Introduction: Colossians 1:21-23a And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 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 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel Having understood that Jesus has reconciled all things to Himself, we need to progress to the main point of this section that Jesus has reconciled the believers in Colossae to Himself even though they were alienated and enemies. This reiterates the last lesson prior to being believers, Jesus paid for all sin on the cross and reconciled all things to Himself. Since Jesus has reconciled all things, it is a given that He has reconciled believers. So this is considered an emphatic statement to draw their attention from the attribute of Christ to what they have received. In this section we see one of the purposes that Christ has reconciled believers is to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Another act of reconciliation is between believers made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 1. The church is established: the reality of the unity of believers a. Israel and Gentiles under a new banner b. Both groups are reconciled, no longer separate c. We all have access through Jesus to the Father d. We are now counted among the saints and are part of God s household 2. The purpose of reconciliation: we now have privilege and opportunity Context: a. To be presented holy, blameless, and beyond reproach b. To perform good deeds c. To walk in a worthy manner This first lesson will review the reconciliation of believers in the new entity called the church. The problem in the church between believers during the first century is that Jews thought they were superior, in that they had the advantage of being the chosen nation and the ones that were the recipients of the oracles of God (Romans 2-3). This thought was not just a superiority complex for Jewish believers but also acquiescence to Jewish believers by Gentile believers (Titus 1:10-16). Observations: Ephesians 2:1-22 1. Verses 1-3 Similar designation of the believer prior to being saved. 2. Verses 4-10 a. The reconciliation of the believer is captured in the phrase by grace you have been saved.
b. Paul states and restates that the believers were: i. Dead ii. Walked in accordance with Satan iii. Indulging in fleshly desires iv. Children of wrath c. Paul states and restates that God is/has i. Rich in Mercy ii. Loving us iii. Made us alive iv. Saved us by grace, not of works d. The result is that no one can boast e. The purpose is that we perform in good works 3. Verses 11-22 a. Prior to Jesus Christ, these believers were: i. Separate from Christ ii. Excluded from Israel iii. Strangers to the covenant of the promise iv. Having no hope v. Without God b. Now with Jesus Christ, these believers are i. Brought near by the blood sacrifice/atonement of Jesus ii. He is our peace iii. Included in the administration of God iv. Made two into one v. Breaking down the dividing wall (the Law) which separated Jews and Gentiles vi. Peace and reconciliation is now made between Jewish believers and Gentile believers vii. All being reconciled into one new body, the body of Christ viii. All now have access to the Father ix. Fellow citizens with the saints (Colossians 1:12) x. Are of God s household c. The building materials for the house are: i. Jesus is the corner stone ii. The words of the apostles and the prophets iii. Growth through doctrinal understanding iv. Single house, undivided Conclusion: The reconciliation of Jesus Christ is manifold. 1. Mankind to Himself even though we are deserving of punishment due to sin, He paid for it all 2. Creation to Himself we corrupted all of creation, God in human form reestablished rights and will reestablish rule over all creation and cause it to come under subjection to mankind. 3. Jews and Gentiles Now the distinction in this age is believer or unbeliever.
Review: Colossians 1:21-23 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 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 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel Having understood that Jesus has reconciled all things to Himself, we need to progress to the main point of this section that Jesus has reconciled the believers in Colossae to Himself even though they were alienated and enemies. This reiterates the last lesson prior to being believers, Jesus paid for all sin on the cross and reconciled all things to Himself. Since Jesus has reconciled all things, it is a given that He has reconciled believers. So this is considered an emphatic statement to draw their attention from the attribute of Christ to what they have received. In this section we see one of the purposes that Christ has reconciled believers is to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach. Another act of reconciliation is between believers made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 1. The church is established: the reality of the unity of believers a. Israel and Gentiles under a new banner b. Both groups are reconciled, no longer separate c. We all have access through Jesus to the Father d. We are now counted among the saints and are part of God s household 2. The purpose of reconciliation: we now have privilege and opportunity Context: a. To be presented holy, blameless, and beyond reproach b. To perform good deeds c. To walk in a worthy manner This next lesson will be to demonstrate that Jesus will present all believers to the Father as being holy and blameless and above reproach. Exposition: And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds Does this mean that believers are no longer hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds? 1. The correlation between this verse and Ephesians 2:3 is clear: Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
2. Our theological understanding is that when a person believes in Jesus Christ, they have the righteousness of God given to their account. But this does not mean that a believer now has a righteous character. 3. Nevertheless, our theology is not used as the basis for understanding this or any other passage; it is used as a safety net to guard our interpretations. When our reading of a text or the implications of the text contradict our theology, it causes us to revert back to a careful examination of the text. 4. The solution is to understand this passage literally, grammatically, and in reference to the historical context. Let s read the text in the English translations again and make some observations. NIV - Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 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 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. NKJV - And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, KJV - And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, What does the text say in regard to the current behavior of the believer? Nothing. What is the point of the passage? You were alienated and enemies but now through His death He is to present you holy and blameless and above reproach. Therefore, this is a truth statement with a purpose clause. Some may still conclude that a true believer will not engage in wicked works and, if someone is engaged in wicked works, it is evidence that they are not believers. Does it say this? One of the main interpretational flaws in Christendom today is that implication carries as much weight as clear statement. They blur the line between what a text says and what people say its logical inference is. Our method is: what does it say and then, if necessary, refer to the whole of Scripture to discover the meaning (Scripture interprets Scripture) What does this say in accordance with the original Greek text? Καὶ ὑµᾶς ποτε ὄντας ἀπηλλοτριωµένους καὶ ἐχθροὺς τῇ διανοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς
And you once being having been alienated and enemies in the mind in the works (of) the wickedness. ὄντας Accusative Plural Masculine Present Active Participle - εἰµί eimi. When used as a participle it is a status. This is not a doing but who you are. This participle is used as an adjective. ἀπηλλοτριωµένους - Accusative Plural Masculine Perfect Passive Participle. ἀπαλλοτριόω apallotrioō. Having been alienated. This is also used as an adjective describing you. (Ephesians 2:12; 4:18) ἐχθροὺς Adjective Accusative Plural Masculine. Enemies, the same as Romans 5:10 The use of adjectives here describes you and means that this is a designation. The description is not based upon what they do but who they are. It is first demonstrated in the mind and also demonstrated by the works of the wickedness. Six points to this: 1. Historical context to whom is Paul speaking? Greek pagans that have recently come to understand the nature of the one true God and the gifts of reconciliation and eternal life through the person, sacrifice, and promise of Jesus Christ. 2. Without faith, all activity is not of God but is futile and born in wickedness. 3. Being brought up in a moral, Judeo-Christian environment does not exclude the unbeliever from being designated alienated or enemies in mind. 4. How the typical moral unbeliever acts versus the typical pagan unbeliever in First Century Colossae is a very large contrast. 5. We need to try to not use activity as a marker of belief in Jesus Christ. 6. We do need to understand the designation of the unbeliever as being alienated and enemies of God until they become believers. The goal stated here is that Jesus intends to present us holy, blameless, and above reproach. A couple of cross-references to establish continuity: Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 5:25-27; Holy ἅγιος hagios. This is a character of God; this is the same word for saints (Colossians 1:2, 4, 12, 26; 3:12). Blameless ἄµωµος amōmos. This word is used to describe an attribute of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; Jude 24). Paul uses this word to describe those who are in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:4; 5:27). Above reproach ἀνέγκλητος anenklētos. This has a legal connotation and means free from accusation or charge, one who cannot be accused, or one who is free from guilt. In 1 st Timothy and Titus, this is a character trait of an elder or a deacon. But in 1 st Corinthians 1:8, Paul tells the immoral and spiritually divisive church that Jesus will confirm you to the end blameless. The difference between these passages is before whom are they presented blameless? In Timothy and Titus, this quality is before men. But in 1 st Corinthians and Colossians, this is before God. Who is the one that can present us before the Father as being above all accusation?
Romans 8:31-34 Who will bring a charge against God s elect? God is the one who justifies the unjustified, unholy, and ungodly sinners. Verse 23, in the English translations, seems to indicate that this is requisite to being presented. The conjunction here is εἴγε eige and is an intensified form of the 1 st class conditional sentence and should be understood as since. The verb you continue is ἐπιµένω epimenō and is an intensified form for the word remain or stay and, in the Present Active Indicative form, it indicates status you are in, stayed in, the faith. Firmly established is a Perfect Participle describing these believers. The Perfect tense indicates that the action has been performed in the past and the results are continuous. With the participle, this indicates not just what happened but who they are. Not being moved away from the hope of the Gospel. The if in Greek versus an if in English can create a very different connotation. Is there a call to remain in the faith elsewhere? Is there an expectation to stand firm in truth? Is there a prayer of Paul that one does not move away from hope? Absolutely, but this context is not a call to action but a certainty. Believers are holy, blameless, and above reproach before the Father only because of who they are in Jesus Christ. There is no action, no fidelity, and no maintenance of faith that can increase our standing with the Father. What this will lead to is a call to walk in Him: Colossians 2:6-7; 3:1-2, 5-8, 12-15, 17 Just as Paul has done in previous letters, he takes the church at Colossae through a doctrinal understanding of who they are in Christ, truth upon truth, then encourages them to act in accordance with who they are.