Jesus will reconcile all things to Himself!!
Paul continues to clarify to the Colossian believers who Jesus is – “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.” (Col. 1: 20) Consider the amazing things that God has done for us through Jesus Christ – “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5: 6-11)
During America’s 250th birthday celebration, the greatest freedom to be found anywhere in the world is being brought into a reconciled relationship with God through what Jesus has done for each one of us!
We also learn from Romans that through one man – ‘Adam’ – sin entered the world and from him all of us inherit a sin nature – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5: 12) However, we also learn – “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5: 17)
Pastor John MacArthur writes – “God by His own will and design used His Son, the only acceptable and perfect sacrifice, as the means to reconcile sinners to Himself. God initiates the change in the sinner’s status in that He brings him from a position of alienation to a state of forgiveness and right relationship with Himself.” (MacArthur, 1544) MacArthur further writes – “After a person is regenerate, old value systems, priorities, beliefs, loves, and plans are gone. Evil and sin are still present, but the believer sees them in a new perspective and they no longer control him.” (MacArthur, 1544)
Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully man. We learn in Paul’s letter to the Philippians of Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation – “Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a slave, by being made in the likeness men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2: 5-11)
Jesus Christ ultimately will reconcile all things in heaven and on earth to Himself! What a blessing to live in a land of freedom where we can freely share the good news of Jesus Christ! May the United States of America stay free for many more years to come!!
REFERENCES:
The McArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition. 2020. Thomas Nelson.