Colossians 1:21-29 RECONCILED The basis of the reconciliation of sinners to God has been clearly established. It has been accomplished through the blood of Christ. He gave His life for us on the cross when He offered Himself without blemish or spot to God on our behalf. Now that message is proclaimed to the world through the Gospel. Peace has been made between God and man through the Man, Christ Jesus. The death of the perfect Savior has made this possible on a legal, just, and moral basis. Sin has not been overlooked in any way. It has been dealt with and paid for in full by "the blood of His cross." That is why those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Savior only "glory in the cross." It means to us that the hostility between the saved sinner and God has been removed, and trust is established in the value of the Person and the work of the Savior.
He is the Person who has reconciled us to God. There is no other person who could make that happen. He alone is "holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners." The price He paid in order that reconciliation could be just was that He did it "through death." The wages of sin have been paid for by the death of the only sinless One who was "made sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through Him." The purpose behind His act of reconciliation was to present us holy, without fault or accusation, to God. Our position and condition were that we were enemies who were alienated from God because of our sins. That has been changed completely, and now we are set apart to God and for God. Because we are without blemish positionally because His blood has justified us, we can be absolved from accusations of our unworthiness by virtue of the worth of our Lord and Savior. The proof of reconciliation is lived out in the lives of grateful, redeemed people who are committed to living by faith in Him.
The Lord Jesus Christ died in our place physically. He is not just another intermediary, as the heretics teach. Those who have accepted Him and the forgiveness He gives are established in their lives by the truth of the Gospel being lived out from day to day. God has forgiven us, and we are declared righteous by His grace alone. We are not now moved by those who have their own notions of salvation but are settled in the assurance that when we were saved, we began the journey of hope that assures us of being with the Lord at the rapture of the church or at death. That Gospel message, good news, is the same for every man, woman, and child in the world. It was that message that Paul served when he proclaimed it to both Jews and Gentiles, and for that, he suffered.
The revelation of the mystery of Christ is cause for rejoicing. No one is given a greater advantage over others because of who they are or what religion they might have. And no one is put at a disadvantage because of their background or lack of privileges. The Gospel goes out "unto all," and it is "upon all them that believe." Every person God saves, no matter who they are now or were in the past, is a part of the church, which is the body of Christ. Paul presented Christ to the Colossians as the supreme sacrifice and the preeminent One in reconciliation because of His death for them. He now presents Christ to them in relation to his ministry of the Gospel and the unfolded mystery of Jews and Gentiles being one in the body. He actually rejoiced in his sufferings because it was such a privilege to preach the Gospel to the unconverted and teach the truth of the church to those God saved.
We also have that same privilege in our time and place. It is nothing to be ashamed of if we are called to suffer for the sake of the Gospel and for God's people. It is our responsibility to minister the word of God. No one has the right to add to a finished work, but we are responsible to make it known in doctrine and practice. Believers are members of His body, the church. The Lord Jesus is the Head of the church. No other person has that position or can claim the right to it. Christ is in believers, and believers are in Him, in His body, the church. The riches of this glory are often experienced to a greater degree when there is suffering for the truth rather than an easy life. The true servant presents the Gospel by heralding its truth, giving warnings as to its consequences, and seeking to win souls for the glory of God. But such a servant does not stop there. He is responsible to teach God's word with the intent of encouraging each individual, binding them together with other saints in fellowship, and bringing understanding of the mystery of the church. A true servant is an intercessor as well, who understands the need of men to be reconciled to God.
Labor, to the extent of striving and agonizing, has to be expended in order for this to happen. This is no casual stroll through life. So, when one is suffering in their service of the Gospel and fulfilling the word of God, the message of reconciliation is in us - "Christ in you." The method God uses today is the same as in Paul's day - the public proclamation of the Gospel. The motive behind the service is to present everyone God saves as a mature believer in Christ to Him. In order for this to actually happen, there will be earnest labor to pass on what we have personally experienced to others who need to hear what we know.