“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: 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. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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.” Colossians 2:11-14

Why would anyone want to insist that it is necessary for a Christian to be circumcised and follow all the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament to be saved when believers are complete in Jesus and are blessed with all that they need through their baptism into Christ Jesus?

Old Testament circumcision (Genesis 17) was a cutting away of the flesh, performed by human hands, which indicated that one had entered into God’s covenant with man in which God promised to send a Messiah and Savior of the descendants of Abraham to redeem fallen mankind. It signified that a man could not stand before God in the power of his own flesh, but through the promised Seed of Abraham — Jesus Christ.

Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Matt. 28:19; cf. Acts 2:38-39) has replaced and superseded circumcision as the sign and means of becoming a recipient of God’s covenant with man. But baptism is so much more.

Circumcision was performed by human hands. Baptism, though administered by the hand of a minister (or, in the case of emergency, a believer), is a work of the Triune God and administered in His name. It is God’s work.

Baptism is called “the circumcision of Christ” because the one who is baptized into Christ is joined to Christ in His death and in His resurrection.

The sins and fallen nature of man (the sinful flesh) are buried with Christ in baptism; for Christ Jesus, on the cross, paid in full for the sins of the entire world. He died our death for us and took the just condemnation of God’s law in our place. He blotted 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.” Though God’s holy law condemned us all, Jesus suffered our punishment that we might be forgiven and acquitted through faith in Christ Jesus.

Not only is the Christian joined with Christ in His death through baptism, having all his sins blotted out and washed away through Jesus’ sacrifice; he is also joined to Christ in His resurrection, so that as God raised up Jesus from the dead on the third day, after He had made atonement for the sins of all, so also He through the “operation of” the Holy Spirit raises up to faith and new life those joined to Christ.

As Paul writes, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

In his letter to Titus, Paul writes by inspiration of God’s Spirit: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

Thus, we see that through Baptism God washes away sins and grants His life-giving Spirit, who creates and strengthens faith in Christ Jesus. Through baptism, God offers and gives to us all the blessings which Jesus won for us upon the cross and makes them our own. In and through baptism, God offers and gives forgiveness of sins and life eternal in His Son, Jesus Christ!

Baptism is so much more than an outward profession of faith in Jesus. Rather, it is the means through which God graciously works to make all of the blessings won for us by Jesus our own!

Therefore, if one has been baptized into Christ and has God’s forgiveness, His life-giving Spirit and the certainty of life everlasting for Jesus’ sake, why would he want to go back to Old Testament circumcision and the old covenant which pointed ahead to Christ and the salvation he has provided for all? In Baptism, Christians are joined to Jesus and are complete in Him!

Thank You, gracious Father, for working through our baptism to wash away our sins for Jesus’ sake and to raise us up to new life in fellowship with You through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit. Keep us in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:8-11

We may not often think about the devil and his workings, but we face a very dangerous foe. Each and every day of our lives — whether we realize it or not — we are engaged in a serious battle for our souls. In fact, the Bible tells us that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).

That is why Peter, at the close of his epistle to the believers scattered across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), tells them not to be deluded, but aware and on guard against the attacks of the devil. The devil, you see, is very real and very powerful and he seeks to destroy the souls of all who trust in God’s Son, Christ Jesus, our Savior. He works especially hard to destroy, split and divide congregations where the Word of God is faithfully taught and proclaimed — we can see that in our own church. The old evil foe does everything in his power to weaken our faith, divide us and destroy us.

As Peter writes, the devil’s out there prowling about like a roaring lion seeking the opportunity to swallow us up and devour us. He does this by seeking to weaken and destroy our faith and confidence in Christ Jesus.

And so, he tries to separate us from God’s Word and from fellow believers who mutually encourage and build each other up with the Scriptures. He seeks to lead us back into sin and ensnare us so that we continue on in sin and disobedience to God rather than in repentance and faith.

And, of course, when we do fall into temptation and sin, he would try to keep us from taking comfort in God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. He at first tries to convince us that it is OK or not that bad to break God’s commandments, and he then tells us our sin is too great to be forgiven.

He knows our weaknesses and shortcomings and attacks us when we are down with temptations to which we are very vulnerable. Like the lion who attacks and takes its prey when it is weak and separated from the herd, so the devil so often tempts us when we are weak, tired and away from our fellow believers.

As he deceived Eve in Garden (cf. Gen. 3), so he seeks to mislead and deceive us. “Did God really say…?” “It won’t hurt you to just try it once.” He seeks to make us question God’s Word, doubt it and then turn aside from it. And so we fall victim to his evil tactics.

The Bible tells us: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:12-15).

Since the temptings of the devil are very real and are a grave danger to our soul, Peter continues by admonishing us: “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

The Word of God tells us to stand firm against the temptations of the devil, our old evil foe, and to hold fast in the faith to Christ Jesus and the redemption He provided for us when He suffered and died upon the cross for our sins and the sins of the world.

We may think we face temptations which are unique and greater than those of others, but the Bible tells us: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

God doesn’t permit the devil to tempt us so severely that we cannot overcome his temptations. As He did in the case of Job, God sets limits. He makes a way of escape that we may be able to bear it. And what the devil intends to harm and destroy us, God uses to purify and strengthen our faith in Him.

We remember, of course, that in Christ we have the victory. Christ Jesus, using God’s Word, resisted the temptations of the devil and fulfilled all righteousness for us (cf. Matt. 4:1-11). He then went to the cross and suffered our punishment, winning for us forgiveness, life and a place in God’s eternal kingdom. When we sin — and we do still sin and stumble and fall — we can turn to God in faith for mercy and forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 1:8 – 2:2).

“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 5:10-11).

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (read Colossians 2:1-10)

The Apostle Paul warns his hearers, both at Colosse and around the world today, to beware “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words” (v. 4). Much is preached and proclaimed in the name of Christianity which is nothing of the sort. The messages may be persuasive and enticing, but the result — even if the spokesmen are well-meaning — is to deceive and take people away from saving faith in Jesus Christ!

The believers at Colosse had heard the Gospel message from Epaphras. He had proclaimed to them that Jesus Christ, the very Son of God and Creator of all things, had atoned for all their sins and won their reconciliation to God the Father by suffering and dying upon the cross for their sins and rising again on the third day. Through faith in Jesus they had “redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (1:14). Through faith in Jesus, God the Father had “delivered” them “from the power of darkness” and “translated [them] into the kingdom of his dear Son” (1:13). For the sake of Jesus’ shed blood, they were now counted “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in [God’s] sight” (1:19-22). And as a result, they had a certain hope of the everlasting blessings of heaven (1:5).

Therefore, Paul lovingly wrote to the believers in Colosse, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (2:6-7). They had all they needed in Jesus their Savior — nothing more was required of them in order to be saved.

Paul warned them: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (v. 8-10).

The apostle did not want them to be stripped of their faith and assurance in Jesus by human doctrines dealing with what foods they should eat, on what days they should worship and regarding spiritual knowledge and angelic intermediaries (cf. 2:16-18). They were complete in Jesus; for He fulfilled all of the righteous demands of God’s holy law in their stead, and He suffered and died and paid in full for all their sins and rose again on the third day. Through faith in Jesus they had forgiveness for all sins and the certainty of life everlasting! And, through faith in Jesus, we too have forgiveness for all our sins and the certainty of a place in God’s eternal kingdom!

The Old Testament ordinances dealing with sabbath days, holy days and foods were only a shadow of things to come and were to point us to Christ (2:17). Now that Christ has come and accomplished our salvation, it would be foolish to return to a mandatory observance of mere shadows and give up the blessings won for us by our Savior!

Rather, we should continue in the faith in Messiah Jesus, as taught to us in the Holy Scriptures. We should continue in the hope and assurance that He has redeemed us from all sin by the shedding of His holy and precious blood for us upon the cross. We have all we need in Jesus — we are complete in Him!

O dearest Jesus, thank You for fulfilling all the holy demands of the law for me, and thank You for paying the just penalty for my sins that I might have forgiveness and life everlasting with You in heaven. Graciously keep me in the true faith and let no false teaching rob me of Your blessings. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.” Psalm 73:12-14 (Read Psalm 73)

Have you ever noticed how the unbelieving and wicked prosper in this world? While Christians struggle to survive and are plagued with troubles, the ungodly appear to be blessed with all their hearts desire.

Like the psalmist, it would be easy for us to think that we have cleansed our hearts in vain and that there is no reward or gain for following after the LORD and walking in His ways. But consider the rest of the psalm.

Though the wicked prospered in this world at every turn, when the psalmist entered into the sanctuary, he saw their end and realized that truly he was blessed. The end of the wicked was coming, and he had the everlasting blessing of the Almighty. God was with him and holding his hand through life.

The psalmist wrote: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (v. 24).

God leads and guides us through life with His Word. He holds our hand and never leaves or forsakes us (cf. Ps. 32:8; Heb. 13:5). And, when we die, He receives us to Himself in glory — all for the sake of Jesus Christ, who suffered and died to pay the penalty for all our sins and rose again in glory!

In this life, the wicked and unbelieving may prosper and we may struggle. They may possess the world and we may have nothing. But, by the grace and mercy of God, we have God Himself. Through faith in Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross, we have forgiveness for all our sins, are accepted as God’s dear children and have an eternal inheritance in heaven which can never be taken from us (cf. Gal. 3:26ff.; Eph. 1:3ff.; 1 Pet. 1:3ff.).

With the psalmist, we can say: “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever” (v. 26).

When the unbeliever dies, he leaves all his wealth and prosperity behind in this world and stands before the Judge of all naked and with nothing. He is condemned.

When the believer dies, he leaves behind the pain and suffering of this life and stands before the Judge of all the earth clothed in Christ’s righteousness — all His sins have been washed away in Jesus’ shed blood and Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to him. He is received into the everlasting joys of heaven and dwells with His God forever and ever!

As we read in Psalm 17:14-15, the men of the world have their portion in this life and God fills their bellies with his hidden treasure: “they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

Keep me from doubting Your Word, O Lord, and strengthen my faith that I might not desire the goods of this world which shall pass away but desire and wait patiently for the eternal blessings promised in Your Word to all who place their hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and long for the everlasting joys of being in Your presence. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” Colossians 1:24-29

Why was the Apostle Paul suffering? Why was he persecuted, imprisoned and facing death? And Paul, like the other apostles of our Lord Jesus, faced many hardships.

To the Corinthians he wrote (2 Cor. 11:24-28): “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”

Paul suffered all these things because he was a minister of the Gospel — he preached Christ, and Him crucified, as the only way to heaven, as the only salvation for sinful mankind. The Apostle called on men everywhere to repent of their unbelief and sin and return to the only true God through faith in the crucified and risen Son of God. And for that, Paul suffered greatly in this world — though he now wears a crown of righteousness in heaven with his Savior (cf. 2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Paul was a prisoner when he wrote this letter to the believers in Colosse. He was in bonds for preaching forgiveness of sins and life eternal in the crucified and risen Christ Jesus. Paul didn’t hold back from setting forth the truth in order to preserve his own life or to avoid trouble from those who opposed the Word of God. Believers could and still can rejoice in the Apostle Paul’s sufferings because he was suffering for his faithfulness to Messiah Jesus.

So, should we be surprised at trouble and even persecution here in this world? Should we be shocked when people speak evil of us for seeking to be faithful to God and His Word?

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:34-38).

Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12).

As Jesus said, and as His apostle Paul said, those who preach the truth of God’s Word, pointing out sin as sin and proclaiming the redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus as the only source of forgiveness and life everlasting, will be hated and persecuted in this world. People will hate them and persecute them because they don’t want their own sins exposed for what they are — wickedness in God’s eyes. And people will persecute them because they do not believe and trust in Jesus as God the Son and the Messiah and Savior of the world.

Jesus suffered and died upon the cross, paying in full for the sins of the whole world, and He rose again from the dead on the third day. Those who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and life and follow after Him will also suffer in this world. Because the world hated Christ Jesus, it will also hate those who follow Him and proclaim His Word.

For not shrinking back but being faithful to Jesus, Paul suffered and helped fill up that which was lacking in the sufferings of the church — the true believers in Christ Jesus. For Paul’s faithfulness to Jesus and His unashamed preaching of the gospel of forgiveness and life in the crucified and risen Christ we too rejoice.

Even though so many within the visible church today would hold back to avoid sharing in the reproach of Christ, when followers of Jesus do hold fast to their Head and unashamedly proclaim His Word of life, we can also rejoice, even in their sufferings for Christ Jesus; for all who follow Jesus and are unashamed to speak His Word will suffer persecution in this world, and great is their reward in heaven!

If we must suffer for our faith in Christ Jesus, if we must face trouble and persecution because we follow Christ and seek to uphold all that God’s Word teaches, we too can rejoice for the privilege of sharing in the sufferings of our Savior. And the Scriptures assure us that a crown of righteousness awaits us with our Savior in heaven!

Dearest Jesus, our blessed Savior and Redeemer, embolden us to speak Your Word faithfully as we should and not hold back, calling upon people everywhere to repent of their sinful ways and trust in You for forgiveness and life. And, if we must suffer persecution — even if that be prison or death — let us rejoice that we were privileged to suffer for Your name’s sake. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]