It's All about Jesus - Himalayan Heights – June 17 Readings: Colossians 1:21-23 – Reconciled

 

Colossians 1:15-2:15- Christ in You, Your Hope of Glory

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  Colossians 1:21-23

The Colossian church was beset by heresy, one we do not know specifically. All we know for sure is that it hit at the heart of the Gospel and elevated other things above Jesus. Paul told them our faith was all about Jesus. He exalted Jesus and told them that Christ in them was their hope of glory.

Again, read the entire text of Colossians 1:15-2:15 every day, then focus on our featured passage during this week. This week, we exalt Jesus!

Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him— 23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

Through the Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 20-21, John 18:1–24, Psalm 74:1–9, Proverbs15:13–14

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: It's All About Jesus

Why does it matter so much what we believe about Jesus? Is it really so important that we have our theology of Jesus correct, that we know who he is and what he has done? In Colossae, certain people were introducing false ideas and Paul said it did matter. We must hold high Jesus Christ and keep our thoughts about him accurate.

We must keep our views of Jesus correct because everything God does in us, for us, and through us comes through Jesus Christ. This passage reminds us that we were born in a serious spiritual state. We are alienated from God, far away from him because of our sins. In fact, it is not just that we have drifted from him, but we are hostile, naturally resistant to the Lordship of Christ. Jesus desires to rule over us and our hearts fight it. We were helpless in our spiritual condition.

So, what did Jesus do? He reconciled us to God. We were far away and now we have a relationship with God because of him. He did this by receiving in his physical body the penalty of our sins and dying on the cross to pay for them.

The result of all of this is that those of us who were once alienated from God and hostile to him are now holy, faultless, and blameless. Our sins have been dealt with, our relationship to God is restored, and our future is guaranteed in Christ.

That is why it matters that we understand who Christ is and what the Bible says about him. That is why heresies such as the Colossian heresy matter, even if we do not know precisely what it was. Everything that matters in our lives is a result of the work of Christ. He is all in all. It is through Christ and the "hope of the gospel" that we have every good thing in life.

Father, I thank you that Jesus Christ has given us every good thing in life. 

Think and Pray:

Take time today to meditate on the work of Christ in your life and thank God for all Christ has done for you.