Let us continue our study of this great book of Colossians.  I have seen the theme of his book to be “The Sufficiency Of Christ Alone”.  We desire this week to look at Chapter 2 and verses 14-17 which say: “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.”

This is a very important section of this great epistle.  I have called it “The Conquest Of Calvary”.  Let us begin our study where in verse 14 I see ‘The Clearing Of Our Case’.  In the text we are confronted with ‘what was nailed’.  The words ‘blotting out’ means to wipe away thoroughly, to obliterate and erase.  What was blotted out? What was nailed? Paul says, ‘…the handwriting of ordnances that was against us,”  This phrase has the idea of a well organized judicial case against us.  It would involve all that we have done against the covenant of the law ordinance.  We have been found guilty and no way to pay the debt.  Let us look at ‘where it was nailed’.  The case was nailed to the cross.  I heard recently that a banker in a Canadian bank said when ever they had an account paid off, they drew a line from top left to bottom right and top right to bottom left on the ledger (a crossed ‘x’) and then wrote paid in full.  Glory to is name the cross ‘x’ed’ out our debt and found us not guilty before the Lord.

 In verse 15 we find ‘The Conquering Of Our Corruptions’.  Hidden away in the mystery of our verse is ‘The Time Of This Conquering’.  It seems to my study eye that this took place during our Lord’s ascension.  It was there our Lord was reporting back in with His blood of the once for all sacrifice for the sins of His people.  We see also in this verse ‘The Things Of This Conquering’.  It seems every demon, principality, and power was hanging on to the Son of God to keep Him from making His ascension into that city to sit upon the throne where He will rule and reign forever.

The text tells us that he ‘spoiled’ them.  The word means to fling off like one would take off an outer garment.  We are told He made a “…shew of them openly,” The phrase means to exhibit with frankness, bluntness and publicly an example of humiliating and triumphing over.  Satan and his demon friends have been made a laughing stock of defeated foes.  They may win a few battles because of their power but the war is over and the lion of Judah has conquered them all and sits upon His throne.

In verses 16-17 we have in our study ‘The Christ Of Our Captivity’.  In verse 16 we are reminded of ‘The Standards Of Captivity’.  O how many are involved in adding to our position the outward rituals of things to do.  In Paul’s day it was meat, drink, holy days, and Sabbath days.  Today it is the wearing apparel, hairstyles, movies, dances, beaches, and all the vises and habits. All of these may have an element of right or wrong depending upon the conviction by the Spirit of the individual, but they affect nothing of my position in Christ that I received at the cross.  In the words of Augustine , “Love God with all you heart and then do as you please”.  That love will lead us to please Him, not the church, in our doings.

In verse 17 we see ‘The Shadows Of Christ’.  Paul tells us when we are standard and conviction centered in our message we hold to the shadows of ritual and not the reality of the Saviour.  We are intimate with a picture when we have the real Christ.

I recently came across some works from a creation scientist by the name of Louie Giglio.  He studied the 16 molecules that make up the DNA of every human being.  At the center of each molecule, when magnified, he saw an impression in the shape of a cross. (+)  By Him all things consist in Heaven, Earth, and under the earth.  The Christ of the Cross is holding them together.  He has left the mark of the cross on all He has created.  It is His conquering seal!