Our Greatest Need

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And 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. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:8-15 ESV). I have found myself asking others the question many times, “What do you need?” I guess I’ve never really thought about how general that question is. If I’ve been outside, working in the heat and get asked that question, I might answer that I need a cold drink of water. On the other hand, if I’ve been outside in the cold day of winter, with a bitter north wind chilling me to the bone, the last thing in the world I need is a cold drink of water! I guess I am making a case for our needs being circumstantial; though that would be an error when it comes to our greatest need. We have many needs; some of them are emotional, physical, and spiritual. Psychologists can build a career defining them. The apostle Paul, however, speaks of forgiveness. He declares that we are “made alive” with Christ because God has “forgiven us all our trespasses.” It is through this act of forgiving that we are a changed, redeemed people. Reformed theologians Andrew and Leonard Kuyvenhoven write, “Forgiveness stands at the heart of the Christian faith.” Without it, there is no healing for broken hearts and burned-out souls; parents will fight with children, and brothers and sisters among themselves. No relationship can last without forgiveness, and there is no other way to repair the damage of human interaction. Without forgiveness there is no way to repair our relationship with God either. Forgiveness lies at the heart of the cross. Two arms of wood reach out to embrace all humanity while a vertical post connects heaven and earth. Because Jesus died on those wooden arms, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and the “power of darkness” is destroyed. Our relationship with God is mended and we are “transferred into the kingdom of his beloved Son.” Citizens of this kingdom are forgiven and have the power to be forgiving as well. That’s good news any day!