Colossians 2:13-15

“God made you alive together with (Christ), when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” vss. 13b-14

Paul assures the Colossians that everything necessary for their salvation has already taken place in the death and resurrection of Jesus Chriat. That statement alone has provided great consolation for believers through the centuries. It’s so good to know that there isn’t some big test or exam to pass–there’s literally nothing more to do. It’s all grace! But still there’s nothing wrong with using visuals to cement the reality of that forgiveness in our minds. Some believers have had opportunities to actually write their sins on small pieces of paper and then nail them to a large wooden cross on the floor of the worship area. In that reenactment, actually using a hammer to nail our bad record to the cross, there can be a sense of relief. It’s a visual reminder in the present of what has already taken place in the past. Of course for many, such sacrificial references to the atonement lack meaning. They have other ways of understanding the significance of Jesus’ life. But there is no denying that the cross connects us to forgiveness in a powerful way. That’s why it hangs in so many of our churches. Above all the cross reminds us that the past does not define our futures. We have been forgiven!

Thought for the Day: What visual reminder of forgiveness has power for me?