Reconciliation

Categories: god

Date: 11 December 2012 20:55:23

Blogging through Advent 8

Reconciliation

Colossians 1:20-2:3

Some years ago there was a family rift. My father and sister would not talk to each other. Dad used to sit in the car outside when he had driven Mum down to see her. I am pleased to say that is not the case now. They are reconciled, ans my sister now regularly comes up to see Mum and Dad. Reconciliation, played out on a cosmic scale, is what St. Paul is talking about here:

...and through [Christ] to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him, if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly; of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfil the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; for which I also labour, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily. For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

We are reconciled to God. What could be better news than that? This: Not only us but everything in the universe is reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. Everything. Reconciliation on a cosmic scale. Our part is that through Christ we are not only reconciled but made holy. That is perfect, clean, spotless, blameless. No I don't recognise myself in this either, I'm hardly clean or blameless. But it has started. Christ has done his sacrificial bit to make us holy. And Christ continues it. His presence in us by the power of the Holy Spirit means that the process of making us holy continues. We are being made ready for heaven The whole business is summed up in a few words: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

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Bible passage from the WEB translation.