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“‘Nailed it’ is an expression used to comment on the successful, skillful, or clever completion or performance of something. It’s often used sarcastically in reference to efforts that comically failed.” Dictionary.com

Whether we first heard it in the 1970’s as an expression of success or in the last few years as a mockery of ridiculous failure, most of us are familiar with the phrase. Well, while I thought my sermon, Captured by Christ from Colossians 2:8-15, (12/29/24 - under the Sermons tab) “nailed it” I’ve come to learn it might not have been in the successful category. So, since the subject is critically important (I recently saw several otherwise good FB posts misapplying Col 2:14) I decided to see if I could hammer the nail in a little more accurately with this article.

The heart of Paul’s warning in Col 2:8-15 was to “See to it” (watch out) that spiritual pirates did not Capture you with their human ideas. Doctrines “according to (in agreement with) the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col 2:8). This is a simple declaration that there are two opposing systems of thought, man’s versus God’s. The world is filled with people who have been captured by it and in turn work diligently to capture others, so watch out.

There are five key concepts in the passage that are captured in five simple words: Complete, Circumcised, Baptized, Canceled, and Parade.

Let’s start w/ Complete. The foundational point is Jesus is completely divine as 2:9 repeats 1:19. Jesus is fully eternal God in flesh (1 John 1:1-3; 4:2). A doctrine rejected by most people in the world. And, because He is “head over” all things, He provides everything we need, we are complete in Christ (2:10). Christ is at the center of everything. Nine times the text ties everything to Jesus: “according to Christ” in v8, “in Him” three times (v9, 10 & 11). “of Christ” (v11), “with Him” three times in v12-13, concluding with “through Him” in v15.

The second word is Circumcision. The ritual symbolized a greater spiritual reality, cutting off the dead flesh of the sinful heart (v11, 13). This was what the symbol of circumcision was all about from the very beginning. It was never merely a physical act. Moses made it clear in Dt 10:16; 30:6. Jeremiah repeated it in his calls for repentance (4:3-4 and 9:25-26). The philosophy threatening the Colossians considered Christ insufficient to accomplish circumcision of the heart. It captured souls with the false idea that it took more than Jesus to break the power of sin and Satan in the believer’s heart. Paul makes it very clear Jesus is all we need to cut off the sinful flesh of lust and desire controlling our hearts and minds.

But just because He has the power to do it, does not make it easy. We must be actively engaged in the process of cutting away our own will in killing the old man (Rom 6:1-7). It isn’t easy. Jesus died for sin once (Rom 6:9-10) but we must die daily (Luke 9:23).

That takes us to our third word: Baptism Sadly this word creates the greatest amount of controversy among religious people today. The hatred for and absolute rejection of baptism is the most powerful human tradition in modern religion. Captured by the human tradition of Faith Only, even churches that practice water immersion as a form of obedience to the command mock and ridicule anyone willing to give it the significance found in this text. However, the text is clear - Baptism is where we are made alive again in Him (Col 2:12-15). To reject water baptism "for the remission of sins" is to reject Jesus.

Besides the false concept of justification by faith alone is the false idea that baptism is the NT version of circumcision. While they are closely related it misses the point Paul is making. Circumcision is the killing of the old man when our faith leads to repentance which is followed by the baptismal burial which joins one to Christ, which is when and where we are raised to life just like He was raised to life. We must understand that they are distinct steps in the process even though they are so closely united as to seem to be the same thing. The believer who wants to be saved must die to himself in the act of spiritual circumcision (genuine repentance), and then be buried with Christ in baptism so the dead fleshly heart can be removed and the new person be born again to enter God’s kingdom (John 3:5). Which is why we follow the Biblical pattern and baptize people as soon as possible after they believe and repent rather than wait for ceremonial baptismal services.

The next word is Canceled (v14) and is another source of controversy and misinterpretation, as I recently saw in several FB posts. Some believe “the certificate of debt, consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us” refers specifically to the Law of Moses. Unfortunately, that is not correct (there are other passages for that). The certificate of debt refers to our personally signed debt of sin. In the first century, just like now, people would take out loans, IOUs, and sign their names. When the debt was paid off, the personally signed IOU would be stamped Canceled, and often posted publicly to prove the debt was paid. Jew or Gentile, under the Law of Moses or not, all humans have a lengthy certificate of sin’s debt, and God owns it. Thankfully, He sent Jesus to pay the price for us and nailed our notice of debt to the cross, granting forgiveness to each of us when we are baptized!

The last word is Parade (v15). In the same way conquering Romans would parade their captives through the streets of Rome as a public display of their victory, Jesus’ resurrection openly paraded God’s victory over Satan and his demons. And, that public display of victory over sin and death is paraded before the unbelieving world in the believer’s baptism and faithful obedience.

Jesus “Nailed it” for you, will you join in the victory parade?

James McClenny