And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Once separated from God and hostile toward Him in mind, a hostility shown in wicked works and evil deeds, those described are now reconciled to Him. This reconciliation comes through Christ in the body of His flesh through death, by redemption through His blood and peace made by the blood of His cross, sufficient for every sinner no matter how great the sin. In reconciling them He gave His life for sinners, planting His cross between heaven and earth to overcome the powers of darkness, dispute Satan's claim to souls and bodies, and reassert God's supreme ownership. Its purpose is to present them holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight, pure and beyond accusation before God, but it is held only as they continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel. All that is required is complete surrender of will and all that one has and is to God, taking hold of the reconciliation by faith in full purpose of heart with assurance of pardon and peace, and showing its power by earnest work for others.
Enmity Reconciled Through Christ
The former state was separation and alienation from God, a condition of being hostile enemies in mind toward Him. That inward enmity was not hidden but revealed, expressed and reflected in wicked works and evil deeds and evil actions.
Those once so alienated are now reconciled to God through Christ in the body of His flesh through death. This reconciliation comes by redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, and by peace made through the blood of His cross. The sacrifice of Christ atones for every sinner, no matter how great the sin.
The Reconciler is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. By Him and for Him were created all things in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. He is before all things, and by Him all things consist, and He is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence. In Him all fullness dwells, and through Him all things are reconciled to Himself, whether things in earth or things in heaven.
In reconciling, He gave His life for the life of sinners. He planted His cross midway between heaven and earth to wrestle with and overcome the powers of darkness. As Restorer and Lifegiver He placed Himself in the enemy's pathway, disputing Satan's right to the souls and bodies of men and women. By this He demonstrated the falsity of Satan's claim to the sovereignty of the world, reasserted God's original and supreme ownership, and cast out Satan the prince of the world.
The purpose of the reconciliation is to present believers holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight. They are made pure and blameless and beyond reproach and beyond accusation before God, prepared to stand holy and blameless in His sight. This presenting is accomplished through Christ's death in His human body.
The reconciliation is held only if the reconciled continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel heard and preached to every creature under heaven. They must continue firmly and steadfastly in the faith and hope of the gospel and not turn from it or abandon it. The Lord remains with His people as they remain with Him, since profession alone does not save.
Even in alienation God's love reaches sinners through Christ, who is the propitiation for sin. Through the Holy Spirit they receive forgiveness and are reconciled to God. Seeing Christ's purity, especially at the cross, reveals the sinner's impurity. That sight leads to hatred of sin, and to taking hold of Jesus by faith and turning from sin to live. In that lost condition of being servants of sin through wicked works and sinful desires, God's love in Christ still reaches them.
By wicked works man alienated himself from God. But Christ gave His life that all who would might be freed from sin and reinstated in the favor of the Creator. He made this great sacrifice prompted by the anticipation of a redeemed, holy universe. Jesus came to ransom those strayed from God and bring them back to His heart of infinite love, seeking those lost and dead in trespasses and sins and strangers and enemies to God.
Living Out Reconciliation
Reconciliation asks for nothing less than complete surrender of thoughts and purposes, will, and all that one has and is to God to be used as He directs, and whoever returns to God with full purpose of heart is assured of pardon and peace. The reconciliation is present and personal, and each person must be reconciled and must take hold of it for himself. Its fruit must be revealed to the world by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that shows unbelievers the power of the truth believed, including the work of carrying the gospel and calling people to obey God's commandments.
The great plan of redemption is to be received with earnest thanksgiving, and God's promises in it never fail for those who constantly watch unto prayer. It is the privilege of everyone to be grounded and settled in the faith and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, holding a faith which works by love and purifies the soul. Believers are to be sanctified in body, soul and spirit, and to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word.
Reconciliation joins divine and human cooperation, for God works in people to will and to act while they work out their salvation. Accepting the truth in genuine faith is the true work of reform, lifting and refining the believer, sanctifying judgment, ennobling character, and preparing for fellowship with Christ, the Father and angels. This reconciliation sanctifies and cleanses the heart from a selfish, covetous spirit, evil passions, sharp practices, oppression, unfair and unfaithful dealing and arbitrary exactions, for Christ will not serve with such dealing. It makes all who possess it truly benevolent, countenancing no littleness and no mean transactions, giving true Christians a nobility that allows none of the cheap, covetous actions that disgrace the doer. It requires men, especially men in responsible positions, to make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, and it calls for intelligent Christians filled with the knowledge of God's will who cherish goodness in the heart, feel the converting power of truth, draw out the threads of selfishness that have marred the pattern, and show by good works that the truth has changed their lives.
Realizing the boundless love Christ has bestowed and the riches God has bestowed on His children softens and subdues the heart and humbles it before God. It keeps self in subjection under the divine Teacher whose subjects believers are and under whose control they ever remain, and it keeps teachers from being quick-tempered, manifesting temper, and punishing harshly children in need of reform. Remembering this reconciliation and one's own shortcomings should humble and soften the heart. In this the Holy Spirit gives the receiver the mind of Christ and helps him resist evil and become a faithful worker for the Lord.
Those to whom Christ has shown mercy and forgiveness must not neglect or despise those He is seeking, but every member of the church must work together with Him to bring back the lost, dead in trespasses and sins and strangers and enemies to God. This reconciliation is part of the saving work needed for people lost in error, for Jesus came to ransom those strayed from God and bring them back to His heart of infinite love. The dearly purchased privileges demand acceptance and decision whether to be followers of God as dear children or servants of the prince of darkness.
Once separated from God and hostile toward Him in mind, a hostility shown in wicked works and evil deeds, those described are now reconciled to Him. This reconciliation comes through Christ in the body of His flesh through death, by redemption through His blood and peace made by the blood of His cross, sufficient for every sinner no matter how great the sin. In reconciling them He gave His life for sinners, planting His cross between heaven and earth to overcome the powers of darkness, dispute Satan's claim to souls and bodies, and reassert God's supreme ownership. Its purpose is to present them holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight, pure and beyond accusation before God, but it is held only as they continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel. All that is required is complete surrender of will and all that one has and is to God, taking hold of the reconciliation by faith in full purpose of heart with assurance of pardon and peace, and showing its power by earnest work for others.
Enmity Reconciled Through Christ
The former state was separation and alienation from God, a condition of being hostile enemies in mind toward Him. That inward enmity was not hidden but revealed, expressed and reflected in wicked works and evil deeds and evil actions.
Those once so alienated are now reconciled to God through Christ in the body of His flesh through death. This reconciliation comes by redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, and by peace made through the blood of His cross. The sacrifice of Christ atones for every sinner, no matter how great the sin.
The Reconciler is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. By Him and for Him were created all things in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. He is before all things, and by Him all things consist, and He is the head of the body, the church, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence. In Him all fullness dwells, and through Him all things are reconciled to Himself, whether things in earth or things in heaven.
In reconciling, He gave His life for the life of sinners. He planted His cross midway between heaven and earth to wrestle with and overcome the powers of darkness. As Restorer and Lifegiver He placed Himself in the enemy's pathway, disputing Satan's right to the souls and bodies of men and women. By this He demonstrated the falsity of Satan's claim to the sovereignty of the world, reasserted God's original and supreme ownership, and cast out Satan the prince of the world.
The purpose of the reconciliation is to present believers holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight. They are made pure and blameless and beyond reproach and beyond accusation before God, prepared to stand holy and blameless in His sight. This presenting is accomplished through Christ's death in His human body.
The reconciliation is held only if the reconciled continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel heard and preached to every creature under heaven. They must continue firmly and steadfastly in the faith and hope of the gospel and not turn from it or abandon it. The Lord remains with His people as they remain with Him, since profession alone does not save.
Even in alienation God's love reaches sinners through Christ, who is the propitiation for sin. Through the Holy Spirit they receive forgiveness and are reconciled to God. Seeing Christ's purity, especially at the cross, reveals the sinner's impurity. That sight leads to hatred of sin, and to taking hold of Jesus by faith and turning from sin to live. In that lost condition of being servants of sin through wicked works and sinful desires, God's love in Christ still reaches them.
By wicked works man alienated himself from God. But Christ gave His life that all who would might be freed from sin and reinstated in the favor of the Creator. He made this great sacrifice prompted by the anticipation of a redeemed, holy universe. Jesus came to ransom those strayed from God and bring them back to His heart of infinite love, seeking those lost and dead in trespasses and sins and strangers and enemies to God.
Living Out Reconciliation
Reconciliation asks for nothing less than complete surrender of thoughts and purposes, will, and all that one has and is to God to be used as He directs, and whoever returns to God with full purpose of heart is assured of pardon and peace. The reconciliation is present and personal, and each person must be reconciled and must take hold of it for himself. Its fruit must be revealed to the world by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that shows unbelievers the power of the truth believed, including the work of carrying the gospel and calling people to obey God's commandments.
The great plan of redemption is to be received with earnest thanksgiving, and God's promises in it never fail for those who constantly watch unto prayer. It is the privilege of everyone to be grounded and settled in the faith and not moved away from the hope of the gospel, holding a faith which works by love and purifies the soul. Believers are to be sanctified in body, soul and spirit, and to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word.
Reconciliation joins divine and human cooperation, for God works in people to will and to act while they work out their salvation. Accepting the truth in genuine faith is the true work of reform, lifting and refining the believer, sanctifying judgment, ennobling character, and preparing for fellowship with Christ, the Father and angels. This reconciliation sanctifies and cleanses the heart from a selfish, covetous spirit, evil passions, sharp practices, oppression, unfair and unfaithful dealing and arbitrary exactions, for Christ will not serve with such dealing. It makes all who possess it truly benevolent, countenancing no littleness and no mean transactions, giving true Christians a nobility that allows none of the cheap, covetous actions that disgrace the doer. It requires men, especially men in responsible positions, to make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way, and it calls for intelligent Christians filled with the knowledge of God's will who cherish goodness in the heart, feel the converting power of truth, draw out the threads of selfishness that have marred the pattern, and show by good works that the truth has changed their lives.
Realizing the boundless love Christ has bestowed and the riches God has bestowed on His children softens and subdues the heart and humbles it before God. It keeps self in subjection under the divine Teacher whose subjects believers are and under whose control they ever remain, and it keeps teachers from being quick-tempered, manifesting temper, and punishing harshly children in need of reform. Remembering this reconciliation and one's own shortcomings should humble and soften the heart. In this the Holy Spirit gives the receiver the mind of Christ and helps him resist evil and become a faithful worker for the Lord.
Those to whom Christ has shown mercy and forgiveness must not neglect or despise those He is seeking, but every member of the church must work together with Him to bring back the lost, dead in trespasses and sins and strangers and enemies to God. This reconciliation is part of the saving work needed for people lost in error, for Jesus came to ransom those strayed from God and bring them back to His heart of infinite love. The dearly purchased privileges demand acceptance and decision whether to be followers of God as dear children or servants of the prince of darkness.