04 Reconciled in Christ

Because context is so important to a proper reading and understanding of Scripture, we see a great connection between the following passage where we concluded our study last week, and this current message:

Colossians 1:15

Because Jesus is of the same essence of the Father, He is therefore, very much God.

The contextual importance is seen, as Paul establishes that Jesus is Creator of all things:

1 Jesus is Creator

Colossians 1:16-18

This passage itself, shows that Jesus is not a created being, or even the greatest of God’s creations, but that Jesus is the Creator of all:

Colossians 1:16

The Father granted Jesus the privilege of being the author of creation.

In the original Hebrew, the phrase “all things created” means “stand created” or “remain created”.

Next, Paul then addressed the “orders” of those things created by Christ:

Colossians 1:16

In that verse, Paul provides a glimpse into the various orders found in the spiritual world. This covers both the obedient, as well as fallen angels (demons), and shows the various areas of responsibility and power they have.

Because Jesus is the creator of all, it shows that even Lucifer (Satan) is a created being who is inferior to Jesus, and is not his evil equal as some might suggest.

The idea of all things being created “for” Jesus, speaks of them being created “for His glory”.

Verse 17 shows how everything “consists” or is literally held together by Jesus. This continues the thought shown earlier, that everything continues in and through Him.

In verse 18, Paul then directs the focus from Paul’s sovereignty over creation, to His headship over the church.

Because Jesus is the head of the church, it shows that He has the ultimate power and authority in it. And therefore, it shows that there is no other intercessor or mediator between God and man other than Jesus:

1 Timothy 2:5

Paul then resumed by speaking of Christ’s qualifications for headship of the church. He refers to Him as “firstborn from the dead”. That term refers to the Jesus’ resurrection.

By defeating death and the grave, Jesus was showing that He is undefeatable, and therefore that would translate to His church.

2 Reconciled in Christ

Paul then showed, that as part of the Father’s plan for redemption, He desired that His Son might receive the glory:

Colossians 1:19-23

Paul’s statement that the Father was “pleased” that His “fullness” should dwell in the Son, showed two things in particular:

• Everything done by God is intentional
• The Father desired that the Son would be glorified, and would be the representative of the Godhead.

Paul would speak to this again later in Colossians:

Colossians 2:9

On several occasions, Paul used the word “fullness”. He used the Greek verb plēroō which speaks of completeness. This shows how Jesus remained fully God in every way while upon earth.

That idea was so powerful, especially when combined with what is seen in earlier passages in the chapter:

• Jesus is the member of the Trinity who created everything.
• Next, we see He remained fully God while upon the earth.

This is a wonderful picture of God’s amazing love for us, that He would send the very one who created us to dwell among us:

John 1:14

Next, Paul then emphasized his point, by stating that the “fullness” of the Father dwells in Jesus.

The particular Greek word he used for dwell is the word katoikēsai which means to permanently abide, or to remain lastingly.

So, with that statement, we are shown the deity of Christ did not (and could not) depart when He left heaven and dwelt on earth.

In verse 20, Paul then mentioned another aspect of the Father’s redemptive plan, as He showed Jesus to be the One who reconciles to God, those who’ve been estranged by sin:

Colossians 1:20

All men are in need of being reconciled to God, because by nature, all men are sinners, and therefore estranged from the Lord:

Romans 3:23

But the need for reconciliation with God, goes beyond just sinful mankind. The Bible declares that because the earth is Satan’s current home, the earth itself is corrupt, decaying and in need of a form of reconciliation to God:

Romans 8:21

At the end of this current age, God will once again assume the role of Creator, as He will create an new heaven and earth, thus reconciling all things to Himself.

Verse 20 concludes showing that peace with God may only obtained through Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary, which Paul also detailed in his epistle to the Romans:

Romans 3:24-24

And:

Romans 5:10

In verses 20-22 of Colossians chapter one, Paul showed how the believer is made “righteous” or blameless in the Father’s eyes, because of the Son’s sacrifice.

Prior to salvation, there is alienation with God due to our state of sin. In the Greek, it literally means “owned by another” showing that we are under complete control of Satan, which at the same time makes us enemies of God.

But once we are reconciled, we are then presented before the Lord as “holy and blames” and therefore “above reproach in His sight”.

Verse 23 shows the importance of continuing in the faith, which shows how a believer has the responsibility to abide in Christ.