In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Those who were alienated from God and enemies in mind by wicked works are now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, meaning Christ gave His own life in a real human body as a spotless offering of Himself to God. His sacrifice atones for every sinner and takes away the sin of the world, making peace through the blood of His cross by which all things are reconciled and the righteousness needed to stand before God is provided. Its purpose is to present believers holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, pure and faultless and free from accusation before the Father and the heavenly universe. This is not that the reconciled are already sinless or beyond temptation, but a high attainment made possible by His death that stands only if they continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel. It is reached by God's work joined with human cooperation under the Holy Spirit, and it shows itself in thanksgiving and watchfulness unto prayer, sanctification of body, soul, and spirit, and a life purified from selfishness and unfaithful dealing into goodness, benevolence, and earnest work for saving souls.
Reconciled Through Bodily Death
Those who were sometime alienated from God and enemies in mind by wicked works are now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to be presented holy and blameless and beyond accusation in His sight. That reconciliation reaches those hostile in mind because of evil deeds and makes peace for them so they may stand holy, unblameable and unreproveable before God.
It was accomplished because Christ gave His own life for the life of sinners by dying in a real human body. The One who created and sustains all things gave Himself on the cross, offering Himself to God as a spotless offering whose merits avail for those He came to save. His sacrifice atones for every sinner and takes away the sin of the world. Through the blood of His cross peace was made by which all things on earth and in heaven are reconciled to God, and the righteousness needed for standing before God is provided.
By His death on the cross planted between heaven and earth He disputed Satan's right to the souls and bodies of men and women, demonstrated the falsity of Satan's claim to sovereignty of the world, and reasserted God's original and supreme ownership. There He wrestled with and overcame the powers of darkness and cast out Satan as prince of the world. In that same act Jesus links people separated from God by sin to the Infinite One through His own body. His faithfulness does not fail and His promises remain sure even though people may depart from God and distrust His love.
Presented Holy Without Blame
The purpose of the reconciliation is to present believers holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, that is pure and spotless, blameless and faultless, and free from accusation and beyond reproach before God. This presenting will be before God, before the Father in the kingdom of glory, and before the heavenly universe. The reconciliation is personal and present, requiring each one to have been reconciled and to reveal its fruit in life by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that shows unbelievers the power of the truth believed, and this saving work is central to bringing souls out of error to Christ and to the work for saving souls ready to perish by giving present truth to those in darkness of error.
It does not mean the reconciled are already sinless or beyond temptation; it is a possibility made available by Christ's death in His human body for those once alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works. It is a very high attainment, yet possible to all who learn meekness and lowliness in the school of Christ and put themselves entirely under His control. Everyone who returns to God with full purpose of heart is assured pardon and peace, and to those who remain true the Redeemer will present them holy and unblameable and unreproveable in the presence of His Father in the kingdom of glory, a cheering hope and reward beyond anything in this world. Receiving the truth in genuine faith does not degrade a person; it refines judgment, sanctifies and elevates character, and prepares for fellowship with Christ, the Father, and the angels.
The presentation stands only if believers continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which was heard and preached to every creature under heaven. Having learned the excellent way, believers are to be sanctified in body and soul and spirit, purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word, and no one who exercises faith which works by love and purifies the soul will be moved away from that hope, while God's promises never fail to those who constantly watch unto prayer. Attaining it involves God's work joined with human cooperation in pursuing Christian character. Those who follow Christ make straight paths for their feet so the lame are not turned out of the way, allow no root of bitterness to spring up to injure others, and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling knowing God works in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. With the aid of the Holy Spirit people can govern self, put on Christ, and build a pure, beautiful character in which God can delight, by judging their own defects in serious, earnest self-examination and looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher of faith.
Living Out Reconciliation
Colossians 1:22 sets forth the great plan of redemption God has made known, and it calls for earnest thanksgiving for what has been provided in Christ's reconciling death. Its promises never fail to those who constantly watch unto prayer, having learned the excellent way. Being presented holy and blameless stands only as believers continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel heard and preached to every creature under heaven.
Those reconciled are to be sanctified in body and soul and spirit, purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. This is exercised in a faith which works by love and purifies the soul, and through that faith the Spirit sanctifies believers. No one who lives by that purifying faith will be moved away from the hope of the gospel.
Reconciled holiness has in no case any part with unfair and unfaithful dealing, sharp practices, selfishness and a selfish covetous spirit, oppression, corruption of mind, or arbitrary exactions and demands. Those reconciled have sanctified and cleansed hearts that cherish goodness, are filled with the knowledge of God's will, feel the converting power of truth, and draw out the threads of selfishness from life. They prove by good works that the truth has changed their lives, bearing fruit in true benevolence with heaven's endorsement. True nobility refuses littleness and mean, cheap, covetous transactions that disgrace the doer, and those in responsible positions make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way.
Realizing something of the boundless love Christ has bestowed and the riches God has given His children softens and subdues the heart and humbles it before God. It keeps self in subjection under the control of the divine Teacher, brings awareness of one's own shortcomings, and calls for surrender and obedience to God's will. It removes quick temper and harsh punishment of children in need of reform and allows no root of bitterness to injure others. Christ died to take away the world's sin, and receiving Him is a personal surrender to that will.
Reconciliation is personal and present, requiring each person to have been reconciled and to reveal its fruit in life. That fruit is shown by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that displays to unbelievers the power of the truth believed. It is the work of saving souls ready to perish by giving present truth to those in the darkness of error. Bringing souls out of error to Christ is the result missionary work is meant to accomplish.
Those who were alienated from God and enemies in mind by wicked works are now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, meaning Christ gave His own life in a real human body as a spotless offering of Himself to God. His sacrifice atones for every sinner and takes away the sin of the world, making peace through the blood of His cross by which all things are reconciled and the righteousness needed to stand before God is provided. Its purpose is to present believers holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, pure and faultless and free from accusation before the Father and the heavenly universe. This is not that the reconciled are already sinless or beyond temptation, but a high attainment made possible by His death that stands only if they continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel. It is reached by God's work joined with human cooperation under the Holy Spirit, and it shows itself in thanksgiving and watchfulness unto prayer, sanctification of body, soul, and spirit, and a life purified from selfishness and unfaithful dealing into goodness, benevolence, and earnest work for saving souls.
Reconciled Through Bodily Death
Those who were sometime alienated from God and enemies in mind by wicked works are now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to be presented holy and blameless and beyond accusation in His sight. That reconciliation reaches those hostile in mind because of evil deeds and makes peace for them so they may stand holy, unblameable and unreproveable before God.
It was accomplished because Christ gave His own life for the life of sinners by dying in a real human body. The One who created and sustains all things gave Himself on the cross, offering Himself to God as a spotless offering whose merits avail for those He came to save. His sacrifice atones for every sinner and takes away the sin of the world. Through the blood of His cross peace was made by which all things on earth and in heaven are reconciled to God, and the righteousness needed for standing before God is provided.
By His death on the cross planted between heaven and earth He disputed Satan's right to the souls and bodies of men and women, demonstrated the falsity of Satan's claim to sovereignty of the world, and reasserted God's original and supreme ownership. There He wrestled with and overcame the powers of darkness and cast out Satan as prince of the world. In that same act Jesus links people separated from God by sin to the Infinite One through His own body. His faithfulness does not fail and His promises remain sure even though people may depart from God and distrust His love.
Presented Holy Without Blame
The purpose of the reconciliation is to present believers holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, that is pure and spotless, blameless and faultless, and free from accusation and beyond reproach before God. This presenting will be before God, before the Father in the kingdom of glory, and before the heavenly universe. The reconciliation is personal and present, requiring each one to have been reconciled and to reveal its fruit in life by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that shows unbelievers the power of the truth believed, and this saving work is central to bringing souls out of error to Christ and to the work for saving souls ready to perish by giving present truth to those in darkness of error.
It does not mean the reconciled are already sinless or beyond temptation; it is a possibility made available by Christ's death in His human body for those once alienated and enemies in mind by wicked works. It is a very high attainment, yet possible to all who learn meekness and lowliness in the school of Christ and put themselves entirely under His control. Everyone who returns to God with full purpose of heart is assured pardon and peace, and to those who remain true the Redeemer will present them holy and unblameable and unreproveable in the presence of His Father in the kingdom of glory, a cheering hope and reward beyond anything in this world. Receiving the truth in genuine faith does not degrade a person; it refines judgment, sanctifies and elevates character, and prepares for fellowship with Christ, the Father, and the angels.
The presentation stands only if believers continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which was heard and preached to every creature under heaven. Having learned the excellent way, believers are to be sanctified in body and soul and spirit, purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word, and no one who exercises faith which works by love and purifies the soul will be moved away from that hope, while God's promises never fail to those who constantly watch unto prayer. Attaining it involves God's work joined with human cooperation in pursuing Christian character. Those who follow Christ make straight paths for their feet so the lame are not turned out of the way, allow no root of bitterness to spring up to injure others, and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling knowing God works in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. With the aid of the Holy Spirit people can govern self, put on Christ, and build a pure, beautiful character in which God can delight, by judging their own defects in serious, earnest self-examination and looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher of faith.
Living Out Reconciliation
Colossians 1:22 sets forth the great plan of redemption God has made known, and it calls for earnest thanksgiving for what has been provided in Christ's reconciling death. Its promises never fail to those who constantly watch unto prayer, having learned the excellent way. Being presented holy and blameless stands only as believers continue grounded and settled in the faith and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel heard and preached to every creature under heaven.
Those reconciled are to be sanctified in body and soul and spirit, purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. This is exercised in a faith which works by love and purifies the soul, and through that faith the Spirit sanctifies believers. No one who lives by that purifying faith will be moved away from the hope of the gospel.
Reconciled holiness has in no case any part with unfair and unfaithful dealing, sharp practices, selfishness and a selfish covetous spirit, oppression, corruption of mind, or arbitrary exactions and demands. Those reconciled have sanctified and cleansed hearts that cherish goodness, are filled with the knowledge of God's will, feel the converting power of truth, and draw out the threads of selfishness from life. They prove by good works that the truth has changed their lives, bearing fruit in true benevolence with heaven's endorsement. True nobility refuses littleness and mean, cheap, covetous transactions that disgrace the doer, and those in responsible positions make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way.
Realizing something of the boundless love Christ has bestowed and the riches God has given His children softens and subdues the heart and humbles it before God. It keeps self in subjection under the control of the divine Teacher, brings awareness of one's own shortcomings, and calls for surrender and obedience to God's will. It removes quick temper and harsh punishment of children in need of reform and allows no root of bitterness to injure others. Christ died to take away the world's sin, and receiving Him is a personal surrender to that will.
Reconciliation is personal and present, requiring each person to have been reconciled and to reveal its fruit in life. That fruit is shown by taking hold of God's work with earnestness and energy that displays to unbelievers the power of the truth believed. It is the work of saving souls ready to perish by giving present truth to those in the darkness of error. Bringing souls out of error to Christ is the result missionary work is meant to accomplish.