Colossians 1:16-20

[jabcat]

Topic split to "Reconciliation and Salvation" per Seth's request.

[Seth]

Here is some more info regarding reconcilation:

Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity: the law of commandments in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

We see here that the emnity destroyed in Christ's flesh was is "the law of commandments in ordinances" which was slain by Christ. The purpose: "for to make himself of two, one man" (bringing the Jews and Gentiles together in the body of Christ). The Law was a "middle wall of partition" between man and God, and between Jew and Gentile. The reconciliation is when the law is taken out of the way making salvation possible.

Colossians 2
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way (mesos - middle), nailing it to his cross;


Here we see again how salvation is realized by the "groundwork of universal reconciliation." We see that we are "complete in him" in "putting off the body of sin" and are buried in baptism and raised to newness of life through the "the faith of the operation of God." And when we were being dead in our sins He then quicked (gave life) together with him. How was he able to do it, in verse 13? It says "having forgiven you of all trespasses" and blotting out the handwriting of ordinances."

First, Reconciliation (the change): Christ slayed the emnity which was the barrier in the middle, the law, no longer imputing man's sin against him, 2000 years ago. Man's sin is no longer imputed to him by the law. BUT, that does not mean man no longer HAS sin. Some universalists make the mistake of saying that this means all people are automatically imputed righteous, faith or no faith. That is called a false dilemma, where you say that if A does not imply, then B is the only option left, when there are plenty more letters in the alphabet. Romans 4 clearly establishes that God "imputes righteousness to those who WALK IN STEPS OF faith of our father Abraham." Without the law, it just means that man's sins are not being imputed (counted/tallied), again not say that the sin doesn't exist. John says that if we say we are without sin, we are liars and the truth is not in us. Without that sin imputing system, it leads to:

Salvation: without the emnity of the law as a barrier between man and God, what is left to make man pure and righteous before God? Grace. More specifically, grace through faith. Without the various ordinances keeping man from coming to God without those ordinances, man may now be made righteous by what Peter called the "impartation of the Godly nature." Some universalists further make a mistake of thinking that grace is the passive justification of them who do not know God and walk in the flesh/sin. But Paul says that

Titus 2
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching (paiduo - chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Being redeemed FROM iniquity is the natural result of global reconciliation by removal of the law, in that the removal of the law allows for faith to bring grace. That grace is ACTIVE in teaching/chastening us to deny ungodliness. Paiduo is the same word used for when Christ was scourged in the flesh. His scourging in the flesh is the type/shadow of the chastening of our sinful flesh/mind, unto the death of our "old man." The grace is God's mercy in delivering us from sin, not in his mercy of letting us remain in death in sin. That's not mercy at all. If God didn't chasten sin out of us by his grace, we would be held in slavery to sin. That is why "grace brings salvation."

2 Cor 5
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.