JESUS IS SUFFICIENT
Colossians 2:9-15
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Intro:
- In our opening lesson of this series we said that theme of Colossians is the sufficiency of Christ – He is sufficient as our Lord, our life, and our leader.
- Everything that we need to know in order to live the life that God wants us to live is revealed to us in the Word of God (written and living). (cf. v. 3)
1. Jesus Is Sufficient As Lord (vv. 9-10)
- The Greek word translated fullness in vs. 9 means “the sum
Verse 9 blasts the very foundation of all the false Gnostic teaching. The Gnostics despised the body, the physical world, and all things material. They believed the physical world – especially the fleshly body – to be inherently evil. To confess that the fully divine Son of God could dwell in bodily form would have been anathema.
Paul says in verse 10, and ye are complete in Him. The word translated complete was used to describe a ship
When we receive Christ as our Savior, we are not everything we should be and can be, but we do have everything we need for life’s spiritual voyage. If we have Jesus as Savior we have all we need for growth and fruition. (cf. 2 Pet. 1:2-3)
Jesus is sufficient as the Lord of our lives. He reveals the fullness of God to us, and in Him we are made complete in Him.
- There is no need to seek so-called fullness anywhere else and no need to find additional saving wisdom, insight, knowledge, understanding, or truth from any other philosophy.
- In Christ we have all we need (everything that is truly necessary).
2. Jesus Is Sufficient For Salvation (vv. 11-14)
- Nothing needs to be added to the work of Jesus in order for us to be saved and forgiven of sin.
Neither circumcision nor baptism needs to be
The rite of circumcising all male descendants of Abraham at the age of eight days was to show
- However, some Jews who had become Christians believed that physical circumcision was essential for salvation and had to be added to faith in Christ. Therefore, they tried to force Gentile believers to be circumcised (Acts 15:1 & Gal. 6:12). This apparently was also a part of the problem at Colosse.
- Circumcision was never intended to be a part of salvation, but only a
- From the beginning it was only to be symbolic of what was to happen in the heart. (Dt. 30:6)
Physical circumcision won’t save anyone. It is the circumcision made without hands that saves.
Baptism has been confused as a part of salvation in our day much like circumcision in Paul’s day.
Baptism is only an
Paul uses the word baptism in verse 12 in the figurative meaning – to be identified with. (No amount of water could bury a person with Christ or make him alive in Christ. Baptism is a picture of a spiritual experience.)
Spiritually we are placed into Christ when we are saved. To be identified with Him means that whatever happened to Christ happened to us. When He died, we died with Him. When He was buried, we were buried with Him. When He arose again, we arose with Him.
How did this happen? Through the faith of the operation of God. It was the power of God that changed us, not the power of water.
The application is clear: since we are identified with Christ, and He is the fullness of God, what more do we need? We have everything we need for salvation in Jesus Christ. (We don’t need circumcision, baptism, good works, ordinances, rites, rituals, etc.)
Jesus is all we need for forgiveness. (vv. 13-14)
- Vs. 13 – The word dead describes the spiritual
As a lost person, we are dead in our sins, but in Christ Jesus God has made us alive and
The Greek word translated handwriting (CHEIROGRAPHON) refers to a certificate of debt on which the debtor signs his name. The phrase which was contrary to us means the bill was crying out for payment.
- The phrase blotting out means “to erase.” God forgives us of all trespasses the moment we come to God and sign our sin bill, which is your admission of sin.
3. Jesus Is Sufficient For Victory (vs. 15)
The word triumphing translates a military word that describes the
Through His death and resurrection Jesus achieved a victory over all that opposes Him and made a show of them openly.
The cross of Christ looked like a humiliating defeat, but in reality it was a complete victory over all principalities and powers. It is the demons and Satan himself that were defeated and
God wants us to know that although the powers of evil still exist, they are defeated. Because of Christ’s victory we do not have to live in fear of Satan’s power.
Conclusion:
- Our permanent relationship with Christ by grace through faith has been sealed and signified by baptism.
Just as we are fully associated with Christ’s death and resurrection, we are likewise fully associated with His conquest of sin, death, and demonic forces.
Jesus is sufficient as our Lord, Savior, and Conquering King.
- When we understand Who Jesus is and what He has to offer us we know that we don’t have to look anywhere else to find everything we need. In Jesus we have all we need. Jesus is