The Goal and Condition of Reconciliation Colossians 1:19-23 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
When Christ died on the cross, he completed the work of reconciliation through the shedding of his blood. Reconciliation is to make friends out of enemies. He arranged a permanent peace treaty. That reconciliation took care of things in earth (thief on the cross, 1000’s saved in Acts, Ethiopian eunuch, Philippian jailor, etc.) and things in heaven (OT saints taken up in Eph 4:8, Moses, Elijah, and Enoch, too). And it took care of the Colossians later v. 21, “And you…now.” And it takes care of us now, II Cor 5:18-21, the ministry of reconciliation. We were enemies by wicked works (v. 21): Rom 5:10, enemies; Rom 5:8, sinners; Rom 5:6, ungodly; Eph 2:2-3,12. Besides making us friends at peace with God, what is the goal of this reconciliation? TO PRESENT YOU IN HIS SIGHT:
- Holy – I Pet 1:15, be holy; I Pet 2:9, holy nation; Heb 12:10, this holiness requires chastening
- Blameless – I Cor 1:8, blameless; Gal 2:11, although Peter was blamed for dissimulation; Phil2:12-15, takes a “work out” and “fear and trembling”
- Unreprovable – Jn 3:20; II Cor 5:10, he judges what we’ve done whether good or bad; II Tim 4:2, preaching designed to take care of that down here. That is why many don’t like hard preaching
And what is the condition of achieving this goal? If ye continue
- Grounded and settled in the faith – I Pet 5:8-10, tried by devil till you are settled; Eph 3:17, grounded in love
- Close to the hope of the gospel – Tit 2:13, Christ is our blessed hope; Mk16:15, every creature; Eph6:15, feet shod with the gospel of peace
If you don’t do the above, then you will not be holy, blameless, and unreprovable at the Judgment Seat of Christ