“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight — if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”Colossians 1:19-23
It was the plan of God the Father to send His only-begotten Son into the world, a true man, to make peace between God and man by shedding His holy and precious blood upon the cross for the sins of the whole world. And that is what Jesus has done through His death and resurrection. He took the sins of all mankind upon Himself and paid in full the just punishment, reconciling the word of sinners to God. His resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for sin.
The people of Colosse, as well as you and me, were at one time separated from God and alienated from Him in our minds because of wicked works. Instead of loving God and gladly and willingly seeking His perfect will, we were all in rebellion against Him and went our own way, desiring and doing what we deemed to be pleasing and best for us at the moment.
But even while we were yet in rebellion against our God and Maker, He gave His Son to redeem us, pay for our sins and accomplish our reconciliation (cf. Romans 5:6-11). The Colossians – and you and me – were reconciled “in the body of His flesh through death.”
And why did Jesus die for our sins, and the sins of the world? Why did He accomplish our reconciliation and the reconciliation of all mankind? That He might present us “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Jesus died on the cross and paid the just punishment for your sins and my sins – indeed, for the sins of the whole word – that He might present us to Himself without sin and unblameable in His sight! Jesus paid the penalty for your sins and mine that He might pardon and forgive us and present us to the Father free of all sin and guilt.
And how does this forgiveness and reconciliation become our own? How do we appropriate it for ourselves? How can we be presented holy and righteous and unblameable in His sight? Through faith in Jesus! This pardon and forgiveness, this reconciliation accomplished by Christ Jesus, becomes our own simply by believing the Word of God which tells us we are reconciled and forgiven through Jesus’ blood shed for us on the cross! That is how the believers in Colosse became saints in God’s eyes, and that is how you and I can be presented holy and righteous before our heavenly Father.
It is as Paul says, “If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven” The Holy Spirit worked faith in the Colossian believers’ hearts and He continues to call us to faith in Jesus yet today. It is “faith of the working of God” (Colossians 2:12 from the Greek).
Jesus, God the Son in human flesh, reconciled the whole world of sinners to the Father by His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. He reconciled the Colossians, and He reconciled you and me, by paying in full upon the cross. In Jesus, your sins and my sins are paid for and forgiven. In Jesus, we can be presented before God the Father holy and without blame. Simply trust in Jesus – He has done it all and we are complete in Him! Believe what God tells you in His Word. By the working of God’s Spirit, trust that in Jesus, no matter how great your sins have been, you have forgiveness and life in God’s eternal kingdom. Trust that in Jesus you are indeed “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Why, because you are for Jesus’ sake!
O Jesus precious Savior, thank You for going to the cross and shedding Your holy and precious blood to redeem me and make me acceptable and righteous in Your sight. Grant me faith to trust in Your pardon and forgiveness, and preserve me in that faith unto life everlasting. Amen.