I.     Colossians 1:20 This is our 7th attribute of Christ.

A.  He is the reconciler of all things.

1.    The word "RECONCILE" means, "To reconcile back again, bring back a former state of harmony."

2.    Of course, this is only in reference to those who can be reconciled.

a)    Look at Romans 5:10-11

b)    2 Corinthians 5:17-20

B.  How did he reconcile us? Verse 20, "Having made peace through the blood of His cross."

1.    Turn to Ephesians 2:11-19 (Eph 2:12) says, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the COVENANTS OF PROMISE, having no hope, and without God in the world: (V. 13) but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far of are made nigh by the blood of Christ."

2.    And then in Ephesians 2:15 he says that "he hath abolished in his flesh the enmity, so making peace."

II.   Colossians 1:21-23

A.  After talking about the seventh characteristic of Christ, Paul then develops the theme of the necessity of reconciliation.

1.    Why did we need reconciliation? Because we were alienated and enemies of God.

a)   The Greek can just as easily render it this way, "We were aliens and enemies with your mind through your evil works."

b)    Evil works come through your mind.

2.    The NIV puts it, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of  a your evil behavior. [1]

a)     The foot note to that says, “Were enemies in your minds because of your minds.”

b)    Greek literal says, “The disposition of your mind was bad or evil works.”

3.    Eph 4:18

a)    This litteral says, “There mind was darkened being separated from the Life of God because of ignorance that is in them through the callous covering a sore of (in) their heart.”

B.  Go back to COL 1:21

1.    The last part of the V “yet now hath he reconciled” is really found in most translations including the original Greek in V 22.

C.  So let’s read it through as part of V 22. (COL 1:21b – 22)

1.    Reconciliation of sinners to God is by Christ’s physical body through death,[2] as the NIV puts it.

2.     The Gnostic tendency of the Colossian heresy, with its Platonic orientation, denied both Christ’s true humanity and His true deity.

a)    The NIV of V 22 says, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation”

b)    But there is an if, V 23

WOLCC Thursday, March 20, 2003 & March 27, 2003

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 a Or minds, as shown by

[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Col 1:21-22). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

[2]Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Col 1:22). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.