Colossians 1:19-23
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 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. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 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.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 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. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 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.
All of God was in the man Jesus Christ. Only God Himself could reconcile who we are with Himself, estranged from birth by our sin, and satisfy His wrath on that rebellious nature of the first disobedient Adam in us. As His enemies, we find forgiveness and peace with God possible by His suffering death on a tree, for “cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree,” as it is written. Jesus became our curse by taking God’s wrath for us, wiping out the requirements of working for forgiveness and instead putting His Law into our very being. No longer alienated by our sin, no longer enemies by His work on the cross, we are seen in Christ’s righteousness to be truly right with God, holy and beyond further accusation. Therefore we follow on by this faith given, exercising it daily to put to death remaining sin. We are grounded on the solid rock of the gospel, on Christ Himself, and need no longer be moved from that hope and peace as we obey from a willing heart without fear of eternal punishment. This is the good news we have heard preached to us and which we are to tell forth to all others.
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