If Ye Have Heard Of the Dispensation of the Grace of God Which Is Given And The Mystery of Christ - Part 1414

"For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [Him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you ALL trespasses, 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 show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:9-15)

There is so much said here that is important to understand for our faith journey. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother is writing to the saints and faithful brethren which are in Christ at Colosse. Herein, the purpose is so that they (and by extension, we) would know what great conflict Paul has for those who have not seen his face in the flesh. (Colossians 1:1; Philippians 1:30)

"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures and wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2-3)

[I could be sidetracked here by addressing the false religious teaching of the trinity that teaches anything but One God -- the Holy Ghost inclusive of the Father and of Christ but it would take from the original point so I will leave that topic for another day. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:28-31; Matthew 1:21-23; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:13; Revelation 1:8, 11; John 1:10-11; Genesis 1:1; I Corinthians 15:47; John 14:6-11; Ephesians 4:5-6)]

"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, "he that glories, let him glory in the Lord." (I Corinthians 1:30-31)

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:21)

The crux being that when we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and so walk ye in Him -- we are rooted and built up in Him as well. We become stablished in the faith, as ye/we have been taught, and thus abound therein with thanksgiving. And once having understood, and tasted the goodness and faithfulness of God our Saviour, we are to beware lest any spoil us through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men and the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:6-8)

We are no longer in bondage under the elements of the world. We are no longer under the Law or burden of sacrifices that could never take away our sin. But because God became our Saviour, we art no more a servant. (Titus 3:4-7; Galatians 1:3:17-29) Why? Because the same Lord God who created us in the beginning did -- when the fullness of the time was come -- become our Saviour (as promised) to redeem those who were lost. "He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

The scripture concluding that all under sin so that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, "but before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that the faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus, and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:1-29)

Herein, there is Paul and Timotheus with us in the Spirit, joying and beholding our good order, casting all our care upon Him, humbling ourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time, continuing and remaining in the steadfastness of our faith in Christ. (Colossians 2:5; I Peter 5:6-9)

Now I say, "That the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father." Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:1-6)
"But the God of all grace who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you -- to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen." (I Peter 5:10-11)

So that we being once dead in our sins and the uncircumcision of our flesh, "hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven [us] ALL trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us" taking it out of the way and nailing it to His cross once and for all. (Colossians 2:9-15)

"Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Stand in the offering plate.