The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 30 March 2020 – Reconciliation To God
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TOPIC: Reconciliation To God
READ: COLOSSIANS 1:21-24 (NKJV)
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
THE MESSAGE:
Reconciliation is the process by which God and people are brought together again. The purpose of Christ’s death on the cross was to reconcile those who were once alienated and enemies in their mind by wicked works (verse 21), presenting them holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight (verse 22). This can only take place if they continue in faith, grounded and steadfast, not moved away from the hope of the gospel that they heard which was preached to every creature under heaven (verse 23). God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Through the sacrifice of Christ, people’s sins are atoned for and God’s wrath is appeased, thus changing the relationship of hostility and alienation into that of peace and fellowship.
Paul presents a strong contrast between the Colossian’s pre-Christian status – alienated, hostile, doing evil deeds; and their situation now as Christians – holy and blameless. This is the same language the Old Testament uses to describe the unblemished animals that priests brought for a sacrifice. Paul believed that not only the Colossian believers will continue in the faith but all those who have heard the gospel both Jews and Gentiles. What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ does not mean there is any deficiency in Christ’s atoning death and suffering on the cross (Hebrews 9:12, 24-26) but the future suffering that Paul and other Christians will experience for the sake of the gospel (Philippians 2:30).
PRAYER: Dear Lord, make me an instrument of reconciling people to You.
