Colossians Chapter 1 Study: The Preeminence of Christ and Reconciliation
IntroductionEncouragement to study Colossians chapter 1, focusing on the preeminence of Christ and the power of God.Acknowledging personal feelings of inadequacy but emphasizing trust in God’s power to feed His sheep.God uses “foolishness of preaching” to save believers.Reference to Colossians 1:18-22 as the text for the message.“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;”“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”“In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight”Prayer for God’s help and for the truth to find its place in hearts.The Inward Man vs. The Outward Man
Concept of Inner and Outer SelfMost people don’t understand the concept of the inward and outward man.There is an unseen man on the inside.God looks at the heart (inward man), not just the outward appearance.Example: Samuel anointing a new king for Israel.Salvation of the Inward ManGod saves the inward man, not the outward man (which returns to dust).The inward man must be reconciled to God.The Second DeathIf one is only born once (physically), there are two deaths in the future.It’s dangerous to be unreconciled to God, even momentarily.If you die without being born again, your soul is unprepared to meet God.Eternity is the most important subject to consider.Need to call on God before it’s too late.God’s Work of Reconciliation and Cleansing
Miraculous Work of SalvationPersonal testimony of being saved in 1976.Salvation is a miraculous, irreversible work that provides eternal life.Promise of never perishing.Ephesians 1:3-4, 7Blessed with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame.Redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.Colossians 1:22Presented holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight through the body of His flesh through death.Reconciliation Through Christ’s BloodGod reconciled us through the blood of Jesus Christ.Jesus paid for and cleansed us of all sin (past, present, and future).God paid the penalty for our sin debt before we ever could.Calvary’s cross provided forgiveness for all future sins.Promise of being presented to the Father as holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.Purity of the Bride of ChristThe bride of Christ (the church) has been made pure.God chose us before the foundation of the world and made a way for all sins to be paid for on the cross.We are made holy, unblameable, and unreprovable through Jesus’ sacrifice.Ephesians 1:4 ConfirmationWe should be holy and without blame before Him in love.Eternal SecurityOnce born again, one is forever taken care of and will never be lost again.God’s plan at Calvary satisfied the justice of God for the penalty of man’s sin.God recognizes the work of His Son in us, making us holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.We are the sons of God because of the blood shed for our souls.We go to heaven because of what Jesus did, not what we’ve done.Addressing the Misconception of License to Sin
Addressing the MisconceptionAddressing the idea that being forever clean gives a license to sin.Apostle Paul’s response in Romans: “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”Born-again individuals cannot live in sin.A new creature inside loves what was once hated and hates what was once loved.If truly born again, something bigger on the inside will chastise and bring one home.Isaiah 1:18Though sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.Jesus Christ’s sacrifice makes us white and clean in the blood of the Lamb.Everything we’ve ever done falls under the blood of Jesus Christ.Desire to Live RighteouslyDesire to live the way God wants us to live, not alienated from God or the church.Wanting to live without sin in our hearts.Payment for All SinAt salvation, all sins (past, present, and future) were paid for with Jesus’ blood.God accepted that payment and purged us of sin.Sealed to the Day of RedemptionGod sealed what He made white, pure, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable with the power of His Holy Spirit.Sins are gone and under the blood of Jesus Christ.Importance of Repentance and FellowshipFellowship with God depends on willingness to repent daily.Repentance restores fellowship with God.Even if death occurs without a moment to repent, one dies clean, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable because the blood paid for all sin.Everything needed to make us perfect in Christ has been done.Freedom from FearFreedom from living in fear over salvation.Belief in Jesus’ words: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.”This statement is valid only if all sins were paid for, not just in part.Made holy, unblameable, and unreprovable and sealed to the day of redemption.Holiness and Righteousness Imputed Through Christ
Being Holy as God is HolyThe only way to be holy is through Christ.Romans 4:22-25Righteousness was imputed to Abraham because of his faith.This was written for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.Jesus was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification.Presented as HolyJesus will present us to God the Father as holy.Holy means righteous, all right, not wrong.Focus on the inward man, not the outward man.Righteousness of Christ ImputedThe righteousness of Jesus Christ, not our own, is imputed to us when we turn our hearts over to Christ.It was laid to our account and placed in our hearts, sealed until the day of redemption.Assurance of SalvationNot worrying about sin because, according to the Word of God, sins are gone.Sins are under the blood and gone forever.Living as Holy in HeartDesire to live as holy in the flesh as we are in the heart.God doesn’t halfway forgive sin; He forgives all sin.We are clean and white in the eyes of God.God’s Justice SatisfiedThe blood of Jesus Christ satisfied God’s justice.We are presented holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight.This is only possible if He deals with our sin, which He did.Eternal Payment for SinJesus forever paid our sin debt, and we are saved forevermore.If He didn’t preserve us in that white, holy condition, we wouldn’t have a chance of getting into heaven.Every hope is anchored in the blood of the Lamb.Saved because of what Jesus did, the propitiation for all our sin.Unblameable and Unreprovable: A Miraculous Work
Unblameable and UnreprovableHoly, unblameable, and unreprovable are the same concept.A person who cannot be blamed cannot be reproved.Reproving in the flesh helps us walk according to what’s in the heart.Cannot reprove what’s inside the soul; it’s either right with God or not.God had to do something miraculous to make our souls unblameable.Superiority of New CovenantWe have something Job didn’t have.Job had great faith, but the blood of Jesus Christ had not yet been shed.Jesus rose from the dead, gathered up that blood, and presented it to God the Father as payment for our sins.Everyone who bows in the name of Jesus Christ can be born again and have their sins washed away.Perfection Through ChristCannot be saved again because you can’t make perfect water.Cannot go to heaven if you aren’t perfect.Hebrews 9:11-12Christ came as a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle.He entered the holy place once with His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us.He made us perfect on the inside.John 1:29John the Baptist saw Jesus coming and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”Jesus died for sins we’ve yet to commit.Salvation wouldn’t be worth anything if it only covered past sins.He died for the sin of the whole world.God’s PerspectiveGod will present us to the Father as holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.If God says we are unblameable and unreprovable in His sight, we should rejoice.No boasting or works are involved; we have no means of getting to God except through the finished work of Jesus Christ.Cleansing from All Sin and the New Birth
1 John 1:7If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.Cleansing from all sin is not about turning over a new leaf.Worthlessness of Self-RighteousnessSalvation is not about what we do or will do.Kicking habits or stopping addictions doesn’t merit favor with God.Our righteousness is nothing but filthy rags.The flesh will return to dust, but something inside us was forever made holy and unblameable.Necessity of New BirthEither Jesus’ blood was sufficient for all our sins, or we need to live in constant fear.God knew saving the flesh was impossible because its nature is sinful.Jesus told Nicodemus we must be born again.We are new creatures in Christ because we are born again in the Spirit of God.Two Births, One DeathBorn once, die twice (physical death and lake of fire).Born twice, die once (only physical death).Boasting in the Lamb of GodBoasting about the Lamb of God who shed His blood for our souls.Because we’ve been born again, we get to go to heaven, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.Romans 3:24Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.Justified means there is no condemnation, sin, or culpability.Devil’s AccusationsThe devil tries to blame, accuse, and reprove us.We end up at the altar where we bow our knee to Him, and the Holy Ghost of God purges us of sin.We have been made clean in the sight of God.We have something to be grateful for; God made a way.We can’t mess this up.Eternal Security and the Gift of Salvation
No Need for RetuningNo need to get “tuned up” on the inside man again.There is no “black” (sin) inside; it’s all in the nature of the flesh.That which He bought, purged, cleansed, and sealed to the day of redemption must be perfect and holy.Jesus’ promises of eternal life and never perishing would mean nothing if our sins weren’t gone forever.Justification Through GraceBeing justified just as if we’d never sinned, freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus.God set forth Jesus to be a propitiation through faith in His blood.Assurance of SalvationThe gift we got will never be in question.Hope that others have experienced the same and will get there.If you die tonight and have been born again, He will present you unto God holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.He did the work once, immediately, for all, and then sealed it.Salvation by Grace, Not WorksWe get to go to heaven not because of anything we’ve done that was good.No message preached or good deed done will get us into heaven.For the same reason good works won’t get us in, bad works cannot keep us out.Purged and SealedHe purged our sin, looked into the inward man, and identified all the dark past and future sins.The blood has paid for all sin, and it was cleansed and made white that day.He sealed it until the day He redeems us.Day of RedemptionThe day of redemption is when this old body expires.To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.The Holy Spirit will no longer need to be sealed on us; we will be with Him.Doctrinal BeliefThis is doctrinal to our faith and what we believe.Sometimes we don’t remind ourselves of what great gift God has given us.Illustration of the Slave Girl and the Auction Block
Story of the Slave GirlA young slave girl was being sold on the auction block, stripped from her family.She grew hateful toward all those bidding for her.One man bid a price far above what anyone else could pay and bought her.He tore up her papers and said, “You’re free.”She went after him and said she would serve him for the rest of her life.He bought her so he could set her free.Application to SalvationWe serve God because we are debtors to Him.We will never be able to repay Him for what He did for us that day as a child.After millions of years, we will still be thanking Him for saving our souls.God’s PerspectiveWhen we see our regret, God sees the cross.When we see our sin debt, God sees the price paid in full by His only begotten Son.When we see our multitude of sins, God sees the blood of the spotless Lamb.When we say, “O wretched man that I am,” God says we are righteous because of Jesus Christ and what has been imputed into our hearts.Living a Life Worthy of Salvation
Sons of GodWhether we act like it or not, if we’ve been born again, the blood of Jesus Christ has made us sons of God.We ought to act like it and live every day of our lives 100% sold out and surrendered to the will of Jesus Christ.He’s worthy of no less than that.Assurance of SalvationIf you’ve been born again, you’re going to heaven.He’s going to present you unto the Father, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable.You don’t deserve to go, but He made you worthy.That’s worth living for; whatever He says to do, we ought to do it.There aren’t enough devils in hell to keep us out of it if we’ve been born again.Ephesians 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.The only thing you can do with a gift is receive it.Invitation to Receive the GiftGod made a way for you to be saved tonight.Religion won’t get you there; you must know Jesus Christ as your Savior.If you know Him in the free pardon of sin, who has done a work in you and made you holy, unblameable, and imputed the righteousness of the perfect one, then you can raise your hand and say thank you.Come forward if you don’t know Him tonight and receive this gift.Gratitude for SalvationThank God for the blood of Jesus Christ.We have a lot to be grateful for.We can fall on our knees every day and shout hallelujah; He’s made us clean through the blood of the Lamb.
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