Colossians 1:21–23 …He Has Now Reconciled In His Body of Flesh by His Death…

Colossians 1:21–23 …He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death…

Introduction

We love stories of redemption. A man on the brink of ruin is saved by a friend. A woman facing impossible odds is given a second chance. These are the moments that stir something deep within us, because they echo a truth far greater than any earthly tale. They are shadows of what God has done for every believer in Jesus Christ.

You were once without hope. You were guilty. You were living in darkness. But now, through Christ, you have been reconciled. This is not an abstract idea. It is a real transaction with eternal implications. Jesus has taken your sin and given you his righteousness. He has taken your alienation and given you access to the Father. You have a new life with eternal meaning, secured by his death.

1. Transferred from Guilty to Innocent (Colossians 1:21–22)

Paul reminds the Colossians that they were once alienated, hostile in mind, and doing evil deeds. But something miraculous has happened. Jesus has now reconciled them in his body of flesh by his death in order to present them holy and blameless and above reproach before God.

This is not symbolic language. A real transfer has occurred. You receive the rewards of Christ while he absorbs the punishment of your sin. This is the foundation of salvation. It is not based on your status, your circumstances, or your performance. Your standing in heaven is not a reflection of your standing on earth. You may be poor here and rich there. You may be unknown here and honored there. You may be weak here and radiant there.

What matters is not how others see you, but how Christ sees you. And he sees you clothed in his righteousness if you belong to him.

Psalm 73 gives voice to this tension. The psalmist admits his envy of the wicked, but then remembers that his true portion is not found in what fades. His treasure is in God, who is his strength and his eternal portion (Psalm 73:1–3, 25–26).

So what should we do with this? We live a life of holiness. We speak and act in ways that honor Christ. We work with joy because even our vocational efforts are part of God’s mission. Christ has restored us to God, and now we seek to display his goodness with every part of our lives.

The church must proclaim this message with clarity. You can be restored. Your past does not disqualify you. Through the blood of Christ, you can be justified and welcomed into the presence of a holy God. But this is only for those who believe. It is not based on good intentions or religious effort. It is based on what Jesus has done, and whether you trust him to do what he promised.

2. If You Continue in the Faith (Colossians 1:23)

This promise is not without a condition. Paul says, “if indeed you continue in the faith.” This is not suggesting that salvation is earned through works, but it is emphasizing that true saving faith continues. It is stable and steadfast. It does not shift from the hope of the gospel.

Your confidence must rest in Christ, not yourself. It is not based on law-keeping, moralism, or religious performance. Your acceptance before God is grounded in your trust in what he has spoken. Do you believe him? Do you hold firm to the gospel?

This is why Paul says elsewhere that we are transferred from darkness to light (Colossians 1:13). Ephesians says we were darkness, but now are light in the Lord. Therefore, walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8–21). This is not optional. It is what follows reconciliation. You are no longer of this world. Christ has turned on the light, and now you see clearly what honors him.

Even the language Paul uses comes directly from how Jesus described his own mission. In Acts 26:16–18, Jesus tells Paul that he is sending him to open blind eyes so that people may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and receive forgiveness and a place among the sanctified. This is not poetic metaphor. This is spiritual reality.

3. What Will You Make of This Life?

You have been given something more than a second chance. You have been given a new life, a new identity, and a new standing before God through Jesus Christ. You are no longer alienated. No longer hostile in mind. No longer condemned by your evil deeds. You have been reconciled. You have been made holy. And if you continue in faith, holding firm to the gospel, your hope is secure.

So now what?

This is not just a question of behavior. It is a question of purpose. You are not merely forgiven so that you can return to the life you had before. You are set apart to live a life that reflects the One who saved you. You are now a living testimony to his grace.

You were transferred from darkness to light, from death to life, from a state of being orphaned to a family. You belong to God. You are in his kingdom. And this changes everything.

What will you do with this life?

Not in theory. In practice.

What will you build that glorifies his name? What will you be involved in that reflects his nature? How will your work, your relationships, and your choices show that Christ has reconciled you?

Ecclesiastes says God has placed eternity in the heart of man (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This means your life was never meant to be limited to what is seen. You were made for more than momentary success or self-satisfaction. You were saved for eternal glory. The joy of the Christian life is not found in escaping hardship but in living with purpose that endures.

So again, the question returns: What will you make of this life? Not to earn salvation, but because you have it. Not to gain worth, but because you have been declared righteous. Not to impress God, but because he is already pleased with his Son.

And by faith, you are in him.

Scripture References

  • Colossians 1:21–23 – Christ has reconciled believers by his death to present them holy and blameless.
  • Psalm 73:1–3, 25–26 – A reflection on the temptation to envy the wicked, ending with the assurance that God is the true treasure.
  • Colossians 1:13 – Believers have been transferred from darkness to the kingdom of Christ.
  • Ephesians 5:8–21 – Once darkness, now light in the Lord, so live wisely and walk in holiness.
  • Acts 26:16–18 – Jesus sends Paul to open eyes and turn people from darkness to light, to receive forgiveness and a place among the sanctified.
  • Ecclesiastes 3:9–13 – God has placed eternity in the heart of man and given the gift of joy in toil and doing good.

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