Like many other kids who grew up in church, I had an extremely legalistic perception of how Christianity works. I rarely thought about Jesus’s death freeing me to become a joyful and hope-filled person. Instead, I asked questions like, “Where is the line, and how close can I get without crossing it?”
There’s rightfully been a backlash against that way of thinking, but since we can often tend toward legalism, we’ve made new laws to replace the old legalism. We ask questions like, “How does God want to bless me today?”
In both systems, I can hear Paul saying to me and us, “You’ve got it all wrong. Do you know who Jesus actually is and who you are because of who He is?”
Paul wrote to the Colossians at a time when all kinds of heresies were flying around, including several varieties of Gnosticism, which promoted a special knowledge for salvation. In every case he wrote about, the focus was not on the person and their actions but on receiving the gift of Christ—a gift bursting at the seams with grace, power, and glory! Paul warned the Christians not to be taken captive by the current culture’s philosophies because of who they had become in Christ (Colossians 2:8). He reminded them of who Christ is and why this was great news for their identities.
The Christian identity is this: we have been filled by Christ, who is fully God, “the head over every ruler and authority” (v.10). The outward expressions of our faith reflect the extraordinary news that Christ’s submission to God led to His death and resurrection. The same power of God that raised Christ brings about our own salvation, forgiveness, and alive-ness now (vv.11–13). Our unpayable debt, the one that guaranteed our doom and forced us to endlessly try to be enough, has been paid by Jesus (v.14). And finally, as Christ’s death brought triumph over His oppressors, our life in Him means we will ultimately be victorious over our oppressors (v.15). Goodbye, legalism—of every kind!
All of this is extraordinary. But how do we remember it and not return to one form of legalism or another? How do we stay balanced? I think this is actually simple but just not easy: we seek to be “overflowing with gratitude” (v.7) for who Christ is and what He’s done for us. We get our focus off ourselves and onto God.
I’d like to encourage you to take one aspect of the awe-inspiring truths Paul gives us in this passage and think about it throughout the day. Celebrate that Christ is alive in you! Or that your debt of sin has been erased! Or that you are victorious, even in your darkest circumstances, because Christ has overcome! Most of all, celebrate Christ!
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46 thoughts on "The True Gospel"
I feel like the book of Colossians relates so much to modern day life. Especially with social media, politics, and a million other things trying to fight for time in our brain waves, we are bombarded with heresies of other ways to be. So much deceit. So many lies saying that we will never be enough if we don’t do X, Y, and Z. I am extremely guilty of following these other routes in my past because I was not strong in my faith. I pray that we remember this section of Colossians 2 and what it tells us. Be careful of the deceit of worldly elements and focus of Christ. He is head over all authority and ruler (every celebrity, politician, other “Gods”, etc.). We were dead in our sins and he made us alive!! He nailed our debts to the cross! And he wasn’t disgraced, nor did he lose, by being on the cross. He won the fight, we won, because he rose again! He disarmed the power that rulers and authorities have. He won! We WON!
We need to make sure that no one takes captive of us by their earthly ways. Not sure why I thought of this, but I wrote it down in my book and sharing with everyone here.
If you have one foot in the world, it’s going to be way easier for the world to take you captive. Basically you compromise a little at a time, and then you are a backslider! Good to remember. Don’t make the small compromises.
Amen! See 2 Corinthians 10:5! ❤
Jesus nailed it to the cross (in Col. 2:14) …powerful reminder of His love and sacrifice for us.
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Thank you, sisters, for the insightful comments yesterday ❤️
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MARTHA HIX ❤️- praying for Jesse’s health and all the challenges he’s facing
CHERYL BLOW – thank you for the reminder to not forget the hurricane victims. We can’t forget them right now as they are everywhere I can see in the southeast, along with utility trucks, comfort station trailers, truck beds & open trailers filled with bottled water, helicopters flying overhead, debris piled up, road closed barricades. But as the repairs are made, demolition and clean up is done lot by lot and some semblance of a new normal evolves – sadly there will likely be another disaster happen that needs prayer, or those unaffected will get tired of hearing what sounds like the same thing over and over. Let’s keep praying beyond disasters and tragedies, sisters.
FOSTER MAMA – good to see you
JULIE GANUCHEAU-thank you for the praise reports! ❤️
CEE GEE ❤️
TINA ❤️
Lord Almighty
Train my heart to overflow with gratitude.
Teach me to turn away from myself & towards You.
The sinner I am, can do neither without Your Word & Wisdom.
Trusting, by what is said.
Goodbye legalism.
Hello love.
Amen & Amen
Amen, yes Lord…!
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There is something very practical that I do to help me remember that I am a child of God, set apart for His purpose, redeemed by His blood, forgiven and pure in His sight: I wear a small blue Puravida bracelet. I know, it sounds simple. But remember the Jewish people had little tassels on their cloaks, which were there to remind them of the goodness of God. They wore little things on their wrists and foreheads. These were all things to practically remind them of who God is. So, blue represents anointed, set apart, holy, chosen. So I have one of those little blue Puravida bracelets, and every time I look at it, or play with it, I am reminded of God’s power and influence in my life. It’s a very practical thing, but very affective.
I also have a green one… green represents well-being, wholeness, health, healing. I know these bracelets have no power, but they help me remember who I am and what I have. They are sort of my own fidget spinners…. I play with them all throughout the day… and remember…
I love reminders like this Kris. I just got a butterfly and cross on my wrist, and I surprisingly got shading on it went asked, and love blue/turquoise. I never knew blue meant anointed! NOW it means even more to me. The butterfly is what we call or jail ladies, so I have that with a cross because transformation begins at the cross! I love seeing it constantly on my wrist. On the other wrist, I too love wearing bracelets and I just received on that I wear daily that I got from Pat Barrett that says Psalm 160:1 on it. So yes, I love the little reminders throughout the day they bring. And the cross on my neck. And by the way, I have a necklace from Puravida!
How do we stay balanced and not forget what Christ has done for us?! We get our focus off of ourselves and onto Christ! So any times I see how people could be so much more happy if they could get the focus off of themselves. To keep their eyes on our Savior. BUT we fall short. We start complaining, wanting, comparing. I pray we all remember who we are in Christ. To keep our eyes on Him. To know His word.
Amen & Amen, Traci!
Oh my I loved today’s scriptures. LOVED THEM. The phrase circumcision of the heart will be sticking with me all day. And indeed, “we have all received grace upon grace by his fullness”. Will check in later to pray for requests!
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/col.2.13-15.NIV
He nailed my debt to the cross! Oh the love of God and His Grace!
Love this, thank you for the reminder! Keep focused on Christ!!!
Thank you, Ginny, for your encouragement today! I am victorious because of Jesus❤️
GM!
There was that phrase today I love to refer to- stiff-necked! We are stiff-necked Israelites still today I say..always trying to do it our own way!
Also, a wrongly used phrase of today’s Christians is saying we are ALL God’s children. He does love everyone and created everyone, but His children are the one’s that accepted Jesus’s salvation, and therefore receiving all the Father’s blessings and gaining an internal inheritance with Him. John 12:2 “But to all who did receive him,q he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.”
Colossians 2:8 “Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.” There is that warning again…those of the world (and Devil) will constantly try to corrupt us- But God…His power can hold us strong and solid. “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is singing sand!” Yes, Amen! Jesus is in me, whom shall I fear!
It is imperative to stay in the word, know it and live it!
Have a great day!
I am choosing to meditate on this truth today:Colossians 2:15 NIV
[15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Enduring word says this: Against the believer, what weapons do demonic spirits therefore now have? They are disarmed, except for their ability to deceive and to create fear. These are effective “weapons” that are not tangible weapons at all. Demonic spirits only have power towards us that we grant them by believing their lies. The weapons are in our hands, not theirs. We will one-day see how afraid they were of us.
All we have to do, is keep reminding ourselves who lives in us. The power of the holy Spirit. How encouraging! After reading Ephesians these parts of Colossians really stand out to me. When I was thinking of the armor of God, I was thinking I am constantly under attack and I constantly need to be alert. But it’s actually much more simple. All I have to do is remember the power of Christ in me. He is over it all.
Amen! ❤️
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“Do you know who Jesus actually is and who you are because of who He is?” …I once was dead in my sins, but now – made alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. Colossians 2:13
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Jesus is the Diety – God the Father & Holy Spirit in bodily form. He is my Savior – I am alive in Christ – chosen and forgiven.
This is what I am going to think about throughout my day with overflowing thankfulness!
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@Martha Hix – praying for your friend Jesse.
@Cheryl Blow – praise God for your renewed sense of encouragement!
@Foster Mama – good to see you yesterday!
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A blessed Thursday to you all! May each of us walk today in our faith – overflowing with thankfulness!…Thankful Thursday! ❤️
I will have this song in my heart today to help me remember who Jesus is, and who I am….
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Who You Say I Am
Who am I that the highest King would welcome me?
I was lost, but He brought me in
Oh His love for me
Oh His love for me
… Who the Son sets free
Oh, is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
… Free at last, He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin, Jesus died for me
Yes, He died for me
… Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
… I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
… I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
I am who You say I am
… Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
… In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
To add to this song…one of my favs right now by Josh Baldwin and Jen Johnson…
“Made For More!” “I wasn’t made to be tending a grave…I was called by name!”
I love that one too, Rhonda J.!
Yes, another good one! ❤
I love that song!! Now it is running through my head… thank you!
One of our regular (and one of my favorite) songs we sing at church. ❤
♥️
When reading the scripture today, I am always in awe of the debt Christ paid. I am always amazed each time that truth is explained in every way imaginable so that I understand it. Praise Jesus!
As is said Lydia, “when we know better, we can do better”.
Celebrating that Christ is alive in me today – may all I do throughout this day and everyday, reflect that…
Father thank You for the exceeding and abundant plans and outcomes for good You have for me, my family and all Your children. In Jesus name, Amen
“The gift of Christ—a gift bursting at the seams with grace, power, and glory!”
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How can I refuse such a gift? Or leave it unopened on the shelf?
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From HRT today:
“The world will always be busy offering new-hatched solutions and ear-tickling ideas based on the elements of this world, but it is all dust and ashes. The truth is this: we have more than all we need in Christ, who alone has triumphed over the rulers and authorities of earth, who alone buries our sin and raises us up with Him. The vain offerings of this world lose all their luster because we have been given all things in Christ. Thanks be to God!”
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ANNA LEONOR – how is your dad’s, Armando recovery from heart surgery this summer? Any chance he could be a candidate for a new kidney now?
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FOSTER MAMA – Thanks for popping in yesterday! Any more updates on your friend’s son with epileptic seizures?
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LYNN FROM ALABAMA, GRAMSIESUE, LINDA IN NC, NANCY S, SUSAN LANDRETH, DIANE MOM – continued prayers for you as you care for your husbands ❤️
Yes, Kelly!
“How can I refuse such a gift? Or leave it unopened on the shelf?”
Don’t we dare!!
And then there’s this – ‘Our unpayable debt [think bankruptcy!], the one that guaranteed our doom and forced us to endlessly try to be enough, has been paid by Jesus (v.14).’
This should make us go dancing through each and every day in utter gratitude for God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice!
Thank you Lord Jesus!
Yes, indeed. ❤️
Thank you for overcoming
Colossians 2:14 (NLT) – “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”
I love that so much. Thank you Jesus! Sometimes that’s all I can say. Praise You Lord!
Have a blessed Thursday dear Sisters. I am keeping you in prayer. I’m specifically asking God today to give you all strength, endurance, and patience. I’m also asking Him to help you to live to honor and please Him. Amen
Thank you❣️
Here’s what I’m reminded of in these verses – God has (past tense) given us astounding blessings in Christ waiting to be appropriated every day. I am too focused on what temporal thing I want right now to notice..
We own the cattle on a thousand hills and go about begging for ‘earthly’ bread.
Father, help me celebrate today all I already have in Jesus! Amen.
This is so good! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Yes, Sally B!
“We own the cattle on a thousand hills and go about begging for ‘earthly’ bread.”
The Lord is our shepherd.
We have what we need.
I will celebrate Christ today! Thank you, GINNY OWEN ❤️
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SHARON JERSEY GIRL – Praying Jeff can continue his treatment ❤️
GRAMSIESUE, LINDA IN NC, LYNNE – Continued prayers for strength, peace and joy ❤️
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LAUREN GW – Any news of your husband?
SARAH D – How are you?
VICTORIA E – How is work?
HEIDI – Missing you!
Alayna P – How are you?