What Does it Mean to Be Reconciled to God in the True Reconciliation Awareness?
Colossians 1:15-23 part b
Kerry Kinchen, Bridgeway Bible Church
We are mainly concerned with Colossians 1:20 in this abbreviated refutation of universal reconciliation and the false belief in Universalism in general. Universalists theorize that everyone everywhere will eventually be saved spiritually in an "everlasting" afterlife. This belief is a symptom of a deficient reconciliation awareness. Universalists do not understand biblical reconciliation and its limits. Misinterpreting Scripture texts to conform with a) philosophical speculations, coupled with b) false ideas of God in respect to love, while ignoring all His other attributes, bolstered by c) human emotional responses to losing loved ones, drives Universalists to try to find something that will remotely line up with their desire for God to save everyone. In this pursuit, Universalists like to use Colossians 1:20 to support their false doctrine. We are also concerned with a false belief of reconciliation that other groups have. The same Colossians 1:20 passage is also used by people who are called Synergists. Arminians, and Pelagians come under this category. Synergists believe that salvation is a result of a cooperative effort between God and man. They believe that salvation is conditional upon something we can generate out of our own initiative. Synergists have a problem with the famous points of Biblical Election (BE) that God has revealed in His word which are set forth theologically in the acrostic TULIP. They do not recognize radical corruption which is the T of Total depravity. They do not recognize the U of Unconditional election. The L that they don't recognize is the Limitation of who the events of the cross are meant for, and what all Christ's work on the cross actually accomplished. They do not recognize the I of Irresistible grace, nor the final letter P of Perseverance of the saints. The key issue that I am dealing with here has to do with the L in the acrostic TULIP. It is rejected by all these groups, from Synergists to Universalists. Universalists, and Synergists, think that Christ atoned (covered through the blood sacrifice), and propitiated (wrath absorbed in appeasement through the sacrifice) and bought (an actual purchase, redeeming, ransoming, payment in ownership) and reconciled (an action that made real peace with God) every single person on the cross. They deny that the atoning, propitiating, purchase, reconciliation, is limited to actual accomplishment for certain people who are many but only a remnant, and are in fact only the people who are actually saved as the elect. So-called 4 point Calvinists wrongly align with Synergists and Universalists on this same mistake. 4 pointers, as they are called, reject limited atoning reconciliation. All of these groups misuse Colossians 1:20 to support their false doctrinal stance. The passage I am talking about is the end portion (vv. 18-20) of the second stanza of the ancient Christian hymn that starts in verse 15,
"15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 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--23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." Colossians 1:15-22
Reconciliation with God is a beautiful act of His unmerited favor upon certain people. Reconciliation is necessary because Adam is the first man to become un-reconciled from God in an un-reconciliation awareness. Un-reconciliation occurred because of the first sin that separated Adam from God. This state was to exist in enmity against God in the unholiness of sin. Consequently Adam experienced living in sin, and death;
"but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; but on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death ... Then God said, 'see, Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now perhaps he might reach out his hand and take of the tree of life and eat, and he will live forever [aion]'" Genesis 2:17 with 3:22, Greek Septuagint (LXX) NETS, Robert J. V. Hiebert
Subsequently, the sin, separation, and death, of un-reconciliation is inherited by all of Adam's offspring (cf. Romans 5:12). Reconciliation is what happens to people in salvation, and it was secured for all those who have been, and will be, saved. A proper understanding of these things, in conjunction with further revelation from God's word, helps us to recognize the truth of our operating declaration:
To be saved, is to be reconciled to God, where we have peace with God forever.
A proper understanding of these things, from God's word, also helps us to recognize another important truth:
If one dies in an un-reconciled state, then that person remains in enmity against God, lost, and perishes according to John 3:16. Such people experience eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord, 2 Thessalonians 1:9. It is as Christ explained in Matthew 25:46, when He described two diametrically opposed states that are everlasting,
"46 These will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life." Matthew 25:46
In this chiastic pattern, the same Greek adjective is used for "everlasting" in respect to punishment, that is used for "everlasting" in respect to spiritual life in Christ for all who are truly reconciled. The Greek word is aionios, and it really does mean everlasting, no matter how much a Universalist wants to attempt to deny this basic fact. In other words, both the punishment, and the life, are everlasting. It is like the Hebrew statement in Daniel, as translated in the Greek Septuagint (LXX) with aionios, and aion,
"2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting [aionios] life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting [aionios] contempt. 3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever [aion] ." Daniel 12:2
This is why Christ clarified what he said to Nicodemus concerning those who are not saved, as perishing, and those who are saved, as having everlasting life,
"36 Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting [aionios] life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." John 3:36
The children of wrath are not reconciled, and so they shall not see life, nor do they have everlasting life. Nevertheless, through the blessing of Christ alone, God made the reconciling peace that is necessary for perfecting corruption under the curse. The righteous, who go on to perfect everlasting life, are all who are made righteous in Christ Who is their righteousness, Romans 3:22, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Keeping these things in mind, I want to briefly orient us to where we are in Paul's flow. Essentially, Paul has laid out a hymn where he starts out explaining the deity of Christ in verse 15. In a direct parallel to Genesis 1, Paul is showing that Christ is the firstborn heir, as the God-man, who is supreme over everything He created. Christ is before all things in eternity past, and in Him all things hold together. This essentially covers the first stanza, which is in a chiasm in the ancient style of Israelite pattern writing. All this means is that the first stanza here states a fact, and then in the second stanza, a poetic comparison is made that augments the beauty of the point in an artistic way where it relates to the first stanza in another factual declaration in the pattern. As we go over the second stanza, I want us to learn some important points for properly understanding what it means to be reconciled to God. Let's read the second stanza now.
"18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 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 1:18-22
The song moves in transition from Christ the firstborn in His preeminent majesty as the ancient creator of the universe. Now at the transition, we see that Christ is the firstborn in respect to His resurrection from the dead. We are now looking at His resurrection status as the glorified firstborn heir who, as the first fruit out of the grave, inherits all the fruits of His New Covenant. It seems simple but there are some problems. The problem of any interpretation of this passage has to do with the seemingly esoteric way that the designation, the all, from ta panta in the Greek, is used in the text. We see this in verse 20,
"20 and through Him to reconcile all things [Gk. ta panta, lit. "the all"] to Himself, ..."
Universalists and Synergists think "all" here, means everyone everywhere.
DYNAMIC USAGE OF "ALL" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
This is the first point I want us to learn for properly understanding what it means to be reconciled to God. It has to do with recognizing that "all" must be discerned from each section of a text as applying to a specific group, because "all" does not necessarily mean every single person everywhere, or every single thing everywhere.
In New Testament usage, "all" is often used as hyperbole, which means as exaggerated language. "All" is also used in figures of speech, like in a cultural idiom. "All" is often used by New Testament writers to refer to people in respect to both Gentiles and Jews combined. "All" may be a reference to everything, or even everyone, but this is not necessarily the case in each instance, and interestingly, this usage of "all" is rare in the New Testament. Context, and theological considerations derived from the rest of Scripture help us to figure out what all means in each instance. For example, when the Jews from Asia sought to kill Paul. They cried out,
"This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people," Acts 21:28
Paul did not preach to the nordic people, Mayans, Eskimos, or to Australian Aborigines. Someone who wants to say that the plain and literal sense of the verse is that Paul actually did preach to everybody everywhere, would be wrong. This is an example of where Paul preached to all of the certain men of everywhere of a certain area, though the sentence appears to mean everyone everywhere. Paul uses the expression in 1 Corinthians,
"I have become all things to all men." 1 Corinthians 9:22
Did Paul become an antichrist to all men?
No.
Did Paul become all things to all men in every ethnic group around the globe?
No.
Paul means that he became like all of certain specific things to all of certain specific men, even though the sentence looks like it refers to more than that. Paul says,
"I also please all men in all things." 1 Corinthians 10:33
Paul did not please all the men in all things who imprisoned him and executed Him, did he?
No.
What Paul means is that he pleases all of certain men in all of certain things, even though the sentence looks like more than that at face value. Paul mentions such an "all" at the end of Romans,
"For the report of your obedience has reached to all; ..." Romans 16:19
Paul did not mean that the report of his audience's obedience had reached all the people of the Han dynasty in China; but the sentence could be wrongly read that way based upon the wording alone. The broad term "all" must be weighed with doctrinal and contextual considerations in intense scrutiny or we may make the universal mistake that Universalists make.
Recognizing that context coupled with doctrinal-theological considerations concerning "all" must be considered with careful scrutiny, we must also understand that the way a sentence structure is arranged is important. If only one aspect of the sentence is myopically focused upon by a reader, then a faulty reading can occur. A couple of examples of Luke's usage of "all" in Acts are noteworthy;
"44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;" Acts 2:44
Luke's usage of "all things" (from pas, apanta) to explain what happened with the thousands of converts at the Pentecost festival, does not mean that all the people had every single thing in common. We surmise that they still kept their own unique names. The males remained males, and the females remained females. There would virtually be an endless array of things that they never had in common. The "all" has a narrowed meaning, but is used in an idiom that suggest a great deal in common--though actually saying, "all." This is important because in the next chapter, Luke records Peter evangelizing,
"19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." Acts 3:19-21
A Universalist may wish to use what Peter says here to assert that Jesus is going to reconcile every thing everywhere to Himself in a certain prophesied period in the future as a matter of saving everyone who has ever existed. But that would be a false interpretation. Peter is expressing the prophetic hope of the restoration back to the complete rule of God, which is to be seen in the comprehensive rule of the Messiah in God's covenant promise to His father David, Luke 1:32. Christ's kingdom is in a now not yet tension, which Peter mentioned earlier in the Pentecost sermon, in 2:34-36. The same now not yet realization, and expectation, is seen in the Colossian hymn, in Colossians 1:22, where all who are truly saved, are the righteousness of God in Christ; but in the future, the full restoration of all things will be realized in the glorification change where actually saved people, will be "presented" before Christ, set apart, without spot or blemish, and beyond reproach in the future perfect aspect of His kingdom forever.
Contextual, and doctrinal considerations concerning "all" in conjunction to sentence structure is also seen in 1 Timothy 4:10,
"10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." 1 Timothy 4:10
If we myopically stop at the sentence point where Paul says that the living God is the Savior of all men, then we might be inclined to lift this text out of its meaning and try to use it as part of the foundation of a false belief like Universalism. But, if we read Paul's point that he and Timothy have fixed their hope on the true living God, as opposed to dead false gods, then we see that Paul is describing God in the first half. The truly living God is, in fact, the only Savior of all men who actually get saved. Christ Jesus, though God, is not specifically mentioned in the first part of the statement other than allusion. The clarification comes in of the connection to Christ in the second part, where Paul says, "especially of believers." Being a believer in Christ is the clarifier. "Especially" in this context, shows who God actually saves as all men that He saves who are those who "believe in" Christ Jesus as Savior, which was stated by Paul earlier in the epistle in 1:16,
"16 ... I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for everlasting [aionios] life." 1 Timothy 1:16
Another passage out of 1 Timothy demonstrates the need for robust contextual and doctrinal considerations concerning the writer's actual point when using "all,"
"I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, ..." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
The "all men" that Paul references in 1 Timothy 2:1, is a reference to a particular classification of men, namely, according to the context, they are "all" of a certain kind of men, namely those who are in leadership positions. Contextually Paul goes on in 1 Timothy 2, and uses this same type of "all",
"there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom [purchasing payment] for all, ..." 1 Timothy 2:5-6
It may look like Christ purchased everyone everywhere on the cross, but when we look at Christ's words, we see how He pointed out how the "all" of all those who have been ransomed should be identified,
"28 ... the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom [purchasing payment] for many." Matthew 20:28, (cf. Mark 10:45)
We find this reference in Hebrews,
"28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, ..." Hebrews 9:28
The "many" that the writer of Hebrews describes are explained in the next chapter as only those who have been set apart by Christ, which is not everyone everywhere,
"10 By this will we [actual believers] have been set apart [Gk. hagios] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ... 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are set apart [Gk. hagios]." Hebrews 10:10-14
"Those who are set apart" are many, but not all people everywhere, as the writer of Hebrews relentlessly explains throughout his whole epistle, in contrast with the "adversaries" 10:27. Those who are not of the many are those who reject their Messiah after hearing the gospel of the sacrifice for sins,
"26 For if we [ethnic Hebrew people] go on sinning [by rejecting Messiah] willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume God's adversaries." Hebrews 10:26-27
God's adversaries are un-reconciled people who are judged as those who are not among the many who have had their sins born by Christ in wrath absorbing sacrifice for sins. They are those who remained un-reconciled in an ongoing state, outside the cross, and they perish in their sins.
The many that both Christ and the writer of Hebrews are talking about are the elect that are identified in Christ's revelation to John, where the many are not everyone everywhere, but the many are purchased from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation, Revelation 7:9. The Scriptures define that all who have been bought in the purchasing payment of the ransom, are many, but this does not mean that all who are ransomed are everyone everywhere (We will examine Romans 5 in a moment).
Finally, three passages should be analyzed here that are wrongly used by the Universal Salvation Theory (UST) that originates from a specious reconciliation awareness in respect to "all"; Philippians 2:8-11 with Romans 14:10-12, which are both based upon allusions to Isaiah 45:23,
"8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every [pas, all] knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every [pas, all] tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:8-11
If we were to extract this verse aside from the actual Isaiah prophecy, and aside from the following parallel passage in Romans 14:10-12, we might make the mistake of the Universalists who see every, (pas, ie. all) as meaning that in the future everyone everywhere will be saved because they admit that Christ is Lord. The original Isaiah 45 prophecy states that those who are far from the end of the earth who turn to God will be saved. This is the contingency for salvation. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall "acknowledge" God's glory, and also will "acknowledge" that "all (pas) who separate themselves shall be ashamed." The covenant sons of Israel of the New Testament in Christ, shall be glorified in God, as we see the actual prophecy,
"[In a call to turn from idols to be saved in the prior verse, God says] ... 21... I am God, and there is no other besides me; there is no righteous one or savior except me. 22 Turn to me, [contingency for the remnant among idol worshippers of preceding verses] and you shall be saved, you who are far from the end of the earth! I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I swear, "Verily righteousness shall go forth from my mouth; my words shall not be turned back, because to me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall acknowledge God, 24 saying, Righteousness and glory shall come to him, and all who separate themselves shall be ashamed [all will not be saved, but all must acknowledge the Lord as God alone, and also must say that all who seperate themselves shall be ashamed]." 25 By the Lord [only] shall they be justified, and all the offspring of the sons of Israel shall be glorified in God." [Under God's sovereignty, there will be judgment for the lost rebels, and there will be salvation for God's true people.] Isaiah 45:21-23 LXX, NETS Septuagint, Moises Silva
The point is that Paul uses Isaiah 45 to reference Christ as God in Philippians, thus the name which is above every name, Philippians 2:9. If one does not turn from Idols, such as the Thessalonians did in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 to worship the true and living God Who is in fact Christ, Colossians 1:15-23, then they are manifest as vessels of wrath, Romans 9:22, even though they will realize that Christ is God in the future, and they will acknowledge it "to the glory of God," Philippians 2:11, as well as acknowledge their own shame in separation, Isaiah 45:24. The reconciled elect who are vessels prepared for glory, Romans 9:23, on the other hand, will confess what, and Who, they have known--God their Savior in Christ.
The other place that Paul references the Isaiah prophecy is in Romans. Paul speaking to saved people concerning judgment and contempt issues concerning Christians who are weak in faith, as the context demonstrates, where he sums up that everyone will stand before Christ to be judged,
"1 Now accept the one [a Christian] who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person [Christian] has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak [weak faith Christian] eats vegetables only. 3 The one [strong faith Christian] who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him [Christian]. 4 Who are you [Christian] to judge the servant [Christian allusion] of another [allusion to the Lord]? To his [Christian] own master [Lord] he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He [Christian] who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he [Christian] who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us [saved people] lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living [Christians]. 10 But you [Christian who has a judgment problem], why do you judge your brother [Christian brother in respect to observing days, and eating]? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:10-12
Looking at this brief usage of all, demonstrates to us that we must be careful with jumping to universal conclusions concerning the word, and the actual point it is being used in.
This is the first point we need to learn early on in respect to the dynamic usage of all, which applies in respect to Colossians 1:20 too. There are multitudes of other passages that can be presented here, but for now the above will suffice.
DYNAMIC USAGE OF "WORLD" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The second thing we need to learn concerning terms that seem to have some sort of everyone everywhere kind of implication, but really do not, is the term world, or whole world. It is not found in the Colossians hymn, but it is found in Colossians 1:6, 2:8, and 2:20. Colossians 1:6 is key to this point.
World, which is the Greek word kosmos, means the area; it means the realm; it means the sphere, as in a certain sphere of existence; a well ordered and definable group, and so forth. The term, world does not mean every single person everywhere. If I tell you that I am going to the area, what I have said does not necessarily mean I am going to every single person everywhere. In like manner, realm, does not necessarily mean every single person everywhere. Sphere, does not mean every single person everywhere. In the same way, world does not mean every single person everywhere. So, just as in the case of the term "all," each parameter for kosmos needs to properly be discerned based upon a) the context, and b) doctrinal considerations. For example, in Romans, Paul says,
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole [holos] world [kosmos]." Romans 1:8
Paul did not mean that the faith of his immediate audience was being proclaimed in North America, Siberia, or the Philippines in the early decades after Christ's death and resurrection when these saints became manifest. Yet, Paul clearly says, "throughout the whole world." Obviously "whole world" has a limited and specific meaning to a narrower area than everyplace and everyone everywhere. Paul says to the Colossians,
"5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all [pas] the world [kosmos] ..." Colossians 1:5-6
Had the gospel been preached "in all the world" in respect to every single continent, culture, and nation, among every single human everywhere?
No.
We recognize that "all the world" must have a narrowed and specific application to a certain group and certain area. John, in his gospel, uses kosmos in much the same way, saying,
"9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world [kosmos], enlightens every [pas] man. 10 He was in the world [kosmos], and the world [kosmos] was made through Him, and the world [kosmos] did not know Him." John 1:9-10
Here, in connection to "the world," we have to deal with the word "every," which is the same Greek word for "all." Christ did not come into the world and enlighten every single solitary man in the first generation of Christianity. Christ only enlightened certain ones in the world, as He only enlightens certain ones now. In a few more verses, John uses kosmos-world again, saying,
"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world [kosmos]!'" John 1:29
Everyone everywhere does not have their sins taken away. Only certain people have their sins taken away. The certain people are God's elect who are in Christ, also known as saved people. John continues,
"... we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world [kosmos].'" John 4:42
Clearly, "Jesus is the Savior of the world." Does this necessarily mean that Jesus actually saves everyone everywhere? The answer is no. The correct interpretation of what the Samaritans are confessing is that Jesus is the only Savior. This reflects Paul's statement in 1 Timothy 4:10. Further, He saves certain people of the world, who, in the context, are described as more than just ethnic Israelites, but Gentile Samaritans in fulfillment of prophecy. Speaking of the Holy Spirit, John records Jesus saying,
"And when He [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world [kosmos] concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:" John 16:8
Everyone everywhere in the whole world (as wrongly defined in a universal term as all people on the planet), were not experiencing godly conviction concerning their sin, God's righteousness, and judgment. Only certain Jews and Gentiles experienced, and are experiencing, this godly conviction concerning their sin. It is important that we, who are truly in Christ as the body, understand the way the kosmos-world is used in scripture. It will keep you from thinking that God reconciled everyone everywhere, propitiated for everyone everywhere, or even loves everyone everywhere in the same manner and in the same sense. Another example is where the same John writes,
"My little children, [Christians] I am writing these things to you [Christians] so that you [Christians] may not sin. And if anyone [any Christian] sins, we [Christians] have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our [Christians] sins; and not for ours [Christians] only, but also for those [other Christians] of the whole [holos] world [kosmos]." 1 John 2:1-2
John is writing his letter to a specific church group in Asia, and he is talking about Christians all through his point. Once we recognize the proper contextual identification of who John is talking about with his pronouns, we recognize that John is talking about Christ propitiating for "those" who are the rest of the truly saved of the whole world outside of the Asiatic church focus, when he uses the pronoun "those" in saying, "those of the whole world."
But, there is something else about this 1 John 2:1-2 section that we all need to recognize. We must realize that Christians would also be part of the Universalist's faulty definition of "the whole world" too. Taking the Universalist's definition that "the whole world" must necessarily mean everyone everywhere, whether saved and unsaved, we recognize that the term is presupposed to mean that Christians would be part of "the whole world." To deny that Christians are part of "the whole world," would be to deny that the definition of "the whole world" is every single person everywhere. 1 John 2:1-2 causes a problem for this definition, if we were to remain consistent, and honest, with this kind of universal definition of the term "whole world." The problem arises in a couple of chapters where John uses the phrase, "the whole world," again in such a way that Christians can not possibly be included. John speaks of saved people in 5:18 as those who are born of God, and are being kept by Christ who was born of God, saying,
"... He [Christ] who was born of God keeps him [saved person born of God], and the evil one [Satan] does not touch him [saved person born of God]."
[The "evil one" does not touch the saved person. The evil one does not have power over him. John goes on,]
"19 We [saved people] know that we are of God, ..."
[The evil one does not touch we who are born of God, and who are of God. Now comes the problem for the wrong interpretation,]
"... and that the whole [holos] world [kosmos] lies in the power of the evil one [Satan]" 1 John 5:18-19
John just said that Christians (who are saved, purchased, atoned for, propitiated for, and reconciled people) do not lie in the power of the evil one. The "evil one does not touch" Christians. But, on the other hand, "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." John is making the classically biblical distinction between the saved and the unsaved (the reconciled, vs. the un-reconciled). The saved have been rescued by God by being transferred out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God's Son, Colossians 1:13. Therefore Christians are not part of, and can not possibly be part of the term "the whole world" that John is talking about in 5:19. This simple exercise in comparing scripture with scripture demonstrates that the presupposition that the whole world must mean everyone everywhere is wrong. This demonstrates for us that John's usage of the phrase, "the whole world" is a phrase that is limited to certain people, yet certain people in the realm of what he calls the holos-kosmos; the whole world.
In John 3:16 with 2:15, we see another hitch for the faulty universalized interpretation of kosmos, where we find Jesus saying that,
"God so loved the world [kosmos]" John 3:16
Yet, John states clearly in 1 John 2:15,
"If anyone loves the world [kosmos], the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15
If we try to define the phrase, "the world" from the Universalist's error, then we will say,
"Why can I not love the world according to 1 John 2:15? After all, God loves the world according to John 3:16; and isn't His love supposed to be in me according to 1 John 2:15?"
Remember, the phrase "the world" must have a specific meaning in each context, but the meaning is not the same for every context; and it certainly does not mean everyone everywhere. In 1 John 2:15, what John means is that if you love "the world" of the lost who are in sinful rebellion against Christ, in the sense of John's immediate point, then you are also lost--You are un-reconciled to God in Christ.
We see other examples of this type of thing in John 9:39,
"Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world [kosmos], that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.'" John 9:39
Clearly Jesus said He came into this world for judgment. But then John records Jesus saying later on,
"If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world [kosmos]." John 12:47
We understand this from the full counsel of God in respect to doctrine gleaned from the whole canon of Scripture. Namely, Christ came to judge the world in respect to those who are not elect, John 9:39. Christ did not come to judge the world in respect to those who are elect, John 12:47.
RECONCILIATION AWARENESS ACCORDING TO THE ACTUAL TEXTS (RAATTAT)
This second point has to do with having an accurate Scripture based reconciliation awareness. It has to do with how reconciliation that has occurred, which brings peace through the blood of Christ's cross, is seen in the rest of the New Testament.
EPHESIANS 2 (RATTAT)
In Ephesians 2:16, the Greek word Paul uses for "reconcile," is the same one he uses in Colossians 1:20 & 22. The Greek word is apokatallasso. To be reconciled (apokatallasso) to someone is to be in a state of peace and harmony as the opposite of being alienated as an enemy. Paul uses this same word in the parallel epistle of Ephesians. There, Paul shows what happens when people are reconciled to God. Paul starts out Ephesians 2 making the point of what un-reconciliation is, when he tells the Ephesian Christians that they were once dead in their trespasses and sins in which they formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, 2:1-2. Paul goes on explaining how the un-reconciliation applies to himself and everyone before regeneration, by saying that we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest, 2:3. To live and die, by nature a child of wrath, is to be un-reconciled (cf. also John 3:36, wrath). Then Paul explains the reconciliation of the elect that must occur by faith alone, which is faith that is a gift of God,
"4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, [us are the saved people of the context] 5 even when we [saved people of the context] were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ..." Ephesians 2:4-5 [While the elect are dead in their sins God showed His love for them in the grace of the cross] "... 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
Reconciliation is to be in Christ as a new creation, which parallels the second stanza of the hymn in Colossians; and it only happens for those who are truly saved by real grace through real faith. Then Paul tells the Gentile Christians at Ephesus more about the reconciliation awareness in terms of the peace that is made with God in Christ that comes through the faith gift. Paul reminds them that they were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus all of them being Gentiles, who formerly were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ verses 12-13. Paul is talking about both Jews and Gentiles being reconciled, instead of just one special ethnic group. Then Paul uses the Greek word to explain the same reconciliation that is in Colossians in respect to both Jews and Gentiles. It is the reconciliation that comes by the same grace through faith gift he just explained;
"16 and might reconcile them both [Jews and Gentiles] in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity." Ephesians 2:16
Reconciliation is to have the violence and strife of the enmity against God put to death. It is reconciliation "to God." This only happens by grace through faith in the atoning, purchasing, propitiating, reconciling work of the cross in Christ the New Covenant. Then Paul finishes the point of his reconciliation awareness with the peace that comes from the reconciliation in the next verse,
"17 And He came and preached peace to you who are far away, and peace to those who were near; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:17-22
To be reconciled is to no longer be a stranger and alien. It is to no longer be a son of disobedience of the previous verses, but to have our access in one Spirit to the Father of Lights. In Christ, we are not outside the dwelling of God--we are the dwelling of God in the Spirit. This folks, is called salvation in Christ the first born. It is the only true reconciliation, and it must come by faith. We are learning about the New Testament explanation of being reconciled to God, and so the next place we find Paul talking about being reconciled is in Romans 5.
ROMANS 5 (RATTAT)
In Romans 5, Paul is explaining that Adam is the key figure that brought sin into the world where it spread to all men, as in everyone who is in Adam, Acts 17:26. In theological terms, this is Adam as what is called the Federal Head of lost reproduced humanity which inherits Adam's sin and un-reconciliaiton. Paul is also describing that Jesus, the last Adam, is the key figure that saves all men that believe in Him for salvation. Similarly, Jesus is the Head of all who are saved in Him as the body of Christ.
There is much contextual depth laid out that flows into Romans 5 from chapter 1, but enough is in chapter 5 to sufficiently proceed from verse 1, (though I recommend a thorough reading of the whole epistle to gain the nuances of the comprehensive points). Paul says that we who are saved are justified by faith, and because of this we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:1. This is a repeat of the faith acquired reconciliation of Ephesians 2 that we just looked at,
"1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand," Romans 5:1-2
Speaking of those whom Christ's saves, Paul continues,
"6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ...8 ... God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8
This is another repeat of Ephesians 2. Then Paul goes into the reconciliation,
"9 Since, therefore, we [saved people] have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. [because of the propitiating wrath absorption for the remnant, cf. 9:27, 11:5] 10 For if while we were enemies we [saved people] were reconciled to God by the death of his Son [propitiation], much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved [from the wrath to come, cf. v. 9] by his life [in resurrected bodies to everlasting life]. 11 More than that, we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom alsowe have now received reconciliation." Romans 5:9-11
What Paul shows here is that the a) saved people are the reconciled, b) reconciliation must be "received," verse 11 for anyone to get it. It is the same justification by faith that obtains "access by faith into this grace in which we stand," verses 1 and 2. It requires faith to be reconciled. Christ's death paid the price for the elect. Christ's resurrection is the life of the firstborn heir. As is consistent, Paul says that all of it must be "received" in "faith" for reconciliation to occur in the rescue. This is always the grace through faith connection for the elect. This is always how the elect get saved--always. Paul goes on to explain,
"12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned" Romans 5:12
Adam is the un-reconcilier who is the Head of the whole fallen race that He made exist in a state of being lost and without reconciliation to God. Then Paul explains that Adam was a type of the Christ who was to come, verse 14, and that the free gift of Christ, though, is not like the trespass of Adam. If many died through one man's single trespass as the Federal Head of the lost, much more the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one Federal Head of the church, the man Jesus Christ which trumps the trespass of Adam, abounded for many. The free gift of Christ, which followed many trespasses of sinful men, is the free gift that brought justification for those who are saved. But the gift of righteousness as the abundance of grace in reconciliation, must be received by faith as we have seen in verses 1-2, and 11 already in Paul's contextual point. It is not universal, and the necessary reception is stated again,
"... much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17
Paul restates the point using the expression "all," in that way that must be discerned by context and tota scriptura (all Scripture together). Paul goes on,
"18 Therefore, as one trespass
[Adam the Federal head in his sin, brought un-reconciliation to the lost]
led to condemnation for all men,
[The condemnation is that everyone born in the image of Adam is lost in their trespasses and sins]
so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men
[Meaning that Christ the Federal Head, died and rose for all the saved, the body, the church, the children of God, the saints. The term, "all men" is clarified as all of certain men, in the context as those who receive the reconciliation, verse 11, by receiving the abundance of grace, and the free gift of righteousness they will reign in life "through" the one man Jesus Christ who reigns as King of His kingdom, verse 17, as the very same justification by faith that obtains, "access by faith into this grace in which we stand." verses 1 and 2.]
We are getting a clear consistent picture of the true Biblical reconciliation awareness that God has always had. We will explore the last place that reconciliation is mentioned in the New Testament in respect to Christ's saving action in His sacrifice and resurrection before we go back to Colossians.
2 CORINTHIANS 5 (RATTAT)
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul explains what it means for saved people to be reconciled. Paul makes the point,
"14 For the love of Christ controls us [the apostolic group], having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore [the word therefore points to what was just said. Therefore,] if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Paul clearly explains that "all" that Christ died for are anyone who is actually in Christ, born again to be Christ's new creation, like what is declared in our hymn in Colossians. It is where old things passed away in respect to lostness in Adam, and new things have come in Christ who is our life in actual spiritual salvation. It is reconciliation for the elect, and so this is why Paul goes on and says next,
"18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself [the saved apostles] through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation," 2 Corinthians 5:18
The apostles have received being reconciled through Christ by grace through faith. Now, God has also commissioned them by giving them the ministry of reconciliation, of which they are doing, (cf. 2 Timothy 4:5, Romans 10:13-15 etc.) It simpler terms; it is called evangelizing in preaching the gospel. Paul goes on,
"19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:19
Christ counts everyone's sins against them until they are reconciled. This is what it means to be lost in your sins. So when Paul uses the term "world" (kosmos) which means the realm or the sphere, and "their" and "them," as if identifying certain people, Paul means that reconciliation is for certain people of the particular realm or sphere. Only the elect do not have their trespasses counted against them, demonstrated in their salvation.
Now I want you to notice something of great importance. The fact that everyone everywhere is not reconciled, is exactly why the apostles are given the ministry of reconciliation by God. They are to go out into the world with the gospel message that saves all who are elect to be reconciled by grace through faith. Paul explains it in the next verse with the gospel call,
"20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20
Being an ambassador for Christ concerning the ministry of reconciliation is to be an evangelist bringing the gospel offer of peace. Reconciliation is to be saved. This is why Paul wraps up the point, with,
"21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our [the elect who receive the reconciliation by grace through faith] behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain--2 for He says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.' Behold, now is "the acceptable time," behold, now is "the day of salvation" 1 Corinthians 5:21-6:1-2
If you want to be reconciled to God, then you must truly receive Christ as the payment for your sins in faith--not in vain futility. If not, you perish un-reconciled in everlasting un-reconciliation. The day of salvation for you is gone forever (aion).
What we have just seen in the New Testament survey is that reconciliation awareness is consistently salvation awareness, and it is consistently not universally applied to everyone everywhere in any sense. Knowing this about the consistent New Testament meaning of reconciliation, I want to move on to the next point,
RECONCILIATION OF PEOPLE IN COLOSSIANS IS ONLY CONCERNING THE ELECT
This next point is that the reconciliation that Paul is talking about in Colossians is not referring to all people everywhere. It is only concerned with God's elect remnant made manifest as the church (cf. Ephesians 1-2, John 6, Romans 9-11). It is a (chiastic) parallel to the first stanza at verse 15, but changing to a poetic description of Christ speaking the New Covenant order into existence, which is found in Him, and expressed in His body--the body of Christ. Notice the shift in the poetic pattern at verse 18. It starts where Paul says "and," or "also," (NASB) from the Greek word kai,
"18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Colossians 1:18
This sets up that Paul is now talking about New Covenant reality. From 18, all the way down to verse 23, the complete expansiveness of Christ's work on behalf of Himself, and the church, is laid out in His love expressed for Himself, and for His elect, forever. In like manner to His work as God in Genesis 1:1 of the first stanza, the church is His central creation in His incarnate work. Christ has spoken His new creations into existence out of the darkness and void of deadness in sin and un-reconciliation. Like He breathed life into Adam, He has breathed spiritual life into His body, which is the church. Also, like the first stanza where He, as God, holds every atom, molecule, planet and angelic thing together that He has spoken into existence, Jesus Christ now holds the New Covenant creation together in Himself as its life, power, Head, and all in all. This parallels 1 Corinthians 5 that we went through earlier,
"17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." 2 Corinthians 5:17
In respect to His new creations, Christ is both visible and invisible. He is the throne, the dominion, the ruler, and the authority of the Kingdom that the elect re-creations are transferred into out of the domain of darkness of lostness and un-reconciliation,
"13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13:14 (coming into our passage)
Paul identifies Christ as being the head of the body now. His headship to the body is key to the flow of thought. He is the beginning of the body of Christ because He is the firstborn from the dead in bodily resurrection. In his resurrection, as the beginning of the New Covenant in His blood, (being the actual New Covenant Himself, Isaiah 42:6, 49:6-8, Luke 22:20), He has first place in everything in respect to His church which is made up of people who have citizenship in heaven where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. The hymn goes on with the importance of the full contextual wording,
"19 For in Him [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you [saved Colossians by "faith," cf. 1:4] were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you [saved Colossians by "faith," cf. 1:4] in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach--"
Christ's fullness as God is necessary for reconciliation. Why? We go to the 2 Corinthians parallel again for part of the answer, where we see that reconciled people are,
"the righteousness of God in [Christ Jesus]." 2 Corinthians 5:21
The only way for the elect to be the righteousness "of" God in His reconciliation, is for "Him" to be God, and us to be His body spiritually. It is righteousness that comes by faith in true saving reconciliation,
"... the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;" Romans 3:22
This is necessary for peace for all the elect, who in being saved by grace through faith, are no longer alienated in the violence of the domain of darkness in hostile minds and the deadness of trespasses and sins, and were by nature children of wrath, where wrath must necessarily await all the children of disobedience who are not saved from it, Ephesians 2:1-3. The only way that God can reconcile the elect to Himself at the proper time through the gospel call, is through,
"... having made peace through the blood of His cross;" Colossians 1:20
as the covenant Himself. This reconciling peace extends to things on earth where we exist now in respect to the saved in the body of Christ, and also things in heaven, v, 20. The reason is because Christ wants perfection for Himself forever, and He wants if for His body too; the church forever. The un-reconciled things which must be destroyed on earth, and in heaven, visible and invisible, will be destroyed, including, of course, the wicked mystical being things of the angelic realms, and the hostile domains, as is seen in Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:24, etc. All beings that must perish, will perish; including unsaved people, John 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, etc. When this occurs, eschatological perfection will come forever. Even in His resurrected Rule as King of kings and Lord of lords, there is this already not yet tension,
"25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet." 1 Corinthians 15:25
"For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him." Hebrews 2:8
"11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:11
In the meantime, Christ's eternal peace is only applied to all people that will necessarily be glorified in perfection someday in respect to their salvation in this life by grace through faith. In respect to the things on earth, there is a scriptural pattern of the already not yet sense, where we read in Romans 8,
"17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." [There's a now, not yet tension. We are children in salvation which is reconciliation, but we will be glorified in perfection in our resurrected state] "18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
[We saved people are reconciled, but it is nothing like what the amazing future holds for the church. Next comes the rest of the created things in the passage,]
"19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God."
[In other words, even for the rest of the things that God creates, it still all relates to the freedom of the glory of the children of God of the body of Christ, which is God's new creation now. The point is that everything is in a now, not yet tension--looking to ultimate perfection where the curse of Adam will be destroyed completely. Now the rest,]
"22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." Romans 8
Everything groans, even though the New Covenant has been established. But now the same God who spoke all into existence, is the resurrected God-man holding it all together until an eschatological future glory finally comes. The reason this was necessary was because in Adam's un-reconciling fall, not only were people cursed, but the things in creation were cursed too, according to Genesis 3:16-18, as repeated to Noah in Genesis 5:29.
In our Colossians hymn, in respect to other more mystical kinds of things such as angelic majesties, and other spiritual being creatures, Christ did not reconcile all the rulers and authorities at the cross and resurrection like Universalists want to believe. Rather, Christ disarmed them and triumphed over them as part of the peace process that Paul refers to for bringing salvation to the elect, and for bringing ultimate perfection in the future. The kind of "already not yet," of this triumph is repeated in a few verses concerning the spiritual rulers and authorities, and also the Old Covenant things that represented rest and peace, like the Sabbaths, but were only a copy to be fulfilled in Christ,
"15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. 16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." Colossians 2:15-17
What is to come is our resurrected future glorification. But in the meantime, Christ established the New Covenant to save His elect from among the lost. But this gets even deeper. Earthly sun cycle sabbath days of the older obsolete covenant (Hebrews 8:13) are a mere shadow of eternity in perfected glory. This is why we see Christ having also made peace on the cross in respect to the godly things on earth and things in heaven in the pattern in Hebrews 9. It is there that the Spirit tells us that the cleansing occurred for the elements of God on earth,
"11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, [in the heavens, v. 23] not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ... 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" Hebrews 9:11-24
The point is that Christ's work in His new covenant really has changed things, but not like the future completeness that is still to come, which means that there really is a now, not yet, realization of the covenant.
Finally, according to Hebrews 11:39-40 not even any Old Testament saint is saved without the reconciling peace of Christ the Covenant in His blood and resurrection either. They, though faithful, also needed to be made perfect in reconciliation of the elect,
"13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, ... 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. ... 39 And all these, [Old Testament Saints] having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us [the New Covenant people of God in Christ as the body of Christ] they would not be made perfect." Hebrews 11:13-40
What God provided, that was "better for us," is the Messiah come at the proper time and establishing the eternal covenant, Hebrews 13:20. In Christ the Covenant (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6-8, 55:3-4) is the only reconciliation for Old Testament Saints and anything that is created.
As I wrap this up, I want to point out final aspects of our Colossians section under study. The remaining words show clearly that reconciliation is consistently to be saved from alienation, and hostility in mind against God,
"21 And although you [saved Colossians by "faith," cf. 1:4] were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you [saved Colossians by "faith,"] in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you [saved Colossians by "faith,"] before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach--23 if indeed you continue in the faith [doctrines and precepts of the realm of Christianity] firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, [not contingency for so-called "losing salvation;" rather, continuance demonstrates the reality] which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." Colossians 1:15-22
The contrast is clear. You saved Colossians were alienated, hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds. This is to be lost--un-reconciled. Yet He has right now reconciled you Colossian Christians who are saved by grace through faith, in His bodily sacrifice, for a purpose that only the elect who are saved experience. The purpose is "in order," Paul says, to "present" you before Him, set apart, and without any blame whatsoever. This is more of the now not yet of the elect's experience of redemption. Right now, in Christ, all who are actually saved, are holy, (hagios) which means, set apart, blameless and beyond reproach as the righteousness of God. But later, all who are saved, will be presented before Him in super-glorified perfection. All who are rescued, (Colossians 1:13), await this in hope. This is the hope of the gospel.
The now not yet is also seen in the designation that Christ is the Lord of His church (kurios, ie. Master), its Head. This is reflective of Paul's usage of "Lord" to describe Christ in respect to how the Colossians (who are saved) received Him already,
"6 Therefore as you [saved Colossians by "faith," cf. 1:4] have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him," Colossians 2:6
Christ is Lord of the church, and King of His Kingdom;
"He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son," Colossians 1:13
"... these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me." Colossians 4:11
Those who receive Him as Lord demonstrate His rule right now. In respect to His royal rule, He is King of His Kingdom now, but the comprehensive realization in its fullest extent will not be realized until the future. The bottom line is that everyone starts out un-reconciled. Salvation, is to be reconciled to God.
