Colossians 2:11-14 Dead to the Law

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. [Colossians 2:11-14 NASB]

The Judaizers taught that Gentiles needed to convert to Judaism before they could become a Christian. They wanted all Christians to keep the law of Moses and become circumcised. Paul teaches that we are not under the law;

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. [Romans 6:14 NASB]

And also,

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. [Galatians 5:18 NASB]

The circumcision, which was physical and symbolic under the old covenant, is spiritual reality under the new covenant. It is the removal of flesh, which for us means that we have died to the flesh and are alive in Christ. Paul said,

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. [Galatians 2:20 NASB]

Baptism is our public declaration of faith. It is symbolic of our having died to sin and the flesh, and rising again to newness of life in Jesus.

Paul said that the "certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us" was nailed to the cross. The "certificate of debt" is the law. Not just the law of Moses, but any rule we make for living our life becomes our law. Romans says;

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, [Romans 2:14-15 NASB]

I once heard a story many years ago about a school with a fenced playground. The children played in every part of that playground. An educator got the idea that the fence was too restrictive, and inhibited the children's sense of freedom. So he removed the fence. When the children went out to play, they stayed in the center of the playground, and no longer used the whole area. They were afraid because they didn't know the boundaries. 

As adults, we still like our boundaries. We like to know how far we can go; what is acceptable behavior in any circumstance. We like law and order.

As Christians, we are being told to lose the boundaries. Tear down our fences. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead us. Living without boundaries is not easy, but it is what we are called to do. It means living by faith and walking in the Spirit.

Lord, thank You for nailing the Law to the cross, that it is dead to me, and I am free from its constraints. Please give me the grace to live by faith, and please lead me by Your Spirit