Thoughts on the readings for May 15th (Deuteronomy 32, Isaiah 5,Colossians 2)

Colossians 2 together with Romans 6 provides the most complete description of what baptism is and what it achieves. Verses 1-5 tell us that in Christ we find a complete embodiment of the wisdom of God in a single individual. So we, the body of believers need to model and pattern ourselves on the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 9-10 tell us that all can know about the Almighty is to be found in Christ. Verses 11-15 describe what baptism is – it is like circumcision in that it tells us that “in the flesh” – that is within our nature (dwells nothing innately good). There is nothing in human nature that can do anything good for God. And so human nature is rightly related to death. In dying Christ destroyed a body identical to ours – in that every sin which has been done could have been done in Jesus’ body. The Jews and Romans were driven by the lusts of their natures to try to destroy our Lord Jesus Christ. But by not yielding to the passions which controlled his enemies our Lord victoriously triumphed in his sinless death. That death on the stake was a demonstration of the truth that human nature is rightfully related to death. Only when the lifeless body of our Lord hung on the stake was sin conquered in him and in his resurrection the process of salvation completed for him – and by establishing a basis for our forgiveness and thereby the way for our salvation. Therefore in crucifixion Jesus destroyed sin (called in Hebrews 2 “the devil”). So from verses 16-21 Paul tells the Colossians to focus on the pivotal and central teachings of the truth, and not to be distracted by side issues.