◄ What Does Colossians 2:13 Mean? ►

The death and Resurrection of Christ was a complete and final victory over sin, for Christ not only died FOR our sins so that we might be reconciled to God and saved from the consequences of sin (which is eternal separation from God), but He also died UNTO sin so that His life would become our life, and the strangle-hold that sin held over us would be broken forever.

Jesus died for our sins: to take the punishment that we deserve. He also died unto sin: so that sin would no longer have power over us, for all our transgressions (past, present, and future), were nailed to the Cross of Christ forever, and we are forgiven of ALL our sins, once and for all.

Before that wonderful day when we were born of the Spirit and forever removed from the kingdom of darkness into the glorious kingdom of His dear Son, we were dead in our transgressions and sins. It meant that our spirit was dead towards God and not functioning as God intended. Our spirit is that part of man that was created to be in fellowship with God, but sin caused our eternal separation from Him. But Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost; Jesus came to pay the price for all the sins of humanity so that all who were dead in their sins and at enmity with God could be restored back to fellowship with God.

Not only were we dead in our sins but uncircumcised in heart. Though circumcision was a special, physical sign of God's covenant with Israel, it also had great spiritual significance. Israel had been chosen by God to be separated unto the Lord, a people called by Him, a nation of priests, a light to the Gentiles, a blessing to all the nations, a people with a circumcised heart who were holy unto the Lord.

Before our salvation, Paul likens us to the unbelieving, pagan nations that surrounded God's chosen people, Israel, dead in transgressions and uncircumcised in flesh. After salvation, Paul reminds us of Christ's complete and final victory over sin when God makes us alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.

As Church-age believers, we are not required to keep the Law of Israel nor to have our physical bodies circumcised, but we are called to be holy as God is holy. We are called to be separated unto the Lord, a people called by His name, a blessing to all the nations, a people with a circumcised heart who are holy unto the Lord.

Praise God that the death and Resurrection of Christ was a complete and final victory over sin. And praise God that we are not under law but under grace, for we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, and we have been made alive in Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word, that I have been made alive together with Christ and that I am accepted in Him. Thank You that by His death and Resurrection, I have been forgiven of all my sins. In Christ, I have been brought back into eternal fellowship with You. Help me to walk in the light and to be a light to those that are dead in their trespasses and separated from the Father. Use me as a witness to the glorious gospel of grace, to those with whom I come in contact today. In Jesus' name, AMEN.