ALIVE WITH CHRIST

Passage: Colossians 2:9-15

Key verse: 13

NIV

9 For in Christ all the fullness(A) of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head(B) over every power and authority.(C) 11 In him you were also circumcised(D) with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh[a](E) was put off when you were circumcised by[b] Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism,(F) in which you were also raised with him(G) through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.(H)

13 When you were dead in your sins(I) and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[c] alive(J) with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,(K) 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness,(L) which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.(M) 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities,(N) he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them(O) by the cross.[d]

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Colossians 2:11 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verse 13.
  2. Colossians 2:11 Or put off in the circumcision of
  3. Colossians 2:13 Some manuscripts us
  4. Colossians 2:15 Or them in him
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

9 For (A)in him the whole fullness of deity dwells (B)bodily, 10 and (C)you have been filled in him, who is (D)the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also (E)you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by (F)putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 (G)having been buried with him in baptism, in which (H)you were also raised with him through faith in (I)the powerful working of God, (J)who raised him from the dead. 13 (K)And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God (L)made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by (M)canceling (N)the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 (O)He disarmed the rulers and authorities[a] and (P)put them to open shame, by (Q)triumphing over them in him.[b]

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Colossians 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities
  2. Colossians 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Christ himself circumcised us (9-13)

Christ is all we need for salvation and life now and forever, for all the fullness of God lives in him and he dwells in us. We were dead in sin and held prisoners by Satan. God made us alive with Christ; he circumcised our hearts by cutting away our sinful nature. He did this by his death and resurrection, using the tools of repentance and faith. Water baptism is the sign of our covenant relationship with God in Christ. Real baptism is by God himself through his Holy Spirit. We are buried with Jesus in baptism when we repent, and, by faith in God who raised Jesus from the dead, we are united with him in life.

2. He disarmed our enemies (14-15)

God sets us free from the power of death by disarming our enemies. Our enemy Satan uses the law to condemn us and make us despair. God forgives our sins. Jesus made the law obsolete by his death on the cross. Christ is like a triumphant general who won a great battle and parades his captives, disarmed and helpless, through the streets.

Prayer: Lord, circumcise my heart and dwell in me today; give me victory over all enemies of the gospel.

One Word: I am alive with Christ