"And you, that 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."
Colossians 1:21-22
Part 1
Paul seemed to love to express the truth in long sentences. In our passage for today, our two verses are only a small part of the whole sentence (vv. 21-29). Please read it all.
“And you.”
Paul wrote to the believers in the church at Colossi. Their spiritual condition was the same as with all believers. Can you see yourself in his words here?
“That were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works.”
We were all “once” alienated from God by our sin. The original word for “alienated” means to be “estranged,” it is to be “shutout from one’s fellowship and intimacy.”[1] Our sin made fellowship with God impossible. From the time of Plato, the root word had this meaning “belonging to another”[2] or “transferred to another owner.”[3] The Word of God teaches us that in Adam, we sinned, and consequently, we were born sinners. In his defection from God, we were all given over to another master[4] and held accountable for our part in Adam’s sin. By our choice to continue in sin, we remain alienated from God.
Not only did we “belong to another,” but we were God’s enemies. And we were not just mildly, passively “hateful,” towards God, but we were actively “hostile” against Him. In our minds, in our “imaginations” we were set against the Lord. Our minds were “the seat of our enmity” against Him. Our works were evil and opposed to God. We were lost, as lost could be.
“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18).
And yet He found us and brought us to Himself. He changed our sinful hearts.
“He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts” (Luke 1:51).
The wicked imaginations of our heart He forgave, and He gave us life. We are no longer enemies, but dear friends! And even more than friends, we have become part of His family!
Then Jesus Came[5]
By Oswald J. Smith
One sat alone beside the highway begging
His eyes were blind, the Light he could not see
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
Then Jesus came and bid the darkness flee
Chorus
When Jesus comes, the tempter’s power is broken
When Jesus comes, all tears are wiped away
He takes the gloom and fills my heart with glory
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.
Once enemies, now part of His family. What are His plans for His family? Come back tomorrow and let’s talk about it.
[1] See Thayer’s definition. J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] Guzik, David, David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[4] John 8:44.
[5] The first verse and chorus of “Then Jesus Came,” Words: Oswald Jeffrey Smith (b. November 8, 1889; d. January. 25, 1986), Music: Homer Alvan Rodeheaver (b. October 4, 1880; d. December 18, 1955). Copyright Status: unavailable.