Nailed It

Colossians 2:8–15

How do you find Colossians?

“General Electric Power Company”—Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians.

It was a custom in Rome, when a man was adjudicated guilty, condemned for a crime, if he were put in prison, they would take something and nail it to the prison door. It was called a certificate of debt. On that certificate of debt would be written the crime that this man was guilty of, the number of years that he would stay in prison—days, months, or whatever. And, when he had fulfilled his duty to the law, his certificate of debt was marked paid in full. It was taken, given to the judge, who would have it notarized; and, he would carry it with him. And, if anybody were to accuse him of that crime again, he could pull out the certificate of debt, and say, “Yes, I may have been guilty, but I have paid in full. You’re not going to bring me into double jeopardy; I’ve already paid for that crime.”

Now, what about if a man were guilty of a capital offense? They would take the offense that he’d done, and they would nail it to his cross above his head. That’s the reason that Pilate nailed above the head of the Lord Jesus, “This is Jesus,” or, “Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews”—it was sarcasm. Here was a man who made Himself King; and, that’s why Pilate allowed Him to be crucified—because it was insurrection against Caesar; it was a crime worthy of death. And, the Romans would put on that cross whatever that individual had done. And, they crucified people openly, in public; and, they wanted people to see a man die in agony, and pain, and blood, and anguish upon that cross. And, up there, on that cross, would be what that man had done. And, every citizen who walked by would say, “I’ll never do that—no sir, I will not have me one of those crucifixions. Whatever it is on that cross, whatever that person did, I will never do it, because I don’t want to end up there.” So, that was what they did in Rome, so long ago. Now, from God’s point of view, there was something else that was nailed to that cross, and that was God’s holy law. It’s called here, in the scripture that I read to you, the handwriting of ordinances. It says He was “blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us” (Colossians 2:14). God’s holy law was nailed up from the heart and mind of God on that cross. Well, had Jesus broken the holy law of God? No. But, “Him who knew no sin, God had made to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). And so, Jesus Christ is adjudicated guilty of breaking the holy commandments of God—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. This handwriting of ordinances, from God’s point of view, was nailed on the cross. They thought He was dying for sins against Caesar, but what He was dying for was our sins against God. You see, He was in our place. Had you and I been up there, God could well have put the Ten Commandments up there and said we’re guilty of those, right? There’s no one here who would say, “I’ve not sinned.” Matter of fact, the Bible says, “If we break the law in one point, we’re guilty of all” (James 2:10).

When Jesus died, it was both tragedy and triumph. It was tragedy, because it was the dirtiest deed ever done. They lied on Him; they abused Him; they misused Him. And, you and I were guilty of it; we were there. Our sins were the nails that put Jesus Christ on that cross, and our hard hearts were the hammers that drove those nails. He died because of our sin. Yes, He willingly died; but, had we not sinned, He never would have died, for He would not have needed to die. And so, on the one hand, it was tragedy, but was, on the other hand—it was triumph.

Now, there was someone else nailing some things that day. There was someone else who was nailing some things to that cross, and His name was Jesus.

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he [made alive] together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances”—that’s the law—“that was against us, which was contrary to us,”—now, watch it—“and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:13–14). You say, “Well, Jesus was nailed to the cross by the Romans.” Yes, He was, but Jesus Himself nailed the law to the cross. Now, don’t get confused—but, while Jesus, the darling Son of God, was being crucified, He Himself was nailing something to that cross.

Six Things that Jesus Nailed to the Cross:

A. The Condemnation of Sin

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). My sin, your sin, our sin was nailed to the cross. It means He paid my debt; He bore my punishment; and He has taken my sin, nailed it to the cross. And, therefore, it was buried, when Jesus was buried, in the grave of God’s forgetfulness.

Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:33 and 34: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:33–34).

Now, what he’s saying is this: “Who now can point the finger of accusation at me, at you, at us, because of our sin? Who can condemn us?”

Has anybody ever told you to go to Hell? Wait around, some will—they’ll tell you right off. What he’s asking is not, “Who will try to do it?” What he’s asking is, “Who is qualified to condemn us?” The only One who could ever condemn us is God Himself, and God Himself has counted us righteous. He has justified us, and the verdict of the supreme court of the universe is never going to be reversed. The Bible says, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth” (Romans 8:33). And, He has given you, now, a certificate of debt; and, on that certificate of debt is written, in the crimson blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Paid in full”. That doesn’t mean that, if you sin, God’s going to overlook your sin. He’ll carry you to the woodshed. I went there a lot, but I was still my father’s son. My father would never condemn me; he would chastise me. But, there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

I want you to think of anything you’ve done—the worst thing you have ever done or will ever do. If you are in Christ, no sin—none, not one scintilla of an iota— can ever be marked up against you. If it were, you’d be condemned; you’d go to Hell, because God cannot let sin into Heaven. It doesn’t mean God will not chastise you. As a matter of fact, if you have a desire to say, “Well, I’m saved now—I’ll sin all I want to,” I doubt you’ve ever been saved. I sin all I want to—I don’t want to. You need to get your wanter fixed. No, you need to get a new one. And yet, we still fall into sin.  But, the child of God who may sin can never, never—no, never, ever—come into condemnation. That sin was nailed to the cross.

B. The Curse of the Law

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:14).

Because we’re sinners, to us, the law is a curse. He took “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us” (Colossians 2:13).

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Galatians 3:10).

Now, listen to verse 13: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

You see, people say, “I’m just going to keep the Ten Commandments—that’s my religion.” Well, if that’s your religion, you’re going to Hell, because you’re under a curse. The Bible says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).

Well, suppose you’re hanging over a fire by a forged chain of steel. And, it has nine links of forged steel, and one is crepe paper. How safe for you! Doesn’t make any difference if one link breaks or if all 10 break—you go in the fire, because God demands perfection.

The only way that the law could get you to Heaven would be for you, from the time of your birth to the time of your death, never ever one time to ever sin. And yet the commandments are good goals for which to strive.

C. The Charms of This World

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

This world is like a filthy harlot that would draw away your love from the Bridegroom.

The Apostle Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Gal. 6:14

This world should have no more charm to you than a crucified decaying corpse.

D. The Corruption of the Flesh

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him to the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:11–13).

It’s talking about that old sinful nature that you were born with. That sinful nature was nailed to the cross. The flesh should have no more pull, because I am no longer dominated—neither are you—by the flesh. Before we were saved, we obeyed the flesh. There was nothing we could do.

Jesus not only died to take away my sin; He died to take away that old self, and that is nailed to the cross.

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). Now, if your flesh is still out of control, un-crucified, you have every reason to ask yourself, “Have you been twice-born?”

That’s what baptism is all about.

“Buried with him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12). What does that mean? When I gave my heart to Jesus Christ, they took me up there and put me in a pool of water—why? Because, the old Jerry died; he’s put beneath the water; he is buried. That old flesh—that old man—is crucified with Christ. That’s a liquid tomb. That was my funeral. The only mourner there was the devil. I don’t have to obey him anymore.

Romans 6:6: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

E. The Control of the Devil

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).

He’s talking about the power of Satan and his demons. He said, in Ephesians 6, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12). Now, the devil thought he was destroying Jesus on the cross, but Jesus was destroying the devil.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (Hebrews 2:14).

And, Satan himself is nailed to that cross. His back is broken because of the cross.

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11)— thank God for that!

F. The Conquest of Death

Colossians 2:12: “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

It was death that was crucified that day, because Jesus was paying the penalty of death. Sin, you’re dead. Law, you’re dead. Old world, you’re crucified. The flesh, you’re crucified. Satan, you’re put out of business. And, death, you’re obliterated by Jesus—by Jesus. That’s what He did on the cross.

So, take out a card or paper, write down the sins that Satan keeps throwing in your face, and hand it to Jesus…close your eyes, and watch Him nail it to His cross!

[with helps from Dr. Adrian Rogers]