Holy and Blameless in Reconciliation

Colossians 1:21-22 “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight”

I continue in my short Bible Study through the first chapter of the book of Colossians. The lesson states that having spoken of the majesty and supremacy of Christ which undergirds the fact that He is sufficient for salvation and spiritual growth, Paul begins to outline the benefits that come to those who put their trust in the Savior. Since the apostle has just finished speaking of the cosmic reconciliation effected through the sacrifice of Christ, it is natural that he should personalize this subject for his audience by looking at how this reconciliation applies in the lives of his readers.

Paul accomplishes this by contrasting the condition of the Colossians before they knew Christ with their life after coming to faith. The picture of their life prior to Jesus is as bleak as can be. Alienation from and hostility toward the true God defined the Colossians’ lives, along with evil deeds, which were the natural outflow of their condition. But, the study points out that this was not true only of the believers in Colossae; it is the natural condition of all human beings prior to God’s gracious call by the Spirit to follow Christ. It is popular both inside and outside the church to see people, for the most part, confused about who the true God is. Yet Scripture tells a far different story. Unregenerate people are not merely confused about the Lord, they hate Him and will do all they can to suppress the truth about who God is and who they truly are in their sin nature. We were like this before we knew Jesus as our Savior and our adoption into God’s family, and recognizing this fact helps us understand the depth of His love for us.

Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Our condition as those reconciled to the Father, however, is far different, for Jesus died for us with the purpose of transforming us from profane, blameworthy enemies of God into holy, blameless saints (those who have been sanctified). Completing this transformation is the goal of the Christian life, though this goal will not be achieved until that day in which we are glorified. Still, there is real progress toward that end, for we are in Christ and have His Spirit working within us. This holiness is nothing more than begun in us, and is indeed every day making progress, but will not be perfected until Christ shall appear for the restoration of all things.

This lesson concludes that being declared righteous in Christ, we are accepted into the kingdom of God by faith alone without any consideration of our works. Still, those who are declared righteous begin to act righteous, and we grow in love for our Savior and personal holiness throughout our Christian walk. There is no believer God is not working to make holy and blameless, so none of us should despair that He will not discipline and purify us fully and finally.