Colossians 2:6–12 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. ⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Paul’s epistles were meant to encourage converts in their faith walk. As part of that, he would often point out errors that should be corrected and give warnings about false teachers. We see some of this in today’s reading.

e reminds the believers in Colosse that they were led to faith in Christ and that they should remain steadfast and thankful for what they have received. Then he warns against false teachers who try to get people to trust in things other that Christ.

Just as he did in the first chapter (1:19), Paul asserts again that all the fullness of God is in Jesus Christ the man. As a man, He was able to go through everything we encounter, yet He did so without sin. As God, He was able to pay for the sins of everyone when He offered His perfect life as the acceptable sacrifice for sin. That is why Paul says we have been given fullness in Christ.

This passage also connects Baptism with circumcision, the only portion of Scripture that does so. I think it is a powerful and important connection. Circumcision marked the Jewish people as God’s chosen. It was part of the promise God made to Abraham, the sign of the covenant. Baptism connects us to everything Jesus did for us, and it marks us as God’s chosen people, claimed and forgiven by Him. But it is more than symbolic. Baptism is a true washing of sins by the power of God’s Word of promise connected to the water (Titus 3:5).

You may know that the Jewish people were told to circumcise their boys when they were eight days old. Those little boys no say in the matter. The parents saw to it that this happened for their boys to mark them as part of the chosen people, beneficiaries of the promise God made to them.  I think that is significant that Baptism is compared to circumcision. Baptism is something God does for us, not something we do for Him. He is the one who places His name on us. He is the one washing away sin. Through Baptism, we are the beneficiaries of all that Jesus earned for us. That is why parents willingly bring their children to be baptized, that they might be the recipients of God’s grace through this Sacrament.