The gospel according to Colossians

We're going to start off nine weeks in Colossians, and going through it, it's been fascinating to see how many formulations of the gospel Paul presents.

1.13 - transfer of kingdoms
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

1.14 - redemption
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

1.22 - reconciliation
But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation


2.11-12 - death of sinful nature
Your sinful nature was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 

2.13 - made alive
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.

2.13-14 - forgiving debt
He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

2.15 - triumph over evil powers
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

2.20 - dying to stoicheia
Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world

3.1 - resurrection
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ

3.3 - life in Christ
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 

3.9-10 - old to new
since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self,

You could also talk about the gospel, among other things, as the mystery of God (1.26, 27; 2.2; 4.3), the hope stored up in heaven (1.5), and the reconciliation of all things to Christ (1.20). 

It's great to see the breadth of description, but a rebuke to our narrow, 2D descriptions. I'm looking forward to thinking through the implications of this gospel over the next few months.