To answer your good question, let’s read Colossians 2:13-14, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” 

As the Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians, under the guidance of the Lord (read 2 Timothy 3:16), he is writing to a Gentile church.  Of course, a Gentile is anyone that is not Jewish.  Here he speaks to them of their past condition…of having been “dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh.”  We read a similar portion in Ephesians 2:1-2, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”  We further read in Ephesians 2:5-6, “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

We have this wondrous truth that although we were dead before God, He “quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ” through faith in Him.  When God raised His Son from the dead, He also raised us from the dead along with Him.  In this, we identify with the Lord in His death and resurrection.  Christ died for our sins, so when He was raised, so were we…having all our sins forgiven.  Just as Christ’s resurrection proved that He was delivered from the sin laid on Him, so our spiritual quickening proves that we have been forgiven for all our sins. 

Notice how that Paul uses the word “YOU” in verse 13, but when he speaks in verse 14, he uses the word “US”.  Although the Colossians were not Jewish, the Apostle Paul was a Jew and in verse 14, he is speaking of himself and his fellow Jews.  “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against US.”  This “handwriting of ordinances” was the Law.  This means that the burdensome requirements of that law were abolished, and all its obligations were fulfilled by the death of Christ. 

While the Gentiles were never under the Law, the Jews had heartily agreed to the Law and the covenants as we read in Exodus 24:7, “And he (Moses) took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.”  The Law was against and contrary to the Jews because they could not fulfill its requirements.  Let’s consider what we read in Galatians 3:10-13, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”  What a blessed truth!  The Law could not save anyone.  In fact, it was not given to the Jews to save them.  It was given so they might see their sinfulness and helplessness before God.  To add to that, let’s read Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” 

God has made provision for ALL people to be saved…Jew or Gentile!  Salvation is possible because the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself a sacrifice to God to pay our sin debt.  When anyone puts their faith in the Lord Jesus, he/she is forgiven for their sins and becomes a precious child of God.  What about you, my dear friend?  Have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior? If not, you are still “dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh.”  Won’t you put your faith in the Lord Jesus right now and receive the Lord’s free gift of eternal life?  (488.6)  (CC)