If you are God’s child, you are more than a husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, neighbor, friend, male, female, young person, older person, worker, retired, and so on. The Son of God left his lofty place and came to earth to suffer and die victoriously so that you would have not only a brand-new identity but also brand-new potential. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 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.
In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
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. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. The apostle Paul talks about the victorious life of Jesus in Colossians 2: He came to reverse the course of human history, by victory after victory, until he could say, “It is finished.” Yes, it was a life of suffering and death, but in it all was victory after victory. He conquered, for us, the final enemy, death. He suffered, for us, so we would not suffer God’s anger over sin. He won, for us, battles that would have led to our defeat. He lived, for us, the life we could have never lived. Christ did all these things as our substitute. Each was a victory because it was done in fulfillment of prophecy. Each was a victory because each was done in fulfillment of God’s plan. His post-resurrection appearing to his followers was a victory.Įverything in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, even those things that appeared to be defeats, were victories. The separation from his Father was a victory. The crucifixion with criminals was a victory. The trial and torture of Jesus was a victory. The healing ministry of Jesus was a victory. The public baptism of Jesus was a victory. The triumph over temptation was a victory. The escape from the hand of Herod was a victory. There was no defeat in the righteous life and sacrificial death of Jesus.
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