Nov 11, 2018
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:18-22
This glorious passage about the supremacy of Christ speaks of His relationship to God the Father ("the image of the invisible God" - v 15) … His relationship to creation ("firstborn of [over] all creation" - v 15) … His relationship to the church ("head of the body - v 18). In Christ "all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (v 19) "that in everything he might be preeminent" (v 18). The exaltation of Christ in these verses is relevant to our age which, without a shred of awe, casually demotes Christ to a position of noble humanity … to be respected, but not to be worshipped.
As God in flesh, Jesus was/is uniquely qualified to reconcile us to God. The plan of God the Father was to draw some people to Himself as His children and He does this by "making peace by the blood of his [Christ's] cross" (Col 1:20). There is no more momentous act possible regarding our lives because we were all "alienated and hostile in mind" to God. This is significant because we must all stand before the God who made us, either as an enemy or as a child. There is no third option.
What could be more hope-producing and peace-fostering and joy-creating than the thought of being presented before the Almighty as "holy and blameless and above reproach" (Col 1:22)? This is reconciliation with God and there is no life without it.