“You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."
- Colossians 2:13-14 

In this passage from his letter to the church at Colossae, the apostle Paul explains your condition before you were united to Jesus Christ by faith. First of all, he explains that you were dead in your trespasses. This means that you were spiritually dead as a result of your unlawful acts committed against God. Secondly, he explains that you were dead in the uncircumcision of your flesh. Circumcision was the sign and seal of God's people as they looked forward to the offspring of Abraham through whom the nations would be blessed, namely, Christ (Genesis 12; Galatians 3). To be uncircumcised meant that you were not associated with such people and so spiritually dead. However, for those who are united to Christ by faith, God has made alive together with him, forgiven of all trespasses or unlawful acts, and cancelled our debt through the cross. In other words, Jesus took the penalty we deserved upon himself for our crimes so we might never have to. 

Have you turned from your sins and trusted in Christ, your one and only Mediator? Are you reliant upon him who bore your penalty in your place? Are you depending on the One who substituted himself in the place of criminals like you? If so, you are now spiritually alive together with Jesus, you are forgiven of all your unlawful acts, and your debt has been completely cancelled. You don't have to carry the weight of your past any longer because Jesus offers you his grace today. 

For Jesus,
Pastor Mark