on the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, have been reconciled to God by Him; through His death: He states: “And you that were sometime (formerly) alinated and enemies in the body of His flesh through death . . .” These words are addressed to believers, and to be lievers only, for the Epistle in which they are found written to “ The saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse . . | and who possessed, “ faith in Christ Jesus,” and “ love to all the saints,” and “hope.” To have faith in Christ, and love to His people, and hope based on His promises, is to be a Christian, and shows that we have been reconciled to God by the death of His Son. The Lord Jesus accomplished this wonderful work of reconciliation “ in the body of His flesh through death,” God declares. It was the Saviour’s death in our stead upon the Cross that made possible our reconciliation with God. The instant we who believe on Christ, put our faith in the efficacy of His substitutionary sacrifice, that in- "THE LONGER WAY"
all those who trust Him, “ holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight,” before the throne of His Father in heaven. He will present us “holy,” which means pure, up right and separate from sin. God the Father is called “ The Holy One of Israel” ; Christ “ The Holy One of God,” because in Him is no sin. The Spirit is called “ Holy” because He is God and is without sin. Some day, we who have been reconciled to God by faith in His Son are going to be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Then He will present us to His Father! How wonderful that will be! Christ will also present those of us who believe on Him, “unblameable.” “The .Greek word amomos trans lated unblameable means “ without blemish.” It is the regular word used time and again in the Old Testament to describe what the sacrifices had to be in order to be acceptable to God. Peter uses it of Christ Himself in 1 Peter 1:18-19 where He reminds us that we were not redeemed with silver and gold from our vain'manner of life . . . “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Christ died on the cross in order to present us to the Father “ without blemish.” The Lord Jesus died on the cross to reconcile us to God in order that He might also present us “unreprove able in His sight.” The Greek word, anegkletos means that which cannot be accused justly. The word describes one against whom no charge can be made justly. The reason no charge can be brought against the believer is that Christ died for us and satisfied all God’s claims against us who believe. In Romans 8:33 God asks: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is Christ that justifieth. Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” It was that we might be “unreproveable in His sight,” that Christ reconciled us to God by His death. 4. Finally, God adds an important “ if” to what He has been saying about our reconciliation and ultimate presentation before Him in heaven. We are reconciled and shall be presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight,” “ IF, we continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel” which we have heard. The “faith,” in which we are to continue, is the body of teaching made known to us in the Bible “ The faith once for all delivered unto the saints.” We are to continue in it by continuing to believe it and by continuing to hold fast to the hope based on God’s prom ises in the New Testament. Those who continue in the faith show it by living godly lives in obedience to God’s commands. To summarize, in the three wonderful verses that form our text, Paul states four great facts about Christ’s death for our sms, that we should ever remember; and for which we should never cease to praise God: 1. That before we were saved we were “ alienated and enemies in our mind” by reason of “ wicked works;” 2. That Christ reconciled us to God “ In the body of His flesh through death;” 3. That His purpose in so doing was that He might “ present us holy, and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight;” 4. That we enjoy this reconciliation and shall be pre sented in heaven, “ I f ’ we “Continue in the faith grounded and settled and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which we have heard.” Have you obtained this reconciliation by faith in Christ who died for you?
There will be deserts In that way, The longer way, the Lord's own way; The Red Sea lies across the road, The foe pursues by night and day; There will be Marah's bitterness, There will be hunger, thirst and fear, The fiery serpent's deadly sting, And many a sigh and many a tear. But God goes with us on that way, The longer way, the desert way; There will be paths made through the sea, The fire by night, the cloud by day; There will be Horeb's smitten rock And Elim's palms and Moses' song, The tree that sweetens bitter streams, And manna ail the way along. And there is war the other way, The nearer way, the pleasant way; And foes too strong for us to meet, And darkness where our feet might stray; So let us choose the wilderness, The longer way the Lord has gone, For there His presence gives us peace, And there His hand shall lead us on. Annie Johnson Flint
stant we were reconciled to God, and accepted by Him as though we never had sinned! I think Paul emphasizes that we have been “ reconciled to God in the body of His flesh through death,” lest any should imagine that we have been reconciled by His incarnation, or by His beautiful example, or by His resurrection. It is the Sav iour’s death that purchased our salvation, and that alone. 3. In the third place, Paul states the purpose of the reconciliation we who believe on Christ have obtained by faith in Him: He says: “And you who were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.” I think the “ presenting” he refers to will take place in the future, when the Lord Jesus Christ will present
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