The Scripture makes it very clear that as we focus on purity we experience power from above. Paul stressed this in his final letter to his understudy Timothy. “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter [i.e., “iniquity”], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2Ti 2:21). How? The process is simple: God the Father works through the Son. The Son works through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works through the Word. The Word works through the believer. The believer works through living faith.
Gene Cunningham - December 2, 2006
Colossians Lesson 15
Col 2:9-15 is the central passage in the Colossians epistle. Heresy provided false systems of spirituality by adding to the Gospel. We lack nothing in Jesus Christ. Col 2:13-15 Paul mentions 5 great works of God. Circumcision was a picture -- a foward looking sign -- of the results of faith (righteousness; removal of the flesh; Gen 17:1-27; Deu 19:12-16; Rom 2:25-29) in the Old Testament Rom 4:1-13. Baptism looks backward at our faith in Christ (Act 15:1-5; Rom 6:3-14).
Scripture References: Genesis 17:1-27, Colossians 2:9-15, Romans 6:3-14, Acts 15:1-5, Romans 4:1-13, Romans 2:25-29, Deuteronomy 19:12-16
From Series: "Colossians - 2006"
Paul never met the Colossians but wrote to them from a Roman prison around 62 AD to counter misconceptions of his day. It magnifies the character of Jesus Christ more than any other book in the New Testament, and counters misconceptions of our day as well. The key verse may well be Col 1:18 "...that in all things, He might have preeminence."