This is a picture taken in the Mamertime prison in Rome, Italy. This is Paul's prison. It's visited by millions of people every year. We were there a few days ago and took this picture. The white square you see on the wall is called a "Titilum" - a Latin word for title. The ancient Romans wanted to make sure that a person knew what the charges that caused them to be put in prison. So, they would nail the charges to the titilum. When Jesus was crucified they put his charges above his head on the cross. Luke's gospel records the "titilum" above the head of Jesus on the cross, "There was a written notice above him, which read: This is the King of the Jews" (Luke 23:38).

I find it very interesting that in Paul's prison we see the titilum. What were the charges against Paul? Whatever they were they were trumped up. Paul would preach the Gospel and people would receive Christ as their Savior and this would normally cause others to become upset. Usually, they were upset because they were losing money - like the silversmiths in Ephesus. So the charges against Paul were not for committing a crime but for preaching the Gospel.

I believe Paul was thinking about the titilum when he wrote the following: "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of you sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-14).

I believe Paul would stare at the charges nailed to the titilum and praise God because Jesus Christ took away what stood opposed to us by nailing it to His cross! We've been forgiven. We've been set free. Charges that were trumped up or real have been taken away by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We have victory because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross! Guilt is gone. Sin is gone. Charges against us have been nailed to his cross and we bear them no more! Verse 15 says, "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

Perhaps you are letting a title keep you locked up. Real or imagined, Christ has nailed it to his cross and given you victory. Don't think about the title, think about the Christ and the cross. We are alive in Him, forgiven in Him and we have victory in Him.

Hallelujah for the cross!