After declaring to the
Colossian church members the peace with God that was made possible by
Jesus shedding His blood on the cross, Paul the apostle told them all
things were “reconciled” to Jesus through His sacrifice.
“All things” both visible and invisible were brought back
or “bought” back to God through the purchase price of Jesus'
blood. In chapter one and verse twenty one Paul shows how the church
members in Colosse were “alienated” and “enemies”
of the Lord, but now they are “reconciled” to Him. We
read:
And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now has he
reconciled
The verse begins, “And
you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works,...” Paul
reminds the Colossians of their previous status with God - “sometime
alienated” which means
“estranged or shut out from one's fellowship and intimacy”
and “enemies” or
“hated, odious, hateful, hostile, hating, and opposing another”
“in your minds” which refers to “understanding, feeling,
desiring, spirit, way of thinking and feeling, thoughts, either good
or bad”. Paul then adds how they demonstrated their adverse ways to
God - “by wicked works” or “bad, of a bad nature or
condition, evil and wicked act, deed, or thing done.” The actions
of the Colossians not only alienated them from the Lord, but also
made them as enemies to Him.
The verse continues, “yet
now has he reconciled” Paul
begins this next section of the verse with “yet”
which means “but, moreover, by distinction and exception” “now
has he reconciled” or “brought
back again or bring back a former state of harmony”. Though
the Colossian church members were once the enemies of God and
alienated from Him, they were now brought to a place of “harmony”
with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
As we ponder these words,
our hearts should be rejoicing to the reconciliation with God that
has been afforded by Jesus Christ. We, like unto the Colossians, were
“alienated”, estranged from, and shut out with intimacy
with God because of our hated, wicked and opposing thoughts and ways.
We were as “enemies” to the Lord, however, because of
Jesus Christ shedding His blood upon the cross at Calvary, we can be
“reconciled” with Him. Although Paul desired to show how
Jesus was deity because of the influence of the Gnostic heresy, we
gain the benefit of knowing Jesus' activities to bring all who will
back into a relationship with God. May we enjoy our state of
reconciliation, and may the Lord help us to realize what a
magnificent sacrifice He made on our behalf.
Next
time Paul will share the reasons why the church members of Colosse
were reconciled,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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