Baptized And Risen

"In CHRIST JESUS, you were given a circumcision, but not by human hands, which removed completely from you the carnal body: I refer to baptism.  On receiving it, you were buried with CHRIST; and you also rose with HIM, for having believed in the power of GOD, who raised HIM from the dead.

You were dead.  You were in sin and uncircumcised at the same time.  But GOD gave you life with CHRIST.  HE forgave all our sins.  HE cancelled the record of our debts, those regulations which accused us.  HE did away with all that, and nailed it to the cross.  Victorious through the cross, HE stripped the rulers and authorities of their power, humbled them before the eyes of the whole world, and dragged them behind HIM, as prisoners." - Colossians 2:11-15 

(Paul has just said that a Christian has wisdom and is on a way of knowledge.  He now reminds us that our entry into the Church has been much more than an exterior rite.  Through baptism, we have become part of this renewal of the world brought about by the death and resurrection of JESUS.

Paul had been circumcised, and knew from experience that it did not save him.  We can be fairly sure baptism did not also miraculously free him of his aggressiveness and weaknesses, but he began to live his human existence differently.  He had been liberated, among other things, of what weighed heavily on him: religion with all its commandments.  Religion for him was not, as it is for some who like principles, a defensive shield as necessary as a policeman: religion was for him a reminder of a debt toward GOD, something that made love and real trust impossible.  JESUS in dying had nailed to the cross all kinds of fears of GOD; at the same time HE did away with all the moral principles and pressures ["powers and authorities"] that smother our free response to GOD.

In some countries, many people are baptized but baptism scarcely changes their life and generally speaking they do not belong to communities seeking to renew their faith.  It is not enough for us to admit that we are poor Christians, that we have not really buried the sinner within us.  Our resurrection depends, first of all on faith in GOD who resurrected JESUS, who has pardoned us, and prepared everything so that we may live our life.) 

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