Monday: Costly Redemption; Lavish Forgiveness
Sin had been a dark, dominating force in the lives of Paul’s audience. Paul can describe them in their prior existence as the walking dead — “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1, NKJV) yet “walking” or living as Satan commanded them (Ephesians 2:1-3). Enslaved to sin and Satan, they had no ability to free themselves. They needed rescue. God has done so through His gracious actions in Christ, and Paul celebrates two new blessings of God’s grace in the lives of believers: redemption and forgiveness.
Read Ephesians 1:7-8. “Redemption” is an idea that is used frequently in the New Testament. Compare the uses of the idea in Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 2:13-14; and Hebrews 9:15. What themes do these passages share in common with Ephesians 1:7-8?
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
The Greek word translated “redemption” in Ephesians 1:7-8 is apolutrosis, originally used for buying a slave’s freedom or paying to free a captive. One can hear echoed the voice of the slave trader auctioning his merchandise and the cold grinding of a slave’s manacles. When the New Testament discusses redemption, it highlights the costliness of setting the slaves free.
Our freedom comes at an extreme cost: “In him [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood” (). The idea of redemption also celebrates God’s gracious generosity in paying the high price of our liberty. God gives us our freedom and dignity. We are no longer enslaved!
“To be redeemed is to be treated as a person, not an object. It is to become a citizen of heaven, rather than a slave of the earth.” — Alister E. McGrath, What Was God Doing on the Cross? (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992), p. 78.
Note carefully that the idea that God pays the price of redemption to Satan is a medieval, not a biblical, one. God neither owes nor pays Satan anything.
The benefits of Calvary also include “the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Ephesians 1:7-8). On the cross, Christ takes upon Himself the price of our sin, both past and future, “canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands” (). In doing this work of redemption and forgiveness through Christ, God is acting as our generous Father, with the “riches of his grace” being “lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7-8, ESV).
| What does it mean to you that through Christ’s atoning sacrifice you are forgiven and redeemed? What if you feel that you are unworthy of it? (Hint: you are unworthy; that’s the whole point of the cross.) |
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I think we get caught up with the mechanism of salvation, thinking there is some merit in being able to explain it in all its detail. We examine the detail of the sanctuary services, trying to extract the hidden meaning from the way the slaughter was carried out, or where the blood went. I don't have a problem with detail - I'm a mathematician at heart - but when we try explaining that detail to others to the extent that they get the idea that they have to understand it all before they can be saved, then it becomes salvation by works (Yes, understanding can become works!)
Back on the farm we used to shepherd the sheep into holding yards for various reasons, like shearing, medication for worms, and a few other things that I won't detail. One thing that I always looked forward to was the release of the sheep at the end of the procedure. They would move out of the yard, tentatively at first, and then with a rush. And with what appeared to be great joy they would leap and gambol around the paddock. Seeing a sheep jump nearly 6 feet into the air is stunning, but when you have 200 of them all doing it at once, it looks like the paddock is filled with great woolly grasshoppers. It is magnificent.
Now I know that sheep don't think like humans and have no human notion of freedom. But, I think they know they were penned and frightened and had horrible things done to them. Then somebody opened the gate. They don't know why or how, but that feeling of fear and compression has gone - they have space and they use that space by jumping into it with enthusiasm.
Parts of Ephesians reads like the opening of the gate for the sheep. Read the epistle with a shepherd's mind and find how often you can see sheep jumping with newfound freedom.
Then try and explain how the gate was opened.
Though we are unworthy,ultimate worthiness can only be found in Jesus Christ.You may be a chief of sinnners,but the opportunity is still there for you to become a redeemed sinner through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.Our debt of sin was so enormous that Jesus Christ had to offer himself as the price of redemption.He paid the infinite penalty of our sins.Jesus Christ is the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.Jesus Christ knew no sin,he had to become sin on our behalf so that our sins can be forgiven and for us to be counted amongst the redeemed.Because we were sold under sin(Romans 7:14),he had to pay the price for us to be redeemed.
You must acknowledge your need for Christ’s atoning sacrifice so that your sins are forgiven and also get redeemed.Confess your sins.Believe in Jesus Christ’s atoning work so that you find joy and freedom from guilt.
“Redemption” is an idea that is used frequently in the New Testament. Compare the uses of the idea in Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 2:13-14; and Hebrews 9:15. What themes do these passages share in common with Ephesians 1:7-8?
The passages referenced share themes of redemption being accomplished through Christ, involving the forgiveness of sins, necessitating Christ's sacrificial love, resulting in freedom from darkness, and leading to a promised inheritance.
What does it mean to you that through Christ’s atoning sacrifice you are forgiven and redeemed? What if you feel that you are unworthy of it?
The concept that through Christ's atoning sacrifice we are forgiven and redeemed means that Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins, setting us free from bondage and guilt. It is an act of grace, a gift that is given freely, not because of anything we have done to deserve it, but purely out of God's love.
Redemption means to buy back or to be set free by paying a price. In the context of the Christian faith, it refers to Christ paying the price (through His sacrificial death) to free us from the power and penalty of sin. This is what reconciles us to God, removing the barrier that sin creates between us and Him.
Forgiveness, in this context, means that God no longer holds our sins against us. The debt owed due to our sins is cleared because of Christ's sacrifice. It is a wiping clean of our spiritual record, and it restores our relationship with God.
If we feel unworthy of this forgiveness and redemption, we are not alone. It's common to struggle with feelings of unworthiness given the knowledge of our sins and shortcomings. But it's important to remember that this sense of unworthiness actually points us toward why grace is so essential and beautiful. Grace is, by definition, undeserved. We are all unworthy of God's grace—that's what makes it grace. It is a gift, not something we earn.
Feeling unworthy can also serve as a humble reminder not to take God's grace for granted, leading us to greater appreciation and love for God because of His mercy. The fact that God offers forgiveness and redemption despite our unworthiness shows the depth of His love and mercy. It's not about our worthiness; it's about His love. So when feelings of unworthiness come, it's an opportunity to remember the vastness of God's grace and to thank Him for His immeasurable love.
Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, we are forgiven and redeemed, regardless of our feelings of unworthiness. It's a testament to God's unconditional love and amazing grace.
Mary, I share your opinion about „feeling unworthy can also serve as a humble reminder not to take God‘s grace for granted, leaving us to greater appreciation and love for God because of His mercy.“
Also, knowing that we are redeemed gives a sense of solid value to our lives despite daily challenges and hardships. We no longer need to look for the fig leaves or other substitutes to cover our shame or to seek fake satisfaction and joy in this life. Our peace is guaranteed on condition we do not allow the foe to make us drift away from this reality.
So we need to be on the alert as the author of Hebrews writes in 5:13
„But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.“
In reality, we do not deserve God's gift of redemption. But luckily, we do not have access to it because of our choices but because of God's Grace. Jesus is the personification of God's Grace. And we all have access to Him, no matter where we feel we are. God's gift of redemption is all we need to recover abundant life!
I believe the Gospel of the Father shared by His Son Jesus Christ is to help mankind to know Truth vs. Error. The people in Ephesus knew a different truth, longstanding and approved by most everyone around them, but they did not know yet the Truth expressed and shared by Jesus Christ until Paul went to visit them and explained that they can understand this Truth through the Holy Spirit given to all who believe.
We cannot fault those who still do not know the Truth of the Covenant of Faith by which man is saved in this last dispensation. Then as it is now, Jesus Christ is its messenger, and God, through the Holy Spirit, imparts this Truth to anyone who can still hear His voice.
It appears to me that Paul’s writings regarding redemption seems to be heavily focused on the ‘sacrificial blood’ needing to be shed to atone for 'sin'; very common to the old religions of his time. But Jesus did not literally shed His blood - His side was pierced after He had already died, but He died on a tree, crucified.
God poured out His Spirit to introduce the believer to His new Covenant by Grace though faith, freely given to anyone who desires it and so remove 'sin' 'as far as the east is from the west’, no sacrifices, rituals, or other means of ‘atonement’ – it is the gift of God's Grace and Mercy received by faith, an unmerited favor from Him in whom all powers reside.
It might sound controversial, but I do not believe that the Father’s Grace was ‘purchased’ with the ‘blood’ of His Son like old pagan religions required of man by demanding to bring them their children or other sacrificial offerings in order to 'be in good standing'. God despised human sacrifice and gave Moses new ordinances to mitigate sin. Why would the Father require the blood of His Son at the time of the Dispensation of Grace by Faith?
I understand God’s Grace to be His unmerited favor - the greatest miracle expressing the power of God’s Love for mankind through His Son able to change the heart and mind of man. We are adopted into the heavenly family through His Son who completed the mission given to Him by the Father.
He came to teach His fellow man how to love the Father and one's fellow man, and providing signs and wonders for those 'hard of hearing' by healing the sick of their infirmities - all done to point to the Father, the Source of the ‘Good News’, to help mankind to know the real God which is deserving of our worship and praise.
Before believing, the hearer must accept that Jesus Christ is God’s Son through whom the worlds and all that is in them was made. The Father allowed His Son to implement the Plan of Salvation of mankind, honoring Him by seating Him on the Seat of Power next to Him. And ‘in the fullness of time’ the Father will bring all that is found in His Son Jesus Christ together in one which is in heaven and on earth.
I always thought that the purchase metaphor was more closely related to the idea of redemption of debt. If you were in slavery because of debt, your freedom can be purchased by someone paying off the debt. If we are sold into sin, then redemption is the purchase of our freedom from sin. I suspect that your idea above that our freedom is purchased from God is identifying the wrong debt owner.
Maurice – I appreciate your thoughts regarding redemption, though I do understand when you say: “I suspect that your idea above that our freedom is purchased from God is identifying the wrong debt owner.” I do not think that, and am not sure what gives you this impression. Would you please point out the part of my comment which caused you to think this?
To clarify, please allow me to pose some question to you – “Would you consider using a different term then ‘redemption’ to express God’s act of opening our eyes and ears through the Holy Spirit so man can be aware of his lost estate; a word not related to ‘purchase or debt’?” Can someone be ‘purchased’ if he was never owned by anyone else, or can anyone be in ‘debt’ if he does not have anything he calls is own, not even himself?"
The wording of “sold into sin’ implies that ‘sin’ is our new owner, but 'sin' is a spiritual aspect of life. God is still the 'owner' of man in his lost estate, we are His - period. But the adversary wants man to think that he is ‘his own’; therefore able to be 'bought or sold'. Through this thought-error he is drawn to become a ‘participant’ in Lucifer’s rebellion.
Maybe one could consider the living soul’s free will to be his own. As a metaphore - could you think of man, during this dispensation of Grace by Faith, going though ‘Escrow’ to find any ‘leans/sins’ which confuse/compromise the title's ownership? He is given the Holy Spirit to examine himself, to be vigilant when clearing the record/title of any encumbrance.
God’s Grace, His unmerited favor, affords His creation the ability to recognize their lost estate, their estrangement from the Father. He offers us to come home and live by faith the new life we have in/by His Son. Luke 15;
Yes fair enough. I should have quoted the bit I was referring to:
I was actually agreeing with your analysis.
Brigitte, the point is that the lesson did not say anything like
Thus your statement wasn't "controversial." Rather, it was stating an accepted truth.
Maurice was right on when he wrote,
He echoed the words of Paul when he referred to being "sold into sin." See Rom. 7:14-15 where Paul explains the metaphor when he says that he does things he does not want to do, because he is a slave to sin. A similar experience would be an addiction - say to alcohol. Being addicted to anything is effectively being enslaved by that thing or habit. And being a slave means being "owned." Just don't try to make metaphors "walk on all fours." Not all aspects of a metaphor have an exact equivalent in experience.
I believe we will spend eternity plumbing the depths of meaning and intention in God's plan of salvation. It may be best to leave some mysteries till then.
Perhaps we can visit some of the scenes with Christ as he was taken captive by an array of soldiers and thugs. He was beaten over and over again until his back muscles were torn and bleeding. Then a crown was placed on his head…not a royal crown but one woven of long sharp thorns. I can only imagine the pain and the blood running down his face as those thorns pierced through his scalp. I believe he did shed his blood for us, a willing sacrifice that we might live.
Thanks, Shirley. The Bible is actually full of references to blood being the price of forgiveness and cleansing. The people knew then, as we should know now, that "blood" stands for life, specifically the life of the Son of God. (See, for instance, Lev. 17:11) The sacrifices in the Old Testament foreshadowed the death of the Messiah who would come to redeem the human race. That's what the devout people who brought the sacrifices had in mind. (Of course, some lost the true meaning of the sacrifices and offered their offerings in vain. (Example: Isaiah 1:11-17)
As he does with all good things from God, Satan twisted the meaning of the sacrifices to reflect his own character. That's why we see pagans offering sacrifices as payments to their gods. The sacrifices of Israel, when the people were faithful, had the opposite meaning of the pagan sacrifices:
In the pagan sacrifices, people brought offerings to appease their gods and pay for favors.
The Israelite sacrifices, by contrast, pointed forward to God giving Himself as an offering for sin.
Can we see how the two systems are diametrically opposed and represent two approaches to salvation?
It is not pleasing to the modern mind to think of blood sacrifices, and some are interpreting the Bible in such a way as to do away with the necessity of a blood sacrifice. But the Apostle Paul makes clear that the blood of Jesus shed for sinners makes salvation possible. (See Heb. 1:1-10ff., Matt. 26:28; Romans 3:25; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) The conclusion seems clear: We reject the blood = we reject salvation.
Shirley – I would like to ask you to consider that God’s last Covenant with man is based on faith alone, void of anything formerly related to the Law of Moses.
When you look at our Savior’s death, you can see that His death did not constituting a sacrifice by the High Priest as a sacrifice which atones for the sins of Israel (Law), but that it was caused by those who committed the ultimate act of ‘disobedience’ which their hatred for God’s Truth had led them to commit.
Jesus gave His life willingly to demonstrate His love for those who would believe in Him, and through this act to accept the Father He came to show to the world.
Would you consider the Martyr’s sacrifice to be a blood offering to God if the shedding of blood was involved? Obviously not! But those who committed these acts certainly sought the favors or their god.
I do not consider the 'blood sacrifice' to be a by God instituted ritual to guide His children back into His fold. This was throughout time immemorial the Pagen’s way to communicate with their gods. Jeremiah 6:20; Isaiah 1:11-15; Amos 5:21-23.
I understand God's efforts are aimed to change our heart and mind through faith, becoming transformed by His love to doing His Will and not our own. Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated this by giving His life – heart and mind - entirely into the hands of His Father, even unto death.
"The Cat in the Hat Comes Back" by Dr. Suess is, for me, a useful allegory that helps me to understand Jesus' work for us.
The two kids, "Sally and me (Conrad)" are left home alone. A "bad Cat" comes up the walk while they are trying to obey their parents and shovel snow. After the Cat has entered the kids' home uninvited and had a bath, he leaves a "big long pink cat ring - it looked like pink ink" in the tub. Conrad says,"Will this ever come off? I don't think."
The story proceeds with things going from bad to worse. The Cat spreads the pink stain from the tub to their Mom's dress to the wall to Dad's $10 shoes.....on and on...until finally it's blown out of the house and now it's everywhere all over the pure white snow. No hiding it. It's inside the house and outside. It's everywhere, a far bigger spot than the original in the tub. Their parents will surely see and be upset!
Little cats are brought in. By trying to clean up on their own, all they did was make more spots until it was one big spot all over the yard. Toward the end of the story we read, "All they need is more help. Help is all that they need. So keep still and don't yelp....They need one more cat. And I know just the one."
The last cat, Little Cat Z, has something in his hat called "VOOM". We are told that, "VOOM cleans up anything, clean as can be." Dr. Suess goes on to say, "Now don't ask me what VOOM is, I never will know, but boy let me tell you, it does clean up snow." And, not only did VOOM clean up the snow but it finished the kids' shoveling assignment. The story ends with, "Now your work is all done, now your house is all right..."
Doesn't that sound like redemption to you?
There are so many connections. The stain of sin that comes uninvited, and often when you're trying to obey. Works that make the messy life go from bad to worse. Jesus coming with VOOM, a mysterious thing - His divinity mixed with humanity - in a perfect life, that is able to clean up anything. And one more important parallel, the VOOM not only cleaned up the mess but also finished the kids' work of obedience for them. We have a debt of obedience (as do all created beings) as well as a debt of disobedience (because we humans sinned)...and Jesus takes care of both!
There is much about redemption I still don't understand...
I'm not sure why God set up things in His government and spiritual laws so that He had to die to save us. Why the holy law of God pronounces a death sentence on trespassers...nothing the guilty can do to right things themselves. I'm not sure why a blood/life sacrifice of a perfect, sinless human being is the only way to clean up the mess of sin and to cover the the Law's penalty for sin (not Satan's penalty..as our lesson brings out). I'm not sure how a portion of the Trinity could die and it not collapse everything... and what things changed for a season and what changed permanently in and for the Godhead, what it really cost God that weekend in April, AD 31. (It's most likely more of a sacrifice for God than we have grasped.) But by faith, I know that in a figurative and a literal sense Jesus was "liquidated" to become the "holy sponge" that would both blot out and absorb our sins. He's often the last one called in to help, and boy does He ever help!
One concluding thing, I love how the lesson brings out that God treats us with so much respect, and not as an object. People who have the Bad Cat making spots in their hearts often treat other people as objects. People dating treating others as returnable items, people as bosses and as employees using each other like widgets, children being abused as disposables, and especially all the most vulnerable in harm's way of being tossed aside. But God never treats any person that way. He always gives us each complete freedom and dignity, forever friendship and tender, real true love.
Thank you for your comment, Esther. I missed that Dr Seuss book. I only remembered the first one. So I had to look this one up. But I hadn't considered finding a spiritual lesson in those comical and silly little books! But then all good stories are built around some kind of conflict of good and evil. And some get the resolution right.
The way you tell it, yes, Jesus fixes all the messes we can't fix, if we admit our helplessness and allow Him to work in our lives. How wonderful is that!
I don't think God "pronounces the death sentence" on sinners so much as telling us/them the natural results of sin. Sin destroys. Always. No exceptions. That's because sin is equivalent to a declaration of independence from God, our only source of life in this world and the world to come. (Think what happens to an electric light when it is disconnected from a source of power.) But most of the time, God intervenes to allow each human to have an appropriate time of probation. And sometimes, He does cut the lives of sinners short before they destroy themselves and many others with them.
And we really cannot fix ourselves. No matter how hard we try. Self will always get in the way and want "my way." But God's way is the way of self-forgetful love. The heart without Jesus in residence simply cannot generate it. Only Jesus in us can generate that kind of love.
To me, the process of becoming more like Jesus seems to directly parallel how much of the day I consciously choose the lordship of Jesus in my life. I've progressed a bit from surrendering to Him first thing in the morning and then .... forgetting Him for most of the day. But I have a long ways to go. I'm so glad He is patient with me!
Thank you for the reminder , Inge, that God’s kingdom and ways are so not self-centered. He set things up based on His own character….so it follows that the results of self-centeredness is death because it is opposite of Him and He is life. I guess I was thinking, “why couldn’t He have set it up differently?” but both things can’t be true… it always comes back to the choice of either God and His humility ruling , or self and the resulting death ruling . I can see that some of my pondering questions are still looking at things from the angle of self-sufficiency.
Esther, I have four brothers, and there are a few times when our parents left us at home alone with a chore to accomplish, that we could have used "Little Cat Z" to clean up the mess that we got ourselves into “after the ‘cats’ arrived.”
One boy is a boy; two boys are half a boy; and three boys are no boy at all. What are five boys? Chaos.
It is kind of like the church. God has given us a work to do and it is when we try to do that work on our own that we get into all sorts of trouble. Thank God that we are not left alone to accomplish the work, that his Spirit is fully capable of guiding us to the Way, the Truth and the Life, if we are willing to follow his lead.
We are freed from "A curse we cannot free ourselves from," not a debt that we could not pay. That curse came from our first parents who sold out to selfishness and sin, namely Adam and Eve. A "Curse" is not a debt. A curse is like "A Disease." We need healing not any paying of any debt. Jesus is our "Healing," for sin and its curse. Jesus is a gift for us to heal us from the curse of sin and of death. If we are indebted to God for anything we can pay it from our righteous works. But we are not indebted to God for anything. We are under "The Curse of Sin and of Death," that only His Son Jesus' Spilled blood at Calvary can free us from and heal us from.
It’s not a case of either/or necessarily, Pete. Both metaphors have merit. And depending on our background, one metaphor may be more meaningful than an other.
Maybe so, Maurice, but a debt is something we can pay otherwise it would not be a debt. But a gift is something that is given without a need to pay it back. That is what happened at Calvary and also before that according to the Apostle Paul, the "Gift" of Jesus was given "Before the foundation of the Earth." This gift was given, not imposed on us for us to pay it back. Yes, we have a "Choice" in this matter to accept or to reject this gift. But accepting or rejecting has nothing to do with paying it back to the giver. It is just simply that accepting this gift gives us many blessings such as "Eternal Life," forgiveness of sin etc. and etc. But rejecting it is just simply losing out on these blessings. But there is no debt at all that I see in this Gift of Jesus and what comes with this gift from God to us.
Pete, I think you're missing something really important. A debt is NOT always something "we can pay." Even in today's world, many people get themselves so far into debt that they can never get out. That's when they are forced to declare bankruptcy.
Jesus used a parable about debt to teach about the Kingdom of Heaven. See Matt. 18:23-35. In this parable the man with the huge debt he could not repay represents you and me and every sinner. We are indebted to God for our very life on this earth, not to mention eternal life. We could never pay for it. The only way out for us is to declare spiritual bankruptcy. It is the very first requirement to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We must recognize our utter helplessness to save ourselves and cast ourselves fully on the mercy of the Savior. That's why the first Kingdom Law/Blessing is, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Matt. 24:3. That is, blessed are those who know they are spiritually helpless, because they will inherit the Kingdom. There is no other way.
God created a perfect world. Perfect love and harmony reigned until the highest ranking angel got jealous of the honor and praise given the Creator. You can read the account in scripture
(Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:14,15; Rev.12:4,7-9; Luke 10:18)
The basic revolt was over God's commandments. "We are all holy, we don't need God telling us what to do" that is Lucifer's claim. We see that motive in the temptation given Eve -- don't obey God, disobey and your eyes will be opened and you will be your own God, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:5)
And so 1/3 of the angels and mankind revolted against God's government and law.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death.
God could not set aside His law to save mankind. Only the Creator Himself could bear the result of their sin (pay the wages of sin which is death) in order to redeem mankind.
His law is immutable.
God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). To show the depth of His love for man, He delivered Him up for us all. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Behold our Savior in Gethsemane, bowed under the burden of the sins of the whole world. Behold as those He came to save mocked and tortured Him, finally crucifying Him.
They wouldn't have had any power over Him, except that He came to willingly suffer their abuse and die that they may have a chance to live.
Yes, Jesus spilled His blood for us. He sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane. He was cruelly beaten with whips that ripped His flesh. It is by His shed blood we are saved. Matthew 26:28; Heb. 9:22, Romans 5:9, Col 1:20, Heb. 9:14
All so we may have the awesome privilege to be sons and daughters of God, and heirs to the heavenly kingdom.
There is a comment in Monday's lesson that needs to be addressed. This is it. Most of the Comments are dealing with this particular comment re redemption. Here is the comment:
The benefits of Calvary also include “the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Ephesians 1:7-8). On the cross, Christ takes upon Himself the price of our sin, both past and future, “canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands” (). In doing this work of redemption and forgiveness through Christ, God is acting as our generous Father, with the “riches of his grace” being “lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7-8, ESV).
The problem is that while it is true Christ's sacrifice certainly paid the price for our salvation but it only starts the process! The gospel does NOT end at the Cross it begins there!
What the author wrote is a complete misinterpretation of what Paul meant in Colossians 2:14! Here is the verse:
“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;” (Colossians 2:14 AV)
The word translated “ordinances” is from the Greek word “dogma.” In both the NT and the Greek OT that word is always used dealing with the laws, the traditions of men!!! THAT is what Christ nailed to the Cross! When Christ rose He took our sins with Him! Also our sins will NOT be cancelled until Christ places them upon the head of the Scapegoat when He leaves the Most Holy Place!
The conclusion he comes to is based upon a faulty translation. Another reason why I stick with the KJV!
"The mysteries of redemption, embracing Christ’s divine-human character, His incarnation, His atonement for sin, could employ the pens and the highest mental powers of the wisest men from now until Christ shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory. But though these men should seek with all their power to give a representation of Christ and His work, the representation would fall far short of the reality.... 6BC 1115.3
The theme of redemption will employ the minds and tongues of the redeemed through everlasting ages. The reflection of the glory of God will shine forth forever and ever from the Saviour’s face (Letter 280, 1904)." 6BC 1115.4