Identification Verified Series

Chico Alliance Church

“Identification Verified”

Review

I. Paul exhibits proper prayer

II. Paul exalts God’s terrific transfer program

III. Paul explains his personal ministry 1:24-2:5

A. The heart of the minister

B. The heart of the ministry

1. Christ indwells us

2. Christ unites us

IV. Paul encourages proper thinking 2:6-3:4

A. The principle of the Christian’s daily walk vs 6-7

1. Christ firmly rooted us in Him.

2. Christ continually builds us up in Him.

3. Christ continually builds our faith in Him.

B. The basis of the Christian’s daily walk (life) 2:8-15

1. All the fullness of deity dwells in Christ in bodily form

2. You have been made complete in Christ

3. Christ is the head over ALL rule and authority

4. You were also circumcised in Christ

Having been buried with Christ in baptism

God intends that the things described in this passage keep us from being deceived and led astray in our thinking.

Paul longs to garrison these believers against heresy or false teaching by highlighting truth vital to their understanding of Christ. He spends little time detailing the error being spread. Commentators can only surmise the error being taught by studying the truth being emphasized by Paul. I suppose there might be a place for the critical examination of false teaching but perhaps more to the point would be to take Paul’s approach.

When we concentrate on the truth, any error becomes immediately apparent. We focused last week on the wonderful truth of a canceled and completely eradicated certificate of debt.

The register of rules and laws designed by God for man’s own protection and disregarded by the creatures in their willful rebellion against God has been taken out of the picture.

The law no longer has the power to incite to sin or interfere with our relationship with God.

Romans 8 powerfully reinforces this teaching.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Romans 8:28-34

Our relationship with God is settled because of our identification with Christ. The focus is no longer on whether we keep or don’t keep a set of rules but vital relationship with the rule maker. All our offenses so far as the law is concerned were attributed to Jesus as He hung on the cross. He became a curse for us!

Stop bringing them up.

Stop obsessing on things done in the past.

Stop condemning other people by their offenses.

All the fullness of Deity dwells in Christ.

Christ dwells in the believer.

Every believer is complete, fulfilled in Christ.

Introduction

This morning I want to look more closely at this identification with Christ. Verse 11 of Colossians 2 affirms the fact that we were circumcised in Him. What is God saying? What does this circumcision without hands mean?

What difference does it make in my everyday walk? We must remember that Paul wants these believers to think right so that they can live right. Until we think right regarding our salvation, we will continually struggle to walk right. In order to work out the wonderful salvation that He has worked in with awe and enthusiasm we must have a sufficient understanding of that salvation.

4. You were also circumcised in Christ

Lets us start with some basic facts given here in this passage and then draws some other principles from some other passages.

1. It is not physical by spiritual.

2. God performed it not by human hands.

3. It involved the laying aside of the body of flesh.

4. It was based on our co-burial and co-resurrection with Christ.

The principle

Circumcision was a physical rite performed on male Jews illustrating a commitment to the Covenant. It set the Israelites apart from all other nations.

It was a sign of commitment; an act indicating a commitment to keep the law. Paul in Romans 2 calls those who keep the requirements of the Law “circumcised” even though they were not physically circumcised. Since no one has ever been able to keep the law, we are all under the penalty of death by reason of our transgressions and our uncircumcision. Circumcision was a sign of those committed to keeping the law.