“Canceled out the Record of Debt!”

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”  (2:14-15 ESV)

Paul starts off Chapter 2 with some interesting information about his intended readers. First, even though this letter is addressed to the church at Colossae, it was also intended to be shared with the church at Laodicea. Paul had never personally been to either of these churches, but both congregations needed these fundamental teachings on the deity of Jesus. Jesus is fully God, as Paul states in verses 9-10, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”.

You will notice in verse 4 where Paul states, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument.” It appears that some false teachers had come in among the churches and were teaching that Jesus was not God, but just a Holy man and a prophet. It amazes me that these same teachings are being taught even today; the Jehovah's Witnesses, Judaism, and Islam all teach that Jesus was not God, and falsely teach that Jesus never claimed to be God and that the New Testament doesn’t claim that He is.

Well, obviously, they have never read Colossians or read John 10:30, where Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”  This fundamental truth of the deity of Jesus is essential for the understanding of exactly what Jesus did and gave up for each of us on the cross. Without accepting the full and complete deity of Jesus, we cannot have saving faith. Without accepting Jesus as God, we are calling Him and all of Scripture liars. And if Jesus were a liar, then he would have violated the Old Testament Law and would not have been sinless. The death He died on the cross would have been only to pay for His sins, not ours. If Jesus is not God, then we have no hope of our sins being paid for by Him, and we will die and be judged on our own works and hear the terrifying words, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice Lawlessness.”

But as Paul states in verses 13-14, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”   Jesus has indeed paid it all; there is nothing left for us to do, all of our sins (transgressions) have been canceled, the debt has been paid, WE ARE FORGIVEN. Because Jesus is God and has been raised from the dead by the Father (v12), we have been raised with Him through faith in the working of God. All I can say to this is Hallelujah (Praise God).

Paul further admonishes these 1^st Century believers because even though they have believed that Jesus is God, and that they have died with Christ to the elemental principles of the world, they should not listen to those false teachers who are teaching that Christians “do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (v21). There are those false teachers today that are telling Christians that we can’t do this, and we shouldn’t do that, “don’t eat or drink this, don’t listen to this music, don’t raise your hands when you pray, or you must raise your hands to show God you are being submissive.” Things never change, Paul says “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These indeed have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion, asceticism, and severity toward the body. Still, they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” (vv. 20-23).

Holiness is not adhering to a list of dos and don’ts; we don’t impress God with our man-made list of things that we give up under the auspice of “denying ourselves” in order to follow Him. Nothing has changed with God; He has never been impressed with our miserable efforts to be “righteous and pious” on our own. Remember, God wants our hearts, not our pitiful attempts to impress Him. God knows that if we understand His grace and what it cost Him to send His Son to die for us on the cross, once we understand Jesus has made us alive with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, once we understand that our “certificate of debt” has been nailed to the cross with Jesus and is paid in full, then we will gladly live our lives in such a way that will bring honor and glory to our risen Savior.  And we will sing with the choir of angels, “Hallelujah, What a Savior”.

Believer, remember “Our record of debt” has been canceled, we are free in Christ to live in His marvelous Grace.

 "Living in Grace is not about what I can do, but about what Jesus has already done!"