Nov 14

Colossians 2:14
Memorise Colossians 2:14
“…blotting out the handwriting of ordinances…”

Paul goes on in Colossians 2:14 “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.” When Christ saved us, one of the effects of that salvation was that we are no longer under the law, but now free to become servants of God. Ordinances (in Greek ‘dogma’) mean decrees; these ordinances that were against us are all the Jewish rites and ceremonies. Because we could never keep them perfectly, these ordinances are thus burdensome to us. These ordinances were all in writing, the Mosaic Law as a whole having been preserved in handwriting, and this ‘black and white’ serve as evidence to convict those who broke the Law. Christ who kept all these ordinances perfectly for our sakes is the one who “took it out of the way”, meaning totally removed it. “Nailing it to his cross” drives home the fact that the obligation to keep such burdensome ordinances ceased with Christ’s death for us. As a result, we who could never have kept these ordinances perfectly now need not bear such a heavy burden.

Do you think Christ gives you restriction or liberty? Do understand that Christ through His life and death has bought you freedom from eternal death and freedom from your previous master, sin. Christ now gives you freedom to do anything within the boundaries of righteousness, for we are now servants of righteousness, able to glorify Him in gratefulness and love for what He has done for us. Previously, all our works were as filthy rags, and there was nothing we could do, but to sin. Now, we are free to not sin, and serve the Lord, and have our works accepted by Him. There are many avenues of service open to you in church, and you do well to seek His will to know which of these avenues you should choose. The Jews had many foods they could not consume; we Christians are only restricted from eating blood and food offered to idols, but are free to consume everything else. Only an ungrateful person would think of such boundaries as restrictions. Are you ungrateful? Worse, are you complaining about Christianity being restrictive because you want to sin? Adam and Eve had so many choices of fruit and herb in the Garden of Eden, but they still desired the one choice of the forbidden fruit; do you desire forbidden fruit?

Thought: Am I yearning to be free to sin?
Prayer: May I rejoice in Christian liberty.