Daily Lesson for Tuesday 3rd of March 2026

How often have we seen these texts, especially Colossians 2:14, misused as an argument against the law and keeping the Sabbath?

To help understand these texts, two main interpretations have been proposed by Seventh-day Adventists: First, the “handwriting” nailed to the cross is the list of charges leveled “against us,” similar to the writing Pilate hung on Jesus’ cross (Matthew 27:37; John 19:19-20). Or, second, the ceremonial law written by Moses (see Deuteronomy 31:24-26) was nailed to the cross.

When we look at the verse in its larger context, we can see that it is clearly talking about the ceremonial law.

Image © Review and Herald Publishing Assn. Goodsalt.com

Paul also refers to “circumcision made without hands” (Colossians 2:11), that is, “of the heart” (Romans 2:28-29; compare Deuteronomy 30:16), in apparent contrast to fleshly circumcision, which was one of the most important stipulations of the ceremonial law (Leviticus 12:3; compare Exodus 12:48).

Paul then connects this inward change with “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh” and with baptism by immersion. With this baptism, we identify ourselves with Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:11-12).

This conversion experience is then likened to having been “dead in trespasses” and “made . . . alive” with Christ, who “forgave us all our trespasses” (Colossians 2:13, NRSV).

The word “ordinances” (Colossians 2:14) refers to legal decrees, whether secular (Luke 2:1, Acts 17:7) or ecclesiastical (Acts 16:4). This Greek word’s only other occurrence in Paul’s writings refers to the ceremonial law, which formed a wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:14-15).

Because Paul has already referred to the forgiveness of sins and the inner change symbolized by baptism, it is unlikely he would return to that topic again with a different metaphor not used anywhere else in Scripture. Rather, Paul seems to be emphasizing a similar point as made in Ephesians: that the Gentile believers in Colossae need not worry about keeping the ceremonial law, including circumcision, nor about the purity laws that went with such a commitment (compare Acts 10:28,34-35).

Clearly, Paul was not suggesting that the Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross, not when elsewhere he defines sin as violation of the Ten Commandments (Romans 7:7).

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-10-nailed-to-the-cross/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-10-nailed-to-the-cross

One hot July afternoon at an Oklahoma Camp meeting, I visited a friend in her tent. Just outside sat my friend’s 13-year-old daughter with a friend she had just met. This was her friend’s first camp meeting. He had come with his grandfather, who just become a Christian. He did not know what to think about all the meetings and asked my friend’s daughter, “What do you think about Jesus? What is He really all about?” My ears perked up, as I was quite interested in how she would answer.

Image © Pacific Press

I will never forget what she said.

“Before my mom and I met Jesus, we argued and yelled at each other all the time, and I could not stand my home, but now that we met Jesus we don’t yell anymore, and I love my home now.”

Interesting. She introduced her new friend to Jesus as a literal friend Who had literally changed her life, and not as some pretend theory.

I heard a radio preacher once say, “In order to be able to call Jesus your Savior, He has to actually save you from something.” He was right. Many people speak of faith almost like it is pretending. Some use a very Biblical term, “perfect in Christ,” but then they add, “but it is only by faith.” And yes, it is only by faith, but by saying “only by faith,” they seem to make it sound like faith is only pretending. When we read in Hebrews 11:30 about the walls of Jericho falling by faith, we take that to mean that the walls of Jericho literally fell and did not just pretend to fall. So when we read in Colossians 1:28, “that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,” should we not take that “perfect in Christ” to be literal also and not just pretense?

Read how Ellen White describes the term “perfect in Christ” In the Great Controversy, page 623.
… we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself: “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.” John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble. It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith in the atoning blood of Christ.

If faith literally made the walls of Jericho fall, then we have to believe that faith will also make a literal and practical change in the way we live our lives.

On that hot summer afternoon so many years ago, my friend’s daughter gave an example of how her faith literally changed her life, showing that faith is not just make-believe but makes things practical and literal. I am totally powerless to tear down the strongholds Satan has set up in my life, but the same faith that made the walls of Jericho come crumbling down will also make those strongholds in my life come down as well.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/perfect-and-complete-in-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=perfect-and-complete-in-christ

Daily Lesson for Monday 2nd of March 2026

The theme of Colossians is one of the clearest maxims for living the Christian life: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6, NKJV). We receive salvation by receiving a Person, not just a body of teachings. But receiving Jesus also includes accepting all His teachings, as given through the apostles and prophets of the Bible (see Ephesians 2:20).

More than anything else, accepting Christ means a death to self, a complete surrender of self to the living Christ.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

The Living Word (Jesus) cannot be separated from the Written Word (the Bible). They are two sides of the same coin. In fact, only through Scripture can we know Jesus. We “walk” or live our lives “in Him,” meaning that we allow His Word and His Spirit to guide us in all our decisions and practices.

In Colossians 2:7, Paul employs a common biblical metaphor that likens Christians to plants. We become rooted in Christ by accepting Him as our Savior and ordering our life according to His Word. That is how we become “established in the faith.”

Paul clearly delineates the two alternatives open to believers. One is to remain a “planting of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:3) and continue being complete in Christ by holding on to Him and His teachings. The other could be likened to an artificial plant that may look real but is actually lifeless. By adopting human philosophies and traditions, we are taken “captive” (Colossians 2:8, ESV). Although Christ has set us free, it is possible to be enslaved again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1; compare Acts 15:10).

In short, accepting unbiblical teachings means rejecting Christ, because those who buy into false teachings have, unfortunately, adopted a different gospel and have accepted human authorities over the authority of Scripture (see Galatians 1:6-9). This was a danger in the early church and remains so today.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-10-rooted-and-growing-in-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-10-rooted-and-growing-in-christ