In Colossians 2:13-15 Paul wrote to the saint at Colosse about the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, how Jesus spoiled principalities and power and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it, and the new position of the saints and believers in Christ Jesus.
What does it mean being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh?
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:13-15)
Before your repentance and regeneration in Christ, your spirit was dead. You lived from a fallen position under the authority of death. In your carnal and uncircumcised state, you were (spiritually) dead to God. You didn’t belong to God and lived separated from Him.
Your carnal mind was enmity against God. Your trespasses that originated from your sinful nature of the flesh (your evil nature, depraved nature) separated you from God. Because as long as you remain uncircumcised, the sinful nature of the flesh reigns in your life.
As long as the flesh reigns in your life, you shall be led by the will, lusts and desires of your flesh and persevere in sin and unrighteousness.
What does it mean that He has quickened you together with Christ?
Being quickened together with Christ means that you were dead in trespasses and sins, but through faith and regeneration in Christ, God has raised you from the dead and made you alive with Christ.
By faith in Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him, you are circumcised in the circumcision of Christ. The circumcision in Christ means, you put away the sinful flesh through baptism and rose from the dead in Him. Your flesh died in Christ and your spirit (which was dead) is quickened with Him. Because of this, the power of sin and death is broken over your life.
And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus
Ephesians 2:1-7
All your trespasses have been forgiven
All your trespasses; all your sins and iniquities have been forgiven and done away. The handwriting of ordinances that was against you, which was contrary to you, was blotted out. Jesus took it out of the way and nailed it to His cross.
You are no longer a trespasser of the law aka a sinner. But you have been made righteous in Christ by His blood. Through the new birth in Christ, you have received God’s nature and you shall fulfill in Him the law. (Romans 3:31).
Jesus executed the judgment of this world and cast out the prince of this world
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me (John 12:31-32)
When you were united with Christ and became one with Him through the cross, you were acquitted from all your trespasses and the punishment for your trespasses.
Jesus Christ took all your trespasses upon Himself at the cross.
Christ carried the punishment you deserved because of your trespasses at the cross.
Because of His great love, Jesus Christ also carried the capital punishment for your trespasses and entered Hades (hell) for you. So that you wouldn’t see the death and enter hell.
The devil thought he was victorious and that the Son of God was in his power. But it was all in God’s plan.
Christ had to come under the devil’s power; his rulership, since fallen man was under the rulership of the devil. How could Jesus become otherwise the Substitute for fallen man and carry man’s disobedience, sin, and iniquity and pay the price? (Read also: The head of the devil bruised because the heel of Jesus was bruised).
By carrying the sin and iniquity of mankind in His flesh at the cross, Jesus carried all the trespasses of fallen man. The people that would believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of mankind and make Him Lord of their lives, and accept His sacrifice, would be cleansed by His blood from all their trespasses and be delivered from the power of sin and death.
What does it mean, Jesus Christ has spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it?
By His blood and His redemptive work, Jesus Christ has spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it. Jesus had total victory over the devil, sin and death and the whole army of the kingdom of darkness.
Jesus legally took back the authority which God had originally given to man, but was stolen by the devil. He rose from the death with the keys of hell and death.
Although Jesus has spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it and has the keys of hell and death, the devil and the principalities and powers of the kingdom of darkness are not cast in the eternal lake of fire yet.
This means that the devil is still the ruler of this world and the father of fallen man, and as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour
1 Peter 5:8
The adversary the devil still walks about as a roaring lion
The devil is still the adversary of God and all those who belong to Him and are born of Him. His fight is not over yet. The devil is still a liar and a thief. He still walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour.
The devil and his demons lie, tempt, steal, kill and destroy people (John 10:10 (Read also: The throne of satan).
The people, who are born again in Christ and have become a new creation, don’t belong to the devil anymore.
They’re delivered from the power of the devil and healed from their fallen position and reconciled with God.
They are seated in Christ in the heavenly places. They reign with Christ over all principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. (a.o. Matthew 12:29, Luke 11:22, Ephesians 1:20; 6:12).
The devil has no power (authority) over them and can’t accuse them anymore. That’s because of the crucifixion of their flesh, whereby they’re redeemed from the power (authority) of the kingdom of darkness, sin and death.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do
John 14:30-31
The devil can’t accuse you anymore
The devil can bring back sins from your former life into your remembrance and accuse you with these sins. However, if you know who you are in Christ and know and believe the Word of God that all your sins have been forgiven and done away, the devil will not succeed. Because you will put him to silence with the truth of the Word.
If you renew your mind with the Word of God and put off the old man and put on the new man and stay in Christ and walk after the Word and the Spirit, the devil shall not be able to accuse you. If you live according to the will of God, there’s nothing he can accuse you of.
Ofcourse the devil will do everything in his power to stop you from preaching the gospel of Christ and bring the Kingdom of God to the people and win souls. The devil will do everything he can to win you back for himself and his kingdom and bring you under the authority of death again.
He shall accuse you and tempt you to sin through his lies, temptations, and obstacles in the flesh, and try to make you a slave of sin again.
But as long as you fear and love God with all your heart and be faithful to God and stay in Christ; the Word and obey His words and keep His commandments, the devil shall not be able to touch you and accomplish his mission.
Jesus spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed over them
Jesus has spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed over them. Therefore, the devil and all the principalities and powers of darkness have no power (authority) over you. Unless, you give them power (authority) by submitting yourself to them again by listening to them and disobeying God and doing what they want you to do and persevere in sin.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
