Colossians 1:21-23

Colossians 1:21-23  Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.  This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. 

As a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1), Paul constantly proclaimed the Good News to all who would hear.  Rather than tearing down the church by merely listing their faults,  Paul focussed more on the total sufficiency of Christ and the completeness of God's grace gifts to bring a lost creation into relationship with him through his beloved Son.  In today's verses, he tells the Colossians, even though they were alienated from God and were enemies of their creator, God conceived an amazing eternal plan: creating children of God, making them righteous, holy in his sight, by the blood of his only begotten Son.  Paul emphasizes their new position in and through Jesus Christ: born again, made perfect, without blemish--holy before the Abba Father's eyes.  Through him [Jesus Christ] all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  (John 1:3)  Jesus created children of God, a new creation from a fallen race.  Paul will not preach any other gospel or allow any false doctrine to share the spotlight.  He says this is the gospel that you have heard.  To satisfy the wrath of God on all sin and unrighteousness, Jesus willingly suffered agony and shame, endured the cross, and went to the grave dependent upon the Holy Spirit to raise him victoriously to eternal life.  Now, ALL who have faith in Christ's death and resurrection receive the reward of eternal life as adopted members of his family.  As joint heirs with Christ, we also receive power from on high that we might be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  We put on the full armor of God that through Christ we might defeat the devil’s schemes.  (See Ephesians 6)  When Paul wrote his encouragements, exhortations, and corrections to the various churches, he believed in them so confidently, he could pen the words while under house arrest, in chains, or facing death.  He gave Timothy sound advice when he told him to keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist. . ..  (2 Timothy 4:5)

Paul's saw the church of the living God joyfully going forward by power of the Spirit, sacrificially doing the work of the Lord.  Therefore, he reminds the Colossians they were once alienated from God. . .enemies.  Since the fall of mankind, an innate spirit of rebellion, the desire to rule, to reign, and to replace God as the highest authority in creation has motivated humans.  In the Old Testament account of people trying to build a great tower, when God surveyed what they were doing, He knew the intent of their hearts.  He knew they wanted to usurp his power and authority, so he separated them.  The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”  (Genesis 11:6-7)   Clearly, God believed separation was necessary to prevent these people from carrying out their evil desire to be gods, to know what God knows, perhaps even create life.  In our age, through the universal language of the computer, people have broken through barriers thought impossible only a few years ago.  Computers provide almost instantaneous access to retrieve all the information ever printed on any subject in seconds and minutes.  Within a brief period, we can electronically contact and connect the brightest minds in the world to discuss a problem or to explore and to expand the boundaries of knowledge in any area.  Consequently, mankind is handling the basic elements of life, reality, and the universe to a degree that boggles an average person's understanding and intellect.  What is consciousness?  What causes aging, sickness, death?   We have found new particles traveling faster than light, undermining our previous understanding of time.  Some believe we are close to the frontiers of time travel and parallel universes--knocking on heaven's door.  Fallen man wants to know what God knows--to be as He is  Who needs a righteous God if we can be as He is on our own?  Some religions claim after death we will reach the metaphysical heights of ruling as gods with our own universe and planets.  As Isaiah proclaimed long ago, We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  (Isaiah 53:6)  Individually and collectively human beings have wandered far from God, each turning toward the way of the world for our answers, rejecting God's supremacy and his salvation plan.  The Bible says, There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.  (Proverbs 16:25)

Paul asks these new converts, "Have you forgotten you were born far from God: you are enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior?"  Paul often contrasts flesh and spirit.  Writing to Timothy, he says, Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. . .Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  Then he warns of the last days when people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.  (2 Timothy 2:19 & 22, & 3:2-5)   We all see the enemies of God.  We encounter hateful, spiteful, rude, unthankful, lying, untrustworthy, and faithless people.  Sadly, we see those traits in ourselves when we stray from the Lord, go our way.  Rebellion against God leads to death, now and in the life to come.  Jesus is the Way.  We say it again: the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all!  God loves sinners!  Jesus is the Good Shepherd: He loves and cares for his sheep.  He bore the penalty to ransom us from sin and death to live eternally with him.  He hides and protects us inside himself as the ever-flowing fountain of his blood cleanses us.  Jesus made us holy in God's eyes: he has reconciled you (us) by Christ’s physical body through death to present you (us) holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.  Since Jesus perpetually washes away our sins, God no longer has a case against us.  WE ARE PERFECT FOREVER BECAUSE HE IS PERFECT.  God sees us as He sees his son, with great pleasure.  What angel could have thought of such a great redemption plan: The unredeemable created anew at the hands of Jesus the Creator!  He not only died so we could live, He gives us his robe of righteousness.  We have freedom, protection, right standing with Father God forever.  As blood-bought children of the Most-high God, we come boldly to the throne of grace, knowing we have a  glorious inheritance through Christ our Lord.  Hold fast to the TRUTH dear ones.  Rejoice in your salvation.  Let your light shine: loving, forgiving, comforting, encouraging, serving, and growing where God has planted you to bring forth a harvest of the fruit of the Spirit.  God has bountifully blessed you with grace gifts.  May we share his hope, love, peace, joy, and salvation plan today.  Precious partakers of this meal, be established and firm, continuing in the faith as servants of the Lord, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.