RECONCILIATION THROUGH FAITH (COL 1: 21-23)

RECONCILIATION THROUGH FAITH (COL 1: 21-23):

Paul writes to the church of Colossae that they, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Christ has then reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present them holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.  Even as believers and those who had been inherited as the son or daughter of God through our Faith were once been alienated because of our lack of connection with God and disobedience or our sinful nature. Our thoughts were corrupt and devouring ourselves as well as tended to affect others. Sometimes our actions were wrong and followed a lot of destructiveness.  But once we accepted the Lord Jesus as our personal savior, we were reconciled with the Holy God as Christ paid the ransom through a sacrifice once and for all, through physical death. Christ had presented each one who put their faith in him, a relief from the guilt and the pain as well as holiness and consecration before God. Also, reconciliation with God through Christ removes the shame and all that is disgraceful within the self as well as others.

After conveying how the believers reconcile with God without any blemishes, Paul writes that if indeed they continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that they heard, which has proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which, he, Paul, became a minister. Everyone who believes in Christ should continue to have faith in Him constantly with persistence.  There would be times of struggles and suffering, and trustworthy things might be falling and failing, but the believers have to be strong without wavering because of the greatest hope that Christ gives through His life which is the gospel, that the believers had heard not only in words through the people but also in all the creation, for the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handwork.

Paul affirms to the believers of the church of Colossae that he himself had become a minister of Christ through the Life of Christ, His personal encounter towards him to be reconciled with God, and revelation of God’s glory in all the creation.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.      What does the author mean by saying alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds?

2.      Why the author does say that the believers are once alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds?

3.      Who has then reconciled in his body of flesh by his death? How?

4.      Why Christ has reconciled and what is the consequence of it?

5.      What should the believers do, to be reconciled and blameless?

6.      How can we continue in faith, stable and steadfast?

7.      What Hope do we have in the Gospel?

8.      How we can avoid shifting from the hope of the Gospel?

9.      How the Gospel has been proclaimed?

10.  What does Paul say about himself? Why?