Canceled by the Cross
Colossians 2:13–15
In 2023, something extraordinary happened at Wilberforce University in Ohio—the first historically Black university in the United States. As the graduating seniors prepared to step into a new chapter, an anonymous donor paid off every single student’s loan debt. The response? Celebration. Tears. Lives changed.
But as beautiful as that moment was, it pales in comparison to what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.
The apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Colossae, points to something even more radical, more lasting, and more life-changing: not just financial freedom, but eternal freedom. Because of the cross, our sin is forgiven, our debt is canceled, and our enemies are defeated.
- On the Outside Looking In (Colossians 2:13)
Paul begins with a stark reminder: “You were dead.” Not sick. Not struggling. Dead. Spiritually lifeless. Separated from God. Dominated by the power of sin, the world, and Satan. We were on the outside of God’s covenant, with no hope of entering by our own merit (see Ephesians 2:12).
But then God stepped in.
Psalm 32:1 declares the joy of those whose sins are forgiven. That’s not partial forgiveness—God does not start a process and leave us to finish it. He completes the work. As 1 John 2:12 tells us, our sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake.
That forgiveness brings spiritual life. We are made alive with Christ! And yet, too often, believers live as though they are still dead carrying the shame of sin, giving in to fear, or resisting submission to the God who loves them. If you are in Christ, you are no longer on the outside. You are on the inside and alive in Him.
- Our Debt Was Canceled at the Cross (Colossians 2:14)
Paul uses two powerful images to describe what Jesus accomplished: a “certificate of debt” and “decrees against us.” Imagine a scroll detailing every sin, every violation of God’s law. It stands as a witness against us—reminding us of our failure to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16).
But then Jesus took that scroll—our debt—and nailed it to the cross.
This was not symbolic. He literally bore the weight of our guilt. He took what was written against us and absorbed it in His own body. And when He cried out, “It is finished,” the debt was paid in full.
We do not have to carry what Christ has already canceled. Whatever sin haunts your past, whatever guilt lingers in your mind—if it has been nailed to the cross, it no longer has power over you.
- A Victory That Is Final and Forever (Colossians 2:15)
The cross was not a defeat. To the world, it looked like Jesus lost. But in reality, the cross was the greatest victory in history.
Paul says that Jesus “disarmed the rulers and authorities”—the spiritual forces of darkness, the demonic powers that enslave and accuse. He made a public display of them, triumphing over them at the cross.
Isaiah 54:17 promises that no weapon formed against God’s people will succeed. That is because Jesus took away the enemy’s weapons—our sin, our shame, our condemnation—and disarmed them. Romans 8:1–2 reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Satan is a liar. If you are in Christ, you belong to Jesus, and the victory that He won is now yours.
Final Thought
So, what are you still carrying?
What weight of guilt or fear do you keep dragging behind you when Jesus has already canceled the debt?
If you belong to Christ, the verdict has been pronounced over your life: Paid in Full.
Not in part. Not with conditions. Completely.
Do not leave today with burdens Jesus already bore for you. The cross has canceled your debt, defeated your enemies, and made you alive.