Daily devotion – In Christ I am complete!
Last night what a joy to see five groups of believers huddled together in prayer and seeking God on behalf of the Church here in Secret Harbour. This is the power of the Church – prayer and we know our Heavenly Father answers our prayers.
Christ is all I need – no religious rites and rituals, and He desires a relationship with us through the intimacy of prayer.
Paul in our study in Colossians explains all that we have in Christ.
Colossians 2:11–23
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.” – Colossians 2:11
In Colossians 2, Paul firmly warns the believers not to be deceived by false teachers—whether Gnostics with their mystical ideas or Judaizers who insisted that faith in Christ was not enough without also keeping the Old Testament law.
Paul boldly declares: “You are complete in Him” (v. 10). Jesus is enough. You don’t need to add religious rules, rituals, or regulations to be saved. If you’re in Christ, you lack nothing. You’re already accepted by God—not because of what you’ve done, but because of what Christ has done for you.
In verse 11, Paul speaks of a spiritual circumcision—not one done by hands, but by Christ, in our hearts. It means the cutting away of our old sinful nature. Like physical circumcision marked Israel as God’s people, this spiritual transformation marks us as God’s children. It’s not about outward signs, but inward surrender.
Baptism, Paul says, paints the same picture. It’s the burial of the old life and the beginning of the new. But again, the ritual itself isn’t the power—the power is in the faith in the risen Jesus (v. 12). You can be baptised yet still live in sin, and it would mean nothing. But if you’ve truly turned to Christ and trust Him, even without the outward act, your heart is changed.
Paul continues: “And you, being dead in your sins… He has made alive” (v. 13). What a beautiful truth! We were dead—spiritually lifeless. But God has made us alive in Christ. How? By forgiving all our sins. Not some. All.
He then tells us that Jesus blotted out the handwriting of ordinances (v. 14)—meaning all the written laws and requirements that condemned us have been nailed to the cross. They’re gone. We are no longer under law, but under grace. The law could show us our sin, but only Jesus could save us from it.
And more: Jesus didn’t just free us from the law. He triumphed over the powers of darkness at the cross (v. 15). Satan is defeated. The cross is not a symbol of defeat—it is a banner of victory.
So what does this mean for us?
Paul says plainly: Don’t let anyone judge you in food, drink, festivals, or Sabbaths (v. 16). These things were shadows—Christ is the substance. He is the real thing. Don’t be deceived by those who promote religious appearances but miss Jesus (v. 18). Don’t be drawn away by worship of angels, saints, or spiritual pride. Hold fast to Christ, the Head of the Church (v. 19).
If we’ve died with Christ (v. 20), we no longer need to live under human rules: “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle.” These man-made rules might look wise, but they cannot change the heart (v. 23).
Application:
Are you trusting in Jesus alone for your righteousness? Or are you subtly relying on your good works, your church attendance, your spiritual habits?
It is vital to remember:
Our righteousness is not earned. It is imputed by God because of faith (Romans 4:5).
Our obedience flows from love and trust—not to gain acceptance, but because we are already accepted.
If our actions do not match our faith, then our faith is not real (James 2:17). But if we truly trust Christ, our lives will reflect it—not by rule-keeping, but by Spirit-led living.
And finally, don’t let anyone rob you of your freedom in Christ. Don’t let anyone add to the gospel. Jesus + Nothing = Everything.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that I am complete in You. Thank You for blotting out my sins and defeating the enemy at the cross. Help me not to rely on rituals or rules, but to rest in Your finished work. Teach me to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Keep me from pride and boasting, except in You alone. In Your name I pray, Amen.
Memory Verse:
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” – Colossians 2:6