has done for us, as believers, we can all give that same testimony. Without him, we would have nothing. But we do have him, and we do have life, abundant and eternal!

Christ is made the sure foundation,

Christ the head and cornerstone,

chosen of the Lord and precious,

binding all the church in one;

holy Zion's help forever,

and her confidence alone. -- J. M. Neale (1861)