What a Difference He Made in My Life: Colossians 1:21-22
“21) And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22) yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—” Colossians 1:21-22
This text lays out the lost condition of humanity. Apart from Jesus Christ, people are alienated from God, hostile in mind, and involved in evil deeds. Fallen human nature is ruled by the flesh. Non-Christians live as if God does not exist and therefore moral and ethical boundaries are very arbitrary. Many of them are content and have no desire to seek God.
The amazing thing about the Gospel is that God was seeking man even when mankind had no desire to seek God. On the cross, Jesus made a way for sinful people to be reconciled to God.
When a person turns to Him, Jesus changes them. He turns around the three qualities mentioned in verse 21 and makes them holy, blameless and beyond reproach as seen in verse 22. The atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross paid for human sin in full. People can now be acceptable to God through justification by faith. It is the atonement of Jesus Christ and not our personal goodness that makes us acceptable to God.
But make no mistake, those whom Jesus saves He changes. At moment of salvation the Holy Spirit comes in and begins the work of washing, cleansing and sanctifying. (See Titus 3:4-7) This is a life long process. The thing that excites me most is that Jesus removed the enmity so that friendship with God could begin at the moment of salvation.
I have spent my entire adult life building my relationship with Jesus. It has been my primary pursuit. I have had many trials and hardships, but I can honestly say that Jesus is my best friend. But the amazing part is that it keeps getting better and better.
Here is the key, I am far from perfect. On the cross, Jesus paid for my sin so that at the moment of salvation He could embrace me with unconditional love and acceptance. Like any friendship, my sin sometimes grieves our relationship, but He does not abandon or forsake me.
As the months have turned into years, the Holy Spirit has significantly changed me. I am a very different man today than I was back in 1973 when I invited Jesus Christ into my life. Twenty or thirty years from now if I remain in this body, I have every reason to believe my walk with Jesus will be much deeper, sweeter and even more glorious than it is today.
My goal is to enjoy the journey, embrace everything Jesus provides in this life and serve Him any and every way I can. The same should be the testimony and heart cry of every believer. What a difference Jesus makes in our life.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
