Colossians 2:20“You have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world.”
In this passage, Paul is encouraging believers to live out their new identity in Jesus, not to be defined by the ways of the world. Paul certainly lived the words he had written. Prior to his life before Jesus, Paul was successful by the standards of the world. He was well-educated, came from a good family, was respected by his peers, and devoted his life to studying and keeping the laws of Judaism. These were good attributes to have and achieve, but the powers of the world had a hold on him. He thrived on power, control, and being a leader and authority figure in society. It could be said he had a lust for control over others, especially as he persecuted followers of Jesus by arresting them and throwing them in prison. Men looked up to him and aspired to be like him. When he presided over the death of Stephen, men took off their coats and laid them at his feet. When Paul became a follower of Jesus, he experienced freedom, and his life completely changed.
Paul would say that it’s by grace you have been saved through faith, and by grace and faith, you continue to live your life. As a follower of Jesus, you have been set free to live according to God’s truth and guidance. You have been redeemed. During his ministry, Paul taught that Jesus’ death on the cross was the power of salvation, which was not in line with the prevailing wisdom of the world. Culture says to get ahead in life, you must look out for yourself and do whatever it takes to be successful, even if that means compromising your beliefs and integrity. In short, you should do what feels good and makes you happy. Jesus, on the other hand, tells us to pick up our crosses and follow Him. Paul did what Jesus did, he humbled himself and served others - finding freedom in being a follower of Jesus. Paul was steadfast in his faith.
What does it look like for you to be steadfast in your faith?
This freedom is a gift and a responsibility. Every day, we have a choice to receive this gift. When you are tempted to make compromises to be successful by the world’s standards, pause and consider whether that decision will lead you to the freedom and truth that Jesus has given you. It is with this freedom that we are able to love others and live a life that is full of purpose and intention!
Today, take an honest look at your life. Have there been recent moments when you considered or began compromising your beliefs to get ahead in life? This is not to condemn, instead, it's to bring awareness of your need for Jesus to be a part of your life every day. Talk to Jesus about those moments because He too was tempted, but chose to do the will of His Father instead. You'll likely realize there are things you’ll need to stop doing, and things you’ll need to begin doing so that you can continue to live in the freedom Jesus has for you.