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Christ, the Hope of Glory  |
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| [ Colossians 1:21 - 1:29 ] |
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21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24. Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness--
26. the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
27. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
29. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
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Reflection |
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Made Holy in God’s Sight (1:21–23)
“Holiness” has become a foreign word to our modern sentiments, but God commands that we be holy. Paul says that we “were alienated from God and were enemies” of God in heart and deed because of sin (v. 21). Since we fall short of His holy standards, God has reconciled us “by Christ’s physical body through death” so that we might be made “holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (v. 22). There is no greater joy than knowing we are free from the guilt, accusation, and condemnation of sin. God sees the holiness and righteousness of Jesus in us now because of His grace.
Rejoicing in Suffering (1:24–29)
If you said to a psychiatrist, “I rejoice in what I am suffering,” you might end up on strong medication. Suffering and rejoicing at the same time is an unintelligible concept to our modern minds. No one in their right mind rejoices in their sufferings—rather, everyone complains! But what Paul has in mind here is that no suffering is senseless or absurd. His sufferings are for the sake of Christ and the church—Christ’s body. He counts it joy to suffer for a cause as great as the Gospel of Christ. And such rejoicing could only come about because of the wondrous gift of knowing Christ. Paul could suffer and rejoice at the same time because of “all the energy Christ so powerfully works” in his life (v. 29).
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Application |
- Thank God today for the righteousness of His Son. Thank Him for making you holy in His sight, not by what you have done or will do but by the sacrifice of His Son.
- Have you ever experienced what it means to rejoice in your sufferings for the sake of Christ, the church, or others? Ask God to fill you with joy that energizes you to rejoice in your sufferings.
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A Letter to
God |
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Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit, in whom there is love, peace, and joy! Help me to rejoice even in the midst of suffering for the sake of the church and for those who have never heard of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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