LAW IS BEING CANCELED

(1) INTRODUCTION
This is the continuity of “Melchizedek, Grace, Truth, and Law”. Hence, it is good to read “Melchizedek, Grace, Truth and Law” before jumping into this thought.

Jeremiah prophecies in Jeremiah 31:33 that under the new covenant, the law will be put in the believers’ minds and written in their hearts. Not only that, the book of Hebrews 10:16 echoes the same thing. However, based on Colossians 2:14, modern Bible teachers are saying that the law is being canceled and nailed on the cross.

(2) QUESTION
The question is, how can the bible contradict itself?
How can the bible, on one hand, tell believers that the law is being canceled but on the other hand, tell them the law is being written into their hearts?

The good thing is that the GNT bible clearly tells us that Paul is preaching to Gentiles who are without knowing the law (Colossians 2:13). While most of the translations refer to Colossians 2:13 as “uncircumcision of the flesh”.

We know that Judaizers do circumcise the flesh. Hence, Colossians 2 is addressing Gentiles; who do not know the law. Thus, Colossians 2 is not addressing Judaizers. The meaning of “Circumcise” is the natural sin is being cut off (NLT).

The question is since this message is addressed to people who do not know the law, why is the need for nailing the law to the cross? Why need to nail the law to the cross, since they don’t even know the law?

On careful interpreting, of the NASB and GNT’s version, the thing that is nailed on the cross is the sinful debts that forbid Gentiles from approaching God.

(3) SINFUL DEBTS NAILED AT THE CROSS
In conclusion, Colossians 2:14 is not saying the Law is being nailed at the cross. It is referring to the sinful debts that prohibit people from approaching the holy God is being nailed at the cross. That speaks for the forgiveness of a lovely God by allowing sinful people to access a holy God.

Last but not least, it is good to emphasize the story written in John 8 again. John 8 highlights an incident of a woman caught in the very act of adultery. Jesus passes His verdict as:-
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11). There are two portions of John 8:11:-
– Part 1, Neither do I condemn you, and
– Part 2, Go and sin no more.

As a pre-believer or at salvation call, Jesus “Neither do I condemn you”. He accepted pre-believers at the salvation call as it is. However, Christians can not continue to live in the first portion. Believers have to live on “Go and sin no more”.

(4) SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Colossians 2:13-14 GNT
13 “You were at one time spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were Gentiles without the Law. But God has now brought you to life with Christ. God forgave us all our sins;”
14 “he canceled the unfavorable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14)

Colossians 2:13-14 NLT
13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)

Colossians 2:13-14 NASB 1995
13 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,
14 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.