This week we studied how Paul began addressing the pagan and false doctrines which were seeking to infiltrate the church in Colossae and quote possibly the church of Laodacia. These were the doctrines of asceticism, ritualistic and ceremonial aspects of Judasim and an early form of Gnosticism.
Paul confronts these head on by weaving key and focal components of all these beliefs and practices into his teaching about Jesus, revealing that in Him, are the realities which these other pursuits are seeking.
We ended in Colossians 2:14-17 which required a little investigation. In it, Paul speaks of a “certificate of indebtedness” – a list of requirements which were contrary to our nature before Christ. He says that these have been removed and nailed to the cross of Christ. But what are they?
The scriptures talk about two “requirements” of the Old Testament – one is to be fulfilled IN us as we walk by the Holy Spirit. The other is mentioned here and it was “taken out of the way” which means it was destroyed, wiped out and lifted off of us. Clearly these two cannot be the same “requirement” of the Law. So we spent some time looking into their meanings.
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