Book of Colossians - Ch. 2, Vs. 13-23 (02-21-1999)

Burial and Resurrection With Christ in Baptism

All right Colossians 2. And we start with 13, but I want you to look at verse 12, please. All right, verse 12 says this buried with him in baptism wherein also Ye are risen with him Through the faith of the operation of God who has raised him from the dead.

Hold your finger there and go over to the book of Romans. To the 6th chapter, please. All right in the book of Romans chapter 6. Let's look at verse 4. Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death.

That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. Even so we also should walk in newness of life skip down to verse 8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.

Go to verse 11. Likewise reckon also ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Then verse 14 yeast for sin shall not imperative Ever have dominion over you again.

For you are not under the law under grace now in verses 4 8 and 11 and Verse 12 in Colossians, you see the little word also the very small word you perhaps would read it and as The rest of us and not pay much attention to it.

You know what it means also. Did you ever hear of the Siamese twins. Is that phrase familiar to anyone. I See heads nodding. Did you know there actually were Siamese twins born 1811 died 1875. They were connected by tubular and I've forgotten the name of it, but Through this tube their livers Functioned one depending upon the other and some other parts of their anatomy.

They were exhibited in Europe and in America eventually married. I Would like to know more about that but they settled down in Vermont. I believe it was and they died in 1875. The word also that we have looked at this morning.

The best way I can explain it is Siamese twins in Romans it says even so we also in 11. Reckon ye also back in Colossians 12 wherein also. It means this folks that We are a Siamese twin of our Lord Jesus Christ Can never be disconnected there can never be an operation that would separate us.

So we also are like Christ in resurrection in position in sinless perfection. Now don't get your sinless perfection confused with your physical body because it sins. Well, it is totally sin. But we the real you Does not sin.

For it is righteous. It has been bought with a price. It is a twin of Christ now going to verse 13 in Colossians. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh. Hath he quickened together with him?

Having forgiven it for giving you all the trespasses. Well Greg the first question comes. We are quickened Together with Christ. What does the word quickened mean. Greg made alive? It's passive somebody else had to do it for we could not because we were dead in our sins and trespasses.

Again, let me ask you the difference between sin and trespass who can tell me who can't tell me the same. No. Why would they separate them to be if they were identical? Sin and trespasses what's trespass me?

What did she say? All right, Jebber. Walks through the woods and see a sign on the fence said no trespassing. But you did it anyhow. Then you trespassed to. To trespass means that you know that it's a sin, but you're going to do it anyhow and you do.

Dead in trespasses and sins now you he has quickened when. Did he quicken you. At the point of salvation. Well, that's true, but it's wrong. When when were you quickened when were you made alive and please don't talk to yourself.

I want to hear it when you realize yours lost. That's a good a Good start on it. Let me let me read again in Romans. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism in the death. So when were we buried with him?

When he died. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also. When Christ was raised up, we're a twin remember we cannot be divided. We're joined together forever.

There's no way that. There's no way even God can separate us because he said he wouldn't. So the answer to when were you quickened? When was everyone quickened. It was at his resurrection when he was.

Everyone that will be in heaven Had their salvation at exactly the same time. You were saved same time. Moses was because there's only one. Because it happened only one time. Now it's true that we didn't know it at that time for several reasons.

One was Greg wasn't born yet. Another was we came into this world in a state of sin sin nature and We were not aware that we belong to him. Even though we were his. But at the right moment you remember Paul tells us in some of his writings one of his writings.

He said when it pleased the Heavenly Father to reveal his son in me. What did he do? He did it when it pleased God to reveal his son in you he did it. When it was scheduled when it was time. God doesn't operate in time we do.

To him all things have already occurred. Nothing can be changed. He can allow nothing permit nothing because it's already happened. Do you understand that? Don't say you do unless you do. If you don't I want to know it.

Everything has already occurred now. We're walking through the time in which it occurs but in the Presence of the Father it's already happened. He sees the finished product in heaven. Verse 14. Oh Let's go back at 13 Quicken together.

Just another way of saying that we're a twin with him. Having forgiven you most of your trespasses. All your trespasses, but All how was I wrong? Oh I said most. Well, I wasn't listening to what I said all.

Now, let me ask you a very Deep theological question what does all Exclude you sure. What do you mean by the word all? Everything all your trespasses. Now all of them up to today. Then we have a blank check.

We can just say it all we want to. What? Yes, that's what Paul said. All of our trespasses in the eyes of the Heavenly Father. You are sinless. Because you're in Christ. Joint heir. Siamese twin now verse 14.

The Law Blotted Out at the Cross

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 the cross. Blotting out. You don't use blotters much anymore. Anybody here ever grow up using blotters to Greg hasn't.

Does anyone not know what a blotter is? David doesn't know. Was that David's hand. Didn't know what a blotter was. What do you say. Oh My I Can't believe you don't know what a blotter is. I think you're lying to me right here.

Someone tell David what is a blotter? Maybe no one knows Tom. All right time believe in David this one all right blotting out. Removing doing away with. Erasing. Now David you surely used an eraser sometime.

Maybe you cut all the racers off your pencils. I don't know. Blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances. What in the world is he talking about? What did he blot out the ordinances. Brian you're all quiet this morning.

Can you not hear me? What ordinances. The old laws, thank you Greg. The law. The Old Testament Saints had. I don't like this talk and everybody laughing. I don't hear I Is afraid to answer. Well you're learning the law.

Why was the law given as a schoolmaster? How did it work as a schoolmaster caused them to be wrong? Talk to him when there's wrong. Did you ever? This is a silly question. Did you ever look in a mirror?

Most of you have. I can tell by looking at you you get up in the morning you go to the Lavatory to wash your face, and you look in the mirror or you come in from hard work. From work and. You look in the mirror, and there's some grease or dirt on your face.

Now can you can the mirror wash your face? All it did was show you the dirt didn't it? But you have to go to the basin below where the water is. To get clean the mirror is the law. They did not know sin until the law came.

Now not totally they knew what sin was but there was lots of things. They didn't know was a sin until the law came now. They had that as an ordinance. That meant it was mandatory for them to obey the law.

And it was a very rigorous life. But he says here that he Jesus Christ blotted out the ordinances that were against us. They stood in front of us as an unpaid debt. But he blotted it out. He did away with it.

Now does that mean then Margaret that the law is of none effect today? Don't be like June afraid to answer. Somebody help her out, so you're telling me the law is still in effect. I got one. No. All right.

So the law to the in the Old Testament was an ordinance to us. It's a ceremony. It's not an ordinance. We do not have any longer to offer the sacrifices to go to the priest for all of our instructions.

He took away all of that and he is our high priest. Nailing German nail anything to something else. David you know what a nail is do you not? All right, I'm learning a lot about David this morning. Did you ever nail?

Two boards together. Without hitting your thumb. All right nailing it to his cross his cross. Where he was nailed? By the way if you are ever at the house remind me to show you a replica. Not a real one, but a replica of the nails that were used To nail him to the cross.

So he fixed it permanently. Could not be undone because he did it. And having spoiled Principalities and powers he made his show with him openly triumphing over them. Principalities and powers are Spiritual powers demons.

And he triumphed over them. Now we come to 16 and by the way he triumphed in the open he didn't do anything in secret. Satan does everything in secret. That reminds me. I have a demonstration all to bring sometime this year.

It'll show you that in verse 16 Let no man the little word let is a bookkeeping or an accounting term. And it simply means you Have control over this. So literally we would say stop letting Other people Judge you in what you eat and what you drink in your Holidays and your observance of various in a sundry feasts.

Even to the time that you would attend church we by tradition Meet on Sunday. I think it's a good time first day of the week. But nowhere is there a law in the Bible or a statement. Saying that is absolutely mandatory that you meet as a church body on the first day of the week.

We do it by tradition. That's what the disciples did. Our Lord arose on that day. The disciples Did it? First one of the primary reason was that they did not want anybody to be confused about their belief.

Which might have happened had they continued to meet on the Sabbath because that's when the Orthodox Jews meet and They were not like them. So because of what the What was started at that time we meet on the Sabbath, but don't let anybody condemn you on it.

Lots of people think you should meet on Saturday. That's their privilege to thank that don't condemn them. So stop letting people judge you and what you do judging the best way to Keep from being judged in a foot race is what well, that's one way Don't be in it.

Just don't get in the race lots of people Like to argue about the Bible. I grew up in a small town and there was one man there a mechanic had a garage. His name was John Shilin and I was always impressed when I was around When dad would stop and talk and they were good friends.

As far as I could determine but Mr. Shilin Knew a lot of Scripture. He was Catholic by birth and belief not by practice and He loved to argue the Scripture he would Bring up something and say what do you think about that and so forth?

So he loved to argue the Scripture there's lots of people like that. They want to get you into an argument. Don't do that. Don't ever argue about the Scripture. Now if someone is Truly trying to find out a truth for the sake of knowing truth then discuss it with them.

But the Scripture needs no defense. You don't have to argue For it be ready to defend it. All right, but not by argument so Stop letting people make fun of you judge you tell you you're wrong. Trying to put a guilt trip upon you because you do certain things think certain things act certain ways all they can see Debbie is the outside all I can see is what you're doing and They watch what you do and they say well you can't be saved doing that if they do that and Unfortunately, we do the same things.

We're judging we're saying salvations by works. Because look what she's doing. She's not saying. So we know salvation is not by works. So stop letting people do this the best way is to do what you know to be right.

You Don't have to confirm it with anyone else. You have the Holy Spirit living within you follow your good intention. Good intuition and do that what you know to be right. The way you can arrive at what you know to be right is to stop doing what you know is not right.

That's easier to determine. And if you'll just stop doing that One thing every week you'll finally become more and more Christlike. This thing of the new moon the ancients did observe the certain feasts by The sign of the moon position of the moon.

We do the same thing with certain things. In fact our Easter celebration is based upon a full moon or a new moon or something. First one after or something else. By the way, the word Easter in the Bible is a mistranslation.

What should it have been David? Passover a lot of our so-called Holy Days. Are the outgrowth of heathenism? In the early early early days in Rome. When they would conquer a country. And they would bring a lot of the people in to Rome and into their empire.

The people brought their own religion. They tried for a long time to stamp it out and it was impossible. So they finally joined but they would join under a different name so if you can't whip them why join up with them and.

That's what has evolved down to our observance of Christmas and of Easter and some of the others now. In 17, he takes our mind back over everything that he's been talking about. And he says all of these things are a shadow of things to come.

Talking about the law primarily. And how he has quickened us and. That people are not to judge us because we do what we believe to be the very best. I know how to do. Do nothing because somebody else does.

You young people listen to me as you go through school, especially. Do not do what the others do simply because they are doing it and you want to be popular. Anything you do you do because you're convicted of the Holy Spirit that that's what you're supposed to do.

Now you may do exactly what they do. But you'll be doing it for your own reason. In verse 17, he says. Which meaning all of these things are a shadow of things to come. But the body is of Christ the church.

Christ the Real Substance Versus the Shadow of the Law

Now let me ask you another question. Would you rather? Have a picture of a loved one. Or would you rather? Have the real thing real thing. Redundant question. The church of today and I'm not talking about this one.

I'm talking about the modern church of today. Needs to get off the merry-go-round of attending seminars. Having little quote Bible studies and conferences adapting gimmicks. Taking shortcuts to the abundant life.

Plain follow the leader. They need to stop carrying around a faded photograph. We have the real thing Christ in you the hope of glory. That's the real thing. His work does not depend upon gimmicks and programs and so forth.

Baptists are notarious notorious for having New program every year because the old one didn't work. They have to come out with a new one they have. I can say they now they have a Building in Nashville, Tennessee, that's many many stories high.

Just full of people. Writing all these programs they have a sister-in-law that worked in the back to Southern Baptist Center in downtown, Dallas. And I've never been there. I really don't want to go but evidently from several reports I've heard most of our money goes to furnish.

Their money excuse me goes to furnish all of that sick carpets Banquet seeds and so forth. That's not Christianity. That's not God's Church now. Let no man beguile you. There's a good word beguile. We don't use it much anymore in old.

But somebody turn that stove down. Please Beguile. It's Jesse here. Yeah, what's beguile mean? It's a trick. That's right. Don't let somebody trick you. Now let no man trick you of your reward in a voluntary humility.

Now they will use a voluntary humility to trick you. They will act very pious very knowledgeable and Dressed in a new suit. Lots of diamond rings and Worst of all a full head of gray hair and they'll try and are successful at leading People astray.

Cultism it appeals to the flesh gives you something you can do makes you feel good. Our salvation is not an emotional Thing it's a fact an absolute fact. It should bring emotion and probably does. But don't let or stop letting again people trick you.

If you send your money to some organization that you have been following on TV or listening to or heard about and You do it unto the Lord. Your responsibility does not end in giving your money. You better inspect where it goes and how it's used because he holds you responsible for that also.

So if you expect anything in this world, you better inspect it to make sure. So let no one trick you through this voluntary humility and worshiping of angels. They try to get you to do that. Intruding into those things which he has not seen.

Vainly puffed up by his fleshly carnal sinful mind. Don't do that. The only way that you will be sure is to study the word for yourself. Verse 19 and. Not the same people false teachers. We're talking about.

And these false teachers are not holding the head. From which all of the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and knit together. Increases with the increase of God. Holding the head the head is who?

Christ. By not holding the head Greg. What's that mean? What's your Bible? So last week? Was it last week or a week before? Last time Greg was here. I asked him to read a scripture and he did and I said I don't like that.

I found out later. It's the Bible. I recommended that he get. I Would rather not have found that out. He was reading from the New King James. Which it's fine, I think. No, it is it's just that I had read so much using a different word that I'm too quick.

I'm too quick to judge everybody. Holding the head not Acknowledging that Christ is the head of the church. You know of any quote religious organization on the face of the earth that Does not hold Christ as the head here on earth.

Catholics they have the Pope is infallible. He is God on earth and you must do whatever he says. You're Right only I said a little stronger any organization Churches included that does not hold Christ as the head is a church of Satan.

Because there's only two. There's nothing in between. Not holding the head from which the body by joints and bands. Now, there's a strange thing connected with a body. We think we know what joints mean.

But Debbie what does bands mean. Did all of you hear her? You could hear that clear to the back. Ligaments, that's what holds things together. Having nourishment minister to them. They don't produce it themselves.

It comes from someplace else and knit together glued together. The root word for knit gives us our word glue. Increases with the increase of man of God. There is no growth spiritual growth in Christ. That originates any place except in God.

You Cannot come to this class every Sunday morning and grow just by listening to what I say. It's the Holy Spirit that does the increase not me. I May mouth the words and may have studied and put together lots of thoughts.

But if you've learned anything, it hasn't been from Otis Fisher. It's been from the Holy Spirit. I hope you know that. Don't ever go anyplace and quote me. Don't go out and say Otis Fisher says. Because just as soon as you mention my name, they won't hear another word you say.

If you want to repeat what I've said do it but do it as though it belonged to you. Because I would not want you to repeat it unless you believed it. And if you believe it, it's yours. 20. Wherefore. And it should be sense ye be dead.

With Christ from the rudiments the order of this world. Christ's death was the death of our sin nature and our sins. His resurrection was the new life in us. Is the new life in us? Wherefore since you were dead or you are dead in Christ.

You remember Paul says in Christ I can do all things. But it's not to me. It's Christ that's doing it. See we're still dead. We can do nothing. It's Christ that works in us to do that which pleases the Heavenly Father rudiments of this world.

Why as though living in the world. Do you still why do you still try to follow the ordinances of the world? If you're dead in Christ, why are you fighting to stay like the world? You know, we do it unconsciously or unconsciously we do it touch not taste not handle not.

Which all are to perish. The world gives you laws says don't touch this don't taste that don't eat this you got to do this. You must do that. It says. All Of these are going to perish. All of this has to do with the body and will perish just as the body does.

With the using after the commandments of the doctrines of men. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship. There's a good term brother David explained to all of us. Not too deep theology now, but just on the surface what does will worship me?

What does it profit? Trip to the hospital a show of wisdom in will worship. It may seem so religious. Did you ever walk into a big Catholic Cathedral? Anybody ever do that? Did you have an awesome feeling of you wanted to whisper?

Well, you know, you don't think you ought to shout in there, but that's our old flesh. Still running some things.