Today, we will be looking at the concluding point Paul is making to his readers. This point is extremely important for the reader to understand. Eternity with or without God weighs in the balance. Paul has set the foundation that God is The Rescuer of mankind, Jesus is fully God, Jesus is The Messiah (The Christ), and now he states the responsibility of the believer to remain believing in The Messiah for salvation. Let us take a closer look.
NAU Colossians 1:21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in engaged in evil deeds,
In verse 20, Paul mentioned that it was through the blood of Jesus’ death on the cross that brought reconciliation between God and all things on earth and in heaven. Now he is directing the eyes of the reader to understand the position that everyone was in before Jesus died for them. We see this in the words “were formerly alienated”. This phrase is made up of two participles and an adverb. The adverb “formerly” is designating a period of time. The second participle is “alienated” which is in the Perfect Passive Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Plural form. This tells us that the subject is receiving the action of the participle and is modifying the verb and refers to the word “you”.
Paul wants the readers to understand that they were separated from God, because of sin, and the enemies of God. They did not want anything to do with Him. Nothing that they did was desirous of wanting God or of pleasing Him. It was the exact opposite. However, God in His infinite love desired to be at peace and in relationship with His creation, therefore, sent Jesus The Messiah (Christ) to bring the possibility of this relationship with His creation once again.
NAU Colossians 1:22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach–
He continues the point by using the conjunction “yet” and turns the direction of time to the present by using “now”. The verb “has . . . reconciled” is in the Indicative Aorist Active 3rd person singular form. This tells us that it was a factual event, the subject is doing the action, and 3rd person singular tells who the subject is. In this context Jesus is the subject. Paul is pointing out that it was not the people’s doing that caused the reconciliation and peace between God and mankind. It was God that reconciled people by and to Himself. They were enemies of God but now there is peace between Him and them.
Paul explains how this reconciliation has occurred and the reason why it did. It was in the death of Jesus’ physical body. The reason is to present them holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. Here we see the contrast of what we were, enemies of God, and now have become holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. Jesus took the blame for our sins when He was crucified on the tree (the cross). That sacrifice only needed to occur once and then the judgment of death for sin was complete. Now we can go to God knowing that we are forgiven because of Jesus. Thus we are holy, blameless, and beyond reproach before God.
NAU Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was a minister.
In the concluding verse of this passage, Paul ties everything together here. After setting the foundation of God lovingly reaching out to His creation to save it from death through His Son Jesus, Paul directs the focus of responsibility onto the believer now. It is here Paul wants to drive the critical point of salvation to the reader.
He uses the conditional particle “if” in conjunction with “indeed” for emphasis to stress the following idea. The verb “continue” is in the Indicative Present Active 2nd person plural. This tells us that it is reality, the subject is doing the action in the present time, and he is specifically talking to all of those who are reading the letter.
The idea here is that their belief in Jesus is secure and deep rooted. Paul uses three words as adjectives describing the subject of the sentence. In this case it is the believer. Each word gives a slightly different characteristic of them. The words “firmly established” in the Greek have the idea of a foundation. “Steadfast” has the idea of not moving from a position. And “not shifting” has the idea of not being moved away from something. In this case, they are to be firmly rooted in the hope of the gospel (salvation, the forgiveness of sins, through The Messiah Jesus) and this is done through faith.
Paul adds that they have heard the gospel from Him personally. Because of this, the gospel that they have heard is the truth and not mixed with false doctrines.
The idea relayed is that those who are reading this letter are already convinced that Jesus is The Messiah. They are secure in their belief. Paul is now urging them to continue in this assurance so that they may not be persuaded otherwise. If they continue believing in Jesus for salvation then they will be friends of God but if not then they will have turned their backs on what God has done and have begun walking once again as enemies of God.
Isn’t it amazing to know that we are friends of The Almighty God and this not based on our own merit trying to earn His love, but only by His love for us shown to us through Jesus Christ (The Messiah). He desires to be our friend. He desires us to be apart of His family. He desires to love us intimately and personally. He wants this with His creation that was once His enemy. What a wonderfully, loving, and compassionate God He is.
May we be forever drawn to Him by His tender love and in return love Him with the choices in our lives. Now may, by the power of His Spirit living in us, we choose to live to love Him moment by moment.
Love Daniel
Posted on May 22nd, 2007 by Daniel
Filed under: Truth To Live By