Table of Contents
Date: Sun 11:30AM 22nd May 2022
Preacher: Rev. David McLaughlin
Bible Reference: Colossians 2:14
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Sermon Summary
The sermon, preached as part of an expository series on Colossians, focuses on Colossians 2:14. The preacher explains how the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the young church in Colossae (in Asia Minor), a largely Gentile congregation converted from paganism. These believers lacked deep knowledge of God, Scripture, and Christ’s full work. Soon after their conversion, the church faced a severe threat from false teachers promoting a threefold error:
- A Judaizing element insisting on physical circumcision and adherence to ceremonial and civil aspects of the Mosaic law for Gentile believers.
- A Gnostic element claiming special, elite wisdom available only through their group, requiring separation from others.
- A mystical element emphasising the need for angelic intermediaries in the spiritual realm.
The church’s pastor, Epaphras (a convert of Paul), travelled to Rome for help. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to counter these errors not by direct refutation or comparative religion, but by emphasising the supreme person and work of Jesus Christ. The preacher stresses that the best defence against error is a clear presentation of biblical truth about Christ. Each Lord’s Day service aims to deepen understanding of Christ’s person and work, rather than offering mere lectures or historical comparisons.
In Colossians 2:13, Paul reminds believers they are spiritually alive and have been forgiven all trespasses. The key question is: How is this forgiveness possible? God does not ignore, minimise, or pretend sin does not exist; He deals with it justly. Verse 14 provides the answer: God pardons sin solely on the basis of Christ’s work on the cross. Forgiveness is found only in Jesus Christ; outside Him, there is no true pardon. The preacher poses a personal challenge: Are our sins—past, present, and future, of thought, word, and deed—forgiven through Christ’s cross?
The sermon unfolds in three main points:
- A discussion about trespasses (from the end of v. 13: “having forgiven you all trespasses”).
“Trespass” means breaking God’s law, a transgression akin to rebellion or high treason against God’s throne and government. The preacher illustrates this with the historical Mutiny on the Bounty: mutineers who committed treason remained guilty under the law, regardless of later reformed lives, heroism, wealth, or social elevation. No human effort erases such guilt. Similarly, every person stands guilty before God of high treason through sins of thought, word, and deed, with a polluted heart adding to the mountain of guilt. This leaves humanity dead in sin, desperately needing spiritual resurrection, new life, and full pardon. The preacher cites Psalm 32 for the blessedness of forgiven transgression and Romans 6:23 (wages of sin is death). Paul’s absolute statement—”having forgiven you all trespasses”—points to a solid foundation for forgiveness, explained in verse 14. - The documentation of trespasses (v. 14: “blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us”).
The “handwriting of ordinances” (Greek: cheirographon of dogmas) refers to a legal, condemning document recording all sins—a binding record of transgressions against God’s moral law. This is the moral law of God, summarised in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17), written by God’s finger on stone tables—authoritative, permanent, universally binding, and unrepealed. It stands against and contrary to us as an adversary, pronouncing guilt and demanding the death penalty for every violation.
The preacher illustrates ignoring earthly laws (e.g., traffic regulations): one remains subject to them and faces consequences when caught. Similarly, rejecting or deeming the Ten Commandments outdated changes nothing; all humanity is under this law (Romans 3:19—”all the world may become guilty before God”).
He briefly applies several commandments to show universal guilt: lacking wholehearted love for God (1st), idolatry (2nd), misusing God’s name (3rd), failing to keep the Sabbath holy (4th), dishonouring authority (5th), murder/abortion (6th), adultery/sexual sins (7th), theft (8th), lying/false witness (9th), and coveting (10th). The law reveals sin, is holy and good, and condemns us as hostile and adverse—no sympathy, no mitigation. Examples include the woman caught in adultery (John 8) and Belshazzar’s judgment (Daniel 5), where consciences were smitten by awareness of guilt under God’s law. - The disannulment of trespasses (v. 14: “blotting out… took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”).
This describes how God cancels the debt:- Blotting out — erasing the record completely (like wiping ink from papyrus with a sponge, leaving no trace—”wiping the slate clean”).
- Taking it out of the way — removing and expelling the offence entirely (Christ redeems from the curse, becoming a curse for us—Galatians 3:13, 4:4–5).
- Nailing it to his cross — the expiation and substitution: our sins (the debt, the record of guilt) were invisibly nailed to Christ’s cross alongside Him. Sin was not ignored, brushed aside, or forgiven cheaply (as an unjust judge might do); justice was satisfied through Christ’s substitutionary death. He paid the debt in full (Isaiah 53: wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities). God made Him sin for us that we might become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The result is full, free, and forever forgiveness—past, present, and future sins blotted out, removed, and paid for. The book of life shows no record of them; God remembers them no more. This is the marvel of the gospel: true forgiveness rests solely on Christ’s cross-work, enabling new relationship, fellowship, and communion with God.
The preacher concludes by urging self-examination: Have you discussed your trespasses? Recognised the condemning document? Experienced the disannulment through faith in Christ? He prays readers know this full pardon and enjoy its reality. The Lord bless you.
