Tonight's message is called Completely
Forgiven. Tonight we'll look at some verses
in the book of Colossians chapter 2 which I believe will warm the
heart and soul of God's people. It is a most precious truth to
know that all our sins are forgiven by the precious blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. And this can only be said of
the born-again blood-washed believer in Christ. Paul, in the book
of Colossians, is combating the error of Gnosticism, which has
sprung up in his church and in others, and he combats this error
by bringing forth the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. In
verse 10 of chapter 2, he writes this wonderful sentence by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God. He pens to the believers that
Colossus, and ye are complete in him being Christ, which is
the head of all principality and power. The love of God, what
a wonderful truth is brought forth here before us. The believer
in Christ is complete in Him. In the Greek it means to fill
a vessel to full capacity, to supply abundantly, and to fill
it to capacity that nothing can be added, nothing at all. Let's
read the verse again in Colossians chapter 2 verse 10. And ye are
complete in Him. which is the head of all principality
and power. Although we are still sinners
while on this earth, and those who Paul wrote to were still
sinners while they were on this earth, anyone else who says otherwise
is just lying. This scripture declares that
the believer in Christ is perfect in Christ. Now, again, we're
sinners. We're saved sinners, we who are
God's people, but our standing before God is perfect in Christ.
Think upon this, he is perfect and our being in him makes us
perfect, even though we're still sinners here on this earth. This is not speaking of what
we shall be, but of what we are right now in Christ. God sees
us in Christ. He sees us in him. Paul's writing
this to those believers who are at Kloss and he writes them this
comforting words. Ye are complete in him, not in
ourselves. No, in ourselves, we are so incomplete,
aren't we? But in Christ we're complete,
because He was the perfect substitute. He died on Calvary's cross in
our room and place. And oh, how men need to hear
this and comprehend this. Oh, may God the Holy Spirit show
a needy sinner their desperate need of Christ and then give
them the balm of Gilead, showing them that all their sins are
forgiven and that they are complete in Christ. And we who believe,
oh, we need to hear this, don't we? And may God the Holy Spirit
illuminate this scripture for us and teach us the truth of
this, that we're complete in Christ, the one who has all power,
which is the head of all principality and power, it says. We're complete
in Him, in the one who has all principality and power. My! In Him there's no charge, no
obligation, no duty or service that can be demanded of us for
the redemption of our eternal souls. There's nothing you or
I can do. Nothing you and I can do to merit
salvation. But in Christ, we're complete. Everything that God has demanded
for the salvation of our souls, beloved, is completed. That's
the marvelous words when Christ cried, it is finished. The work
of salvation for our eternal souls was finished. Scripture
declares that He obtained eternal redemption for us. And there's
not anything we can do or say for our redemption. Because the
scripture here declares, and God's people reject that there's
anything we can say or do, right? For our redemption. There's nothing
we can say or do to make us acceptable before God and ourselves. But
the scripture boldly here declares, and wonderfully here declares,
that the believer is complete in Christ. Beloved, redemption
is only in Christ and Him alone. He alone is our righteousness.
He alone clothes us in the perfect spotless righteousness, His own.
Look at verses 20 to 22. heaven made peace through the
blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself
by him i say whether they be things in earth or things in
heaven and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled he's writing
to those who have been reconciled to christ in the body of his
flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and
unreprovable in his sight. So think of these poor religious
people who are put under bondage by men of corrupt minds and are
told what to do and what not to do and where to go and where
not to go. They never have a minute's peace
because they're always wondering if they've done enough. I was
in that situation in religion. When was it enough? When would
it be enough, things that I've done? But oh, praise God. Praise
God. He showed me that I'm complete
in Christ. I was born again in the Holy Spirit of God and I
quit doing. I quit doing and now I rest in Christ alone. because
we are only complete in him. Is it so for you? Oh, I pray
God will make it so. If you're laboring under religion,
if you're laboring to make yourself better before God, if you're
working under that yoke of bondage. Oh, I pray God would set you
free in Christ that you'd be saved out of religion and that
you'd see your desperate need for Christ and him alone and
see that the believers only complete in him and him alone. Look at
verse 11, in Christ we have the seal of the covenant upon our
hearts. It says in whom also you are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the
sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. Now circumcision was
instituted by God. It was a token of the covenant,
the promise of God's blessings. It was a sign by which Israel
was distinguished from other nations. It's a picture of spiritual
regeneration by the Holy Spirit of God, which is the true circumcision
of the heart, which is the putting off of the body and power of
sin. Circumcision was necessary to Eton of the Passover. And
think of our Lord's words in light of this, ye must be born
again. A child was also named at circumcision. Beloved circumcision of the heart
gives us a new name, sons of God. All of this we have in Christ,
therefore it's not necessary to circumcise the flesh. Now
look at verse 12. And we see that the believer,
the believer in Christ has risen from the dead. It says buried
with him in baptism, wherein also you have risen with him
through the faith of the operation of God, which hath raised him
from the dead. Marvel at this truth set here
before us, beloved. We are not only circumcised in
Christ in the heart, in the spiritual sense, having the token, evidence,
and power of the covenant of grace, but all our sins are buried
with Christ, of which our baptism in water is just a representation. Christ died for our sins and
was buried. When He rose, all our sins were
left behind, beloved, and we rose with Him. All the elect
of all the ages rose with Him. And it is through faith that
we see ourselves crucified and buried and risen with Christ.
Now, it is not just any faith, but we see here it's that which
is of God's operation, which is a gift from God. And in true
saving faith is a gift from God. People, you ever hear people
say, I got my faith or my faith saw me through. Well, faith in
what? The object of faith must be declared. And if that faith
is not exclusively in Christ, It's a false faith. If there
is any faith, if your faith is Christ and you, it's a false
faith. That's a false faith. No, it's
Christ who got me through those things. It's the Lord who took
me through those things. My faith has one object, and
that's Christ, and Christ alone. True saving faith has one object,
Christ, Jesus, our Lord. We don't look at ourselves, we
look at Christ. We don't put faith in our faith,
we put faith in Christ, in Him alone. So marvel at the next
blessed benefit we have Christ Jesus. Look at this in verse
13. The scriptures clearly declare
that in Christ those who are complete in Christ are forgiven
of all their sins. All of them. Colossians 2 13.
And you being dead in your sins. That was our natural state. in
the uncircumcision of your flesh. Well, we were dead in trespasses
and sins. Look at this. Hath he quickened together? That
means you're born again by the Holy Spirit of God with him.
Heaven forgiven you what? Some trespasses? Just the past
ones? Just the current ones? no beloved
marvel at this heaven forgiving you all trespasses all of them
there are not one left behind beloved there's not one that's
not paid for hallelujah what a savior is the lord jesus christ
and god raised christ from the dead and god must raise us from
the from the dead oh it says there the uncircumcision of your
flesh. That's where we were dead in
sins, in the uncircumcision of our flesh. We had a dead nature,
beloved. We were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians chapter 2
verses 1 to 8 brings that forth so clearly. In forgiveness of
sins, notice it's not done by piecemeal. It's not while you're
forgiven of some sins, but not others. No, it says here it's
done all at once. And it includes A-L-L, all sin,
past, present, and hallelujah, all our future sins. Look at
that. Listen to what 1 John 1, 7 says. It says, but if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.
In the blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from A-L-L,
all sin. There it is again. All sin, beloved. All sin and all trespasses. When
we savingly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, when we're granted
faith to believe on Him, we are at that moment united to Christ.
All that Christ did, suffered, or cured is our head, whether
in life, death, burial, resurrection, or exaltation, is imputed to
us by God. Even all these benefits we're
looking at currently, they've all been given to us. They've
all been given to us. as if we had been personally
present with Christ at those times and had done all them ourselves
but we didn't the great substitute did them and listen to these
marvelous words blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus
Christ who had blessed us with all spiritual blessings again
all all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ that's
your justification that's your That's your sanctification, that's
your forgiveness of all your sins. Oh my goodness, beloved,
it just goes on and on and on. All spiritual blessings, where?
In heavenly places, in Christ. Now there, right there is the
key, in Christ. We are what? Complete in Him,
in Christ. Then Ephesians 2.6 says, and
hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. Again, in Christ Jesus. The question
are, are you in Christ? You can't put yourself there.
No, but I'll tell you what, if God shows you you're a sinner,
and if he regenerates you by the power of the Holy Spirit
of God, then you're say, like we who are believers, oh, hallelujah,
we're in Christ. And then look at verse 14. Look
at this, look at this blessed benefit here before us. Bought
forth before the believer in Christ, Jesus our Lord. Look
at this, blessed benefit. Blotting out. That means whitewashing,
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. Now, when we think of these words
here, when we look at these words, blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, that was contrary to us,
think of this. Think of that handwriting on
the wall against Belshazzar, which proclaimed, thou art weighed
in the balances and found won. Well, that's us too, in our natural
state. Weighed in the balances and found
wanting. And this hand writing against
us, spoken of in verse 14, is the whole ceremonial law of Moses,
with his ordinances, commandments, and laws, plus the moral law.
And there are not one person on this earth, not one son or
daughter, Adam, that could ever, ever fulfill that. Every human
being on the top side of the earth is weighed and found wanting.
This is our natural state when we're born and dead in trespasses
and sins, weighed and found wanting. Listen to these verses, Romans
chapter three, verses 19 and 20. Now we know that what things,
so ever the law sayeth, sayeth to them who are under the law.
Well, who's under the law? Every human being, every human
being. become born into this world under
the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world
may become guilty before God. That's the state of man. That's
a natural state of man, whether you believe it or not. If you're
not saved and whether you believe it or not, you are guilty before
God and it don't matter if you don't believe it. It's the truth.
That's what the scripture declares. And then it says this. So some
people try to justify themselves by the deeds of the law in Romans
3 20. Listen to these words. Therefore,
by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight, for by the law is an all to sin. See, the law shows
us that we're sinners. The law slays us, beloved. Now,
there's only one person who completely fulfilled the law, and that was
the seed of the woman. That's the Lord Jesus Christ,
God incarnate in the flesh. Oh, he is perfect, sinless, spotless. And he was a substitute of his
people. He fulfilled the law perfectly
for his people. He died on Calvary's cross as
a perfect substitute for his people. So he was a perfect substitute
in his life, and he was a perfect substitute in his death. And
every son and daughter of Adam are sinners. Look at Romans 3,
verse 23 says, it says, for all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God. Well, that ties right in with
Romans 3, 19, which says with the law, It said to them who
are under the law, that's every son and daughter of Adam, that
every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty
before God. So all have sinned, it says in
Romans 3.23, and come short of the glory of God. Beloved God,
none but Christ could put away this handwriting that was against
us. None but Christ was able to satisfy what that law required. Listen to the words of Hebrews
10, verse nine. Then said he, lo, I come to do
thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that
he may establish the second. This weekend, we're gonna be
looking at how Christ is the submissive servant, how he came
to do the will of the Father. So marvel at this fact, that
for the believer, Christ established our righteousness. It took his
perfect life and his sacrificial death to do this. And that's
why Paul penned, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, that
you are complete in Christ. That's wonderful news. That's
wonderful news to the believer in Christ. His was not only a
perfect life, but a sacrificial death to satisfy the law. Therefore,
the believer is complete in Christ and will not be found wanting
at the judgment day because God, God has already poured out his
wrath upon Christ as the substitute of his people. Look at the great
victory that Christ has won in verse 15 of Colossians 2.15.
In having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them in it. When a Roman emperor
won a victory and conquered his foes, he rode through the streets
in an open chariot. The captive kings and warriors,
stripped of their armor and hands tied behind their backs and chains,
went before him and were exposed to public shame and disgrace.
And the emperor would come through with a laurel on his head and
riding in a golden chariot. And the people would just rejoice
over the great victory that he won. Well, we see, look at the
great victory of Christ in verse 15. And heaven spoiled principalities
and powers. He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over the millions. Oh my, Christ has disarmed all
the principalities and powers which were against us. Not only
has he blotted out that handwriting of ordinances that was against
us that said, you're weighed in the balances and found one.
Not only has he whitewashed that and blotted that out, but he's
disarmed all our enemies, beloved. All those powers that were against
us. So let Paul's words in Romans 8.33 then warm the souls of we
who believe when Paul wrote this, who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? If Christ conquered all our enemies,
if he blotted out those ordinances against us that said we're weighed
in the balances and found wanton, and then again he conquered our
enemies, who then shall lay any charge to God's elect? It's God
that justify it. We are justified by God before
God. Let that sink in. God himself
has justified us because the Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnated
in the flesh and he justified us before the father. And then
look what Romans 8 34 says. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died. He died in our place. Yea rather
that is risen again. who is even at the right hand
of the Father, who will also make an intercession for us.
Christ died for us in our place, and then he's risen again for
our justification. And right now, the scripture
declares here, Romans 8.34, that he's at the right hand of God,
making an intercession for us. So who shall lay any Anything
to the charge of God's elect. Let man rail. Let man rail all
they want. It's God who justifies we who
are believers. Who is he that condemns? Well,
people can find a lot to condemn us for, couldn't they? But scripture
here declares that God's people, they're justified by God. Christ
died for us. He rose from the grave for us.
And right now he intercedes for us. Who is he then that condemns?
Christ in Christ alone has defeated Satan, sin, hell, and death,
and He has made a bold display and public example of them in
His cross. Wonder of wonders, beloved of
God, we are complete in Christ. It is He who truly has set the
captive free. We were the ones who were captive
to our sin. But rejoice, beloved of God,
we are no longer in bondage to the law. We're no longer in bondage
to ceremonies. We're no longer under the curse
of the law because Christ has redeemed us from the curse of
the law. And look at, as a result of this
blessed fact that we are complete in Christ, look at verse 16 now
of Colossians chapter two. Let no man therefore judge you
in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of a new moon
or of the Sabbath days. Paul's saying here, let no man
sit in judgment of you on matters of food and drink or with regards
to ceremonies or feast days or Sabbaths. Listen to what Paul
writes to Timothy. He writes this in 1 Timothy 4,
1-8, Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits and doctrines of devils. Well, that's works-based salvation,
isn't it? Speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their conscience seared
with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain
from meats. Oh, look at that. Can't marry? You can't eat certain meats,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of
them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of
God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it be received
with thanksgiving. So be thankful for all that you
have, for it is sanctified by the word of God in prayer. If
thou put the brother in remembrance of these things, thou shall be
a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of
faith and of good doctrine. whereunto thou hast attained,
but refused profane and old wise fables, and exercised thyself
rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth
little, but godliness is profitable unto all, having promise of the
life that now is, and of that which is to come. Now Pharisees
demand that we be just like them, don't they? And modern day Pharisees
do the same thing. They're going about to establish
their own righteousness. That's what the Pharisees of
old did. They were going about to establish their own righteousness
and then nothing's changed. There's still people who go about
trying to establish their own righteousness. They have a list
of do's and don'ts, don't they? Oh, there's nothing new under
the sun, beloved. Religious men and women have not changed in
over 2,000 years. Listen to this wonderful, wonderful
verse in Galatians chapter 5 and Paul's writing to the Galatian
church and he's combating the Judaizers who are saying you
must be circumcised to be saved. And listen to what Paul writes,
these wonderful words, Galatians chapter 5 verse 1. Stand fast. That means to stand right where
you are. Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty, the freedom wherewith
Christ hath made us free. And be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. Don't be put back under that
bondage of do's and don'ts. We are free in Christ, beloved.
Now, the love of Christ constrains us from sin. We don't go out
and go crazy. We don't want to do that because
our love for Christ constrains us. The Holy Spirit restrains
us too. Imagine where we'd be even as
believers if the Holy Spirit didn't restrain us. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness, because we're
but safe sinners, aren't we? Praise God for the restraining
grace of God. In Paul, look at verse 17, Paul
brings forth in verse 17 that the Old Testament ceremonies,
circumcision and feast days and sacrifices were but shadows or
symbols of Christ and his redemptive work. Look at verse 17, which
are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Oh,
they were in effect only until he came. He is the truth. The
body and the substance of all these, to continue in those sacrifices
is to say that Christ the fulfillment has not come. Listen to Hebrews
chapter 10. verses 1 to 7, for the law, having
a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the
things, can never with these sacrifices which are offered
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered, because
that the worshippers, once purged, should have no more conscience
of sins, but in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again
made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when
he cometh into the world, that's Christ, he saith, sacrifice an
offering, thou willest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.
In burnt offerings and sacrifice for sin, thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, lo, I come, and
the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will,
O God. So all those Old Testament sacrifices
were but shadows and pictures of the true Lamb of God who would
come into this world and save his people from their sins. by
the sacrifice of himself, by the shedding of his own precious
blood. And then verse 18 brings forth that we are not to let
people beguile us of Christ, who is the believer's reward.
Look at Colossians 2, verse 18. Let no man beguile you of your
reward in voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding
into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshy mind. Our reward, our prize is to win
Christ's beloved and be found in him, to know him and the power
of his resurrected life. Paul wrote of this in Philippians
chapter three, verses eight to 14. He says, yea, doubtless,
and I count all things, but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things and do count them, but dumb that I may win Christ
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness. There,
complete in Christ, which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of
God by faith. Look at that. See, the righteousness
of God is revealed in the gospel, and that being Christ. He is
the righteousness of God. He's the Lord, our righteousness,
beloved. And Paul continues that I may know him and the power
of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made
conformable unto his death. If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after it,
that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of
Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself
to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which
are before. I press toward the mark for the
prize, the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Beloved of God,
don't let anyone turn you away from Christ. Don't let anyone
turn you away from him by insisting on false humility or self-abasement
or worshiping of angels and dead saints, teaching what's not in
God's word, but only what's in their imaginations, what's they
cooked up. All false, unscriptural philosophies
are products of the flesh, beloved. And you know what they do? They
all lead away from Christ. And they're usually, the men
and women who are promoting those things are vainly puffed up.
I'll tell you this, you find a whisperer and a backbiter,
and you find a vainly puffed up man or woman, no matter what
they say, no matter what they profess. If they're a whisperer
and a backbiter, you found a vainly puffed up man. Now look at verse
19, it says, not wholly in the head, from which all the body,
by joints and bonds, having nourishment, ministered and knit together,
increases with the mercy of God. These false teachers and backbiters,
whisperers, they bring reproach upon Christ, who is only head
of the church. They make angels, or the Virgin,
or other saints to be employed with him as mediators with the
Father. The scripture plainly declares there's only one mediator
between God and man, and that's the man Christ Jesus. Therefore,
all those other mediators are false. Scripture declares this,
for there is one God, one, one true and living God, and listen
to this, and one mediator between God and man, one high priest,
beloved, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, I remember
someone showing me this verse when I was in Catholicism, and
this shook the foundation of the refuge of lies that I had,
because he said, why do you go to a man as a mediator between
God and you? Well, there's only one man. that's
the man christ jesus in this these two verses here first timothy
chapter two verses five and six that refuge of lies i was trusting
in in catholicism oh it just started crumbling it just started
crumbling listen to this first timothy chapter two verses five
and six for there is one god there's one true and living god
and one mediator between God and man. There's only one. And
the scripture goes on to say, the man, Christ Jesus, he is
the only mediator. He's the only one we go to. He's
the only one we pray to, who gave himself a ransom for all.
He gave himself a ransom for all his people to be testified
in due time. And we testify of him. We testify
of the wonderful works that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for
us. Oh, beloved God, Christ is the
only head. He's the Lord, the King, and
the life giver. And the whole body of Christ is knit together
in Him. We are complete in Him. And we
receive our life, our nourishment, our growth, and our grace only
from Him. The more we draw from Christ,
and the more we grow and increase spiritually, the more we'll realize
how much mercy God has had upon us. And we'll love the brethren,
and we'll be knit together in love and unity with them. Now
think of this, pharisees divide, pharisees divide. All the pharisees
will get in there and I don't care if it's modern religious
pharisees, they'll get in there and they'll say this is wrong
and that's wrong and they'll find all kinds of fault. But
lovers of Christ are united, beloved. They are united together
in Christ. Let's read verse 20 now. Colossians
2 verse 20, it says, Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from
the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world,
are ye subject to ordinances? If we died with Christ by virtue
of our union with Christ, if we were buried and rose with
him, and in Him have justification, pardon, redemption, and sanctification.
If in Christ all the ordinances, ceremonies, and types were fulfilled,
and we are free from one of those requirements, if in Christ we
are redeemed from the curse and condemnation of the law, why
would we want to return to those types and shadows? Why would
we want to go back to the law? Paul wrote this in Galatians
chapter 4 verse 21, Tell me, ye that desire to be under the
law, do ye not hear the law? And then in Galatians 3.10, he
said, For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse. For it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth,
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. You want to be under the law, then you're under the curse
of the law. You have to fulfill that law every jot and tizzle.
And I'll tell you what, there's not one human being who can do
that. There's only one. There's only one, the God-man,
who did that as a substitute of his people. And now look at
verses 21 and 22. It says, touch not, taste not,
handle not, which are all to perish with the using after the
commandments and doctrines of man. Touch not, taste not, handle
not. This includes meats, unclean
things, and other forbidden things by religious rules. These things
are of service and reference only to the body, we see that,
which are to perish with the using, it says in verse 23. They
can be of no value to the soul. They are perishing materials
and cease to be when they are not used. The using of them cannot
defile and cannot sanctify or commend us to God. Look what
it says again. Touch not, taste not, handle
not, which are all to perish with the using. All these religious
Pharisees, all these touch not, taste not, handle not, which
are all to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrine
of men. See these Pharisees, they like to have all kinds of
rules. They like to tell you how to live your life. I'm free
in Christ. I'm to stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made me free. I said to my wife this
morning while we were having breakfast, I said, we're so free
in Christ. Praise God we're so free in Christ.
So submission to these ordinances by a believer is not commanded
by God, but by false teachers. We are to obey God's law, but
not man's law. Oh, and different things are
a man's own business. First Peter 4.15, Let none of
you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer,
or as a busybody in other man's matters." Now let's close with
verse 23 of this portion of scripture. It says in Colossians chapter
2 verse 23, which things have indeed a show of wisdom and will
worship and humility in neglecting the body. not in any honor to
the satisfying of the flesh. All these religious rules, ceremonies,
and fleshy practices give an outward appearance of devotion,
humility, and consecration. See, a man, a pharisaical man,
they can fool most people. They have this outward appearance
of devotion, and humility, and consecration. Oh, you look at
them, and you think, oh my, yeah, look at them guys. They're so
dedicated. And all error has something to
say in its defense. Men like to serve God with their
own inventions. They like to appear to be pious
and humble. So they promote self-imposed
laws. You have to do this. Oh, this
person is not doing that. In discipline, they promote self-imposed
laws and discipline and punishment to the body. But these are of
no value in checking the flesh or sanctifying the heart. They're
still sinners. They're still sinners. They put
on this show. and they have this outward appearance of devotion
and humility. See, they clean the outside of
the platter, but inside, oh, the raven wolf's beloved. And
they do not honor God. They only indulge the flesh and
its false concepts of righteousness. Listen to this in Romans chapter
10, verses 1 to 4. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear
the record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. They have a zeal of God, but it's not to knowledge.
They don't know the true and living God. Look what it says
in Romans 10, verse three, for they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, who's God's righteousness? Well, that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
Going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. They've not submitted
themselves to Christ, beloved, because remember the gospel and
the gospel therein is the righteousness of God revealed. And that's the
Lord Jesus Christ, the one who fulfilled the law in the place
of his people, the one in whom God's people are complete in.
And then look at Romans chapter 10, verse four. for Christ as
the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Here's
the question. Do you believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ? Do you believe on the complete, finished, sinatonian
work of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He alone, that He alone
established the righteousness that would make sinners like
you and I fit to be in the presence of God? Are you trusting in Him
alone for your eternal soul? Oh, I pray God will make it so
if you're not. I prayed, make it so. And in marveling in this,
you who are the born again, bloodwashed people of God, Christ Jesus,
our Lord has purchased us with his own precious blood. And Christ
is our law. And we are complete in him. Complete. If we truly know him,
love is our rule. And let we who are the purchased
people rejoice in the truths that we've looked at tonight.
And let us rejoice in this blessed, blessed fact. that we are complete
in Christ. Amen and amen.