A Christian's Past, Present, & Future

Colossians 1:21–23 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

An Essential Condition

v.23: “if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

[not only essential that you meet the condition, but also essential to the gospel itself]

Quiz based on Eph. 2:8--Salvation is by grace through _____.

The condition is that you continue in the faith. You can’t switch to a different gospel and expect the true gospel to save you. You can’t start by placing your hope in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross in spite of your works and then shift to placing your hope in your works, plus a little help from Jesus.

This is good news! Three reasons:

The fundamental message of the gospel is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, and you don’t have to wonder if that will ever change. You just have to make sure that you don’t shift your hope to a false gospel (which is what the Colossians were tempted to do.)

If your faith is genuine, it will not shift to a false gospel.

1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Romans 8:38–39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

3. This condition display’s the quality of God’s character. [The gospel does not teach that God ignores your sin; He dealt with it. Justice is served.] Romans 3:26 “[Jesus’ death] was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

How can he be both? [just=judgment; justifier=forgiveness]

Whom does God justify? The one who has faith in Jesus. If God also forgives those who do not have faith in Jesus, God is no longer just, and His character is blemished.

A Christian’s Past