THINGS THAT THE DEATH OF JESUS ACCOMPLISHED
Colossians 2:14-17
Morning Meditation 8/3/2014
"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; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
THE DEATH OF JESUS TOOK THE LAW OUT OF THE WAY
The law was a giant wall that stood between the sinner and God. It was impassible. It was indestructible. Our text reveals what the death of Christ did to the law, "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."
The words "Blotting out" translates "to obliterate, erase, wipe out, blot out." This word is aorist tense and active voice. The aorist tense means that this "blotting out" of the law took place at a point of time in the past. This takes us back to the cross just as the verse says. The active voice is where the subject does the acting. The subject is Christ, and it means that He, "obliterated, erased, wiped out and blotted out the law for it stood in the way of anyone being saved. Let's notice what the Scriptures say:
1. Paul explains this in Romans 3:19-20, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
2. He also taught this in the Galatian Epistle: Galatians 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
You would think that those who are trying to get to heaven by keeping he law would read their Bibles. Salvation comes through faith in the One (Jesus) who did keep the law. Then as the spotless Lamb of God paid the sin-debt He arose the third day with the keys of death and hell hanging on His side. Revelation 1:18, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." The law was a barrier to heaven for all those who tried to keep it and failed--and all did fail. The death of Jesus on the Cross,
THE CROSS NEUTRALIZED THE POWER OF SATAN TO KEEP MEN FROM SALIVATION
Colossians 2:15, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
The words "having spoiled" translate "apekduomai" and means, "wholly put off from one's self denoting separation from what is put off." The aorist tense emphasizes the point of time where this took place, i.e., the cross.
Now that the law is out of the way we are free to come to Christ by faith and Satan does not have the power to prevent this. Jesus travailed over Satan on the Cross and took the law out of the way nailing it to His cross. Satan has no power to keep man in sin's bondage. The moment we come to the Cross, repenting of sin, Jesus takes us as His own and protects us from further danger. Colossians 3:1-4, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." We are talking about the things the death of Christ accomplished for us:
IT LIBERATED MAN TO A PERSONAL CHOICE
John 12:32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Jesus is in the process of drawing all men to Himself. We are aware that all men are not going to be saved. However, what Jesus did for us on the cross, liberates us to respond to God's call to be saved and there is nothing Satan can do about it.
A real battle was waged at the Cross where Jesus came up against Satan and his hosts. There is where the battle was won. Colossians 2:15 says, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
Hebrews 1:3, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;"
Don't ever forget the words, "when he had by himself purged our sins," because this is what happened. His sacrifice on the Cross opened the doors of grace to all who would answer God's call to salvation.
Jesus fixed it so that the repentant sinner could come to Him for salvation while Satan stands helpless to prevent it from happening. These are some of the things the death of Christ dying on the cross accomplished for us.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
