Colossians 1:20, 21
The Greek word for “reconcile” means, “to bring back to a former state of harmony”. The harmony that God had with Adam, where He walked with him and conversed in the cool of the day, was lost the moment that Adam ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This sin of rebellion caused death to enter Adam, and it put a gulf between God and man. Literally, sin had stolen God’s creation away from Him.
Jesus came to the earth in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), so that He could live every demand of the Law and be viewed in the eyes of His Father as the perfect man. This perfection could then be used as a sacrifice for all of the fallen seed of Adam’s race. Jesus took the sin of the world into His body and was smitten of God at the cross (Isaiah 53:4) as the satisfaction for the stain of sin (1 John 2:2). This act reconciled man back to God. With sin no longer an issue, the only thing separating God and man, is whether or not man will believe.
Remember, Jesus told Nicodemus that condemnation falls on those who “believe not” (John 3:18). He says nothing of condemnation falling on us for sin. Sin has been solved, with Christ’s blood as the solution. Now, we are distanced by our rejection of Christ and his finished work.
Paul said in Colossians 1:20 that God “made peace through the blood of his cross”. This peace is a peace between God and man, not between man and man. Men are not at peace, but God is at peace with men! His wrath was poured out on Jesus at Calvary, so there is no more left for you, unless you reject that sacrifice. Without the cross to take the wrath that is meant for you, “the wrath of God abideth on you” (John 3:36).
Our wicked works caused us to alienate ourselves from God (Colossians 2:21). We were not aliens or enemies, but we thought that we were. Recall, how we have discussed the need to view yourself as His righteousness? When we look only to our works, we alienate ourselves in our minds. The text doesn’t say that God views us this way, but that we do. Because of the finished work of the cross, let’s stop viewing ourselves differently than God does!
Finally, we have been reconciled to God, and given that message as the core of all ministry (2 Corinthians 5:18). God did not need to be reconciled to us; He needed to be propitiated, or satisfied. Christ’s sacrificial work at the cross completely satisfied the Father. You and I needed to be reconciled, for it was us who had sinned. Thank God for the cross and the fact that Jesus has brought us all back to God.
You are a reconciled, adopted, child of God today. Live like it saint!
The Greek word for “reconcile” means, “to bring back to a former state of harmony”. The harmony that God had with Adam, where He walked with him and conversed in the cool of the day, was lost the moment that Adam ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This sin of rebellion caused death to enter Adam, and it put a gulf between God and man. Literally, sin had stolen God’s creation away from Him.
Jesus came to the earth in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), so that He could live every demand of the Law and be viewed in the eyes of His Father as the perfect man. This perfection could then be used as a sacrifice for all of the fallen seed of Adam’s race. Jesus took the sin of the world into His body and was smitten of God at the cross (Isaiah 53:4) as the satisfaction for the stain of sin (1 John 2:2). This act reconciled man back to God. With sin no longer an issue, the only thing separating God and man, is whether or not man will believe.
Remember, Jesus told Nicodemus that condemnation falls on those who “believe not” (John 3:18). He says nothing of condemnation falling on us for sin. Sin has been solved, with Christ’s blood as the solution. Now, we are distanced by our rejection of Christ and his finished work.
Paul said in Colossians 1:20 that God “made peace through the blood of his cross”. This peace is a peace between God and man, not between man and man. Men are not at peace, but God is at peace with men! His wrath was poured out on Jesus at Calvary, so there is no more left for you, unless you reject that sacrifice. Without the cross to take the wrath that is meant for you, “the wrath of God abideth on you” (John 3:36).
Our wicked works caused us to alienate ourselves from God (Colossians 2:21). We were not aliens or enemies, but we thought that we were. Recall, how we have discussed the need to view yourself as His righteousness? When we look only to our works, we alienate ourselves in our minds. The text doesn’t say that God views us this way, but that we do. Because of the finished work of the cross, let’s stop viewing ourselves differently than God does!
Finally, we have been reconciled to God, and given that message as the core of all ministry (2 Corinthians 5:18). God did not need to be reconciled to us; He needed to be propitiated, or satisfied. Christ’s sacrificial work at the cross completely satisfied the Father. You and I needed to be reconciled, for it was us who had sinned. Thank God for the cross and the fact that Jesus has brought us all back to God.
You are a reconciled, adopted, child of God today. Live like it saint!
