Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 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—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)
Have you ever been separated from someone you love? Not separated physically by having them move away. Separated emotionally because of something you did. Maybe your parents never forgave you after you _________. Maybe your spouse never welcomed you back after you _________. Maybe your friend never treated you the same after you said _________. It hurts. You want to go back in time and change what you did, but you can’t. Have you ever been separated from someone you love?
For all of us, the answer is “Yes!” All of us were separated from God. That’s how the Bible talks about our sins: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” Our sins separate us from God. He should want nothing to do with us. He should send all of us to hell, where we would be eternally separated from God and his love.
Instead, God sent Jesus. Know what Jesus did? He reconciled us with God. To “reconcile” means to restore a broken relationship. Jesus restored our relationship with God. Not by paying money or getting us to talk things through. It took so much more than that. “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—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.”
Jesus reconciled us to God through his physical body on the cross. Jesus died the death we deserve and paid for all our sins. You are forgiven. You are reconciled!
Even if you’re never reconciled to that loved one here on earth, know this: You have peace with God! Even if that other person never loves you again, know this: Jesus loves you! Even if other people continue to accuse you, in God’s sight you are holy, without blemish, and free from accusation.
This is the hope held out in the gospel: You are reconciled to God!
Dear Father, my sins separated me from you. But you, in your grace, sent your own Son to die for me. Strengthen me to continue in faith, established and firm, filled with the hope of the gospel. Amen.
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