Grow With Pastor Joe

My mom grew up poor on River Road in Amherst, Virginia. She lived a good life, but they didn’t have an abundance of much of anything. My mom’s father was a deer processor and a great one. Both of her parents worked to provide, but they like others who lived on that road were called “River Rats.” As I grew up, I lived a very different life than my mom. I grew up in the middle class and lower side of the railroad tracks of our town. Growing up though, I got to enjoy so many things because of my parents’ sacrifice. I remember though that my mom would speak of her childhood and would often say that all she had to eat was deer meat, soup, and gravy. While this was certainly an exaggeration, every fall my dad and I would go deer hunting. Him and I enjoyed deer meat (and still do). Most of the time we failed at getting a deer of our own, but people were nice enough to share (this is still the case). Dad would prepare and we’d eat with glee…except for my mother. The running joke of her growing up only eating deer meat, soup, and gravy would come up, but mom would not eat any deer meat that was offered to her. Then, dad would always say, “You’ve done got above your raising.” Now, let’s look at our spiritual lives and growth.

            Have we gotten above our raising? Many Christians today have forgotten what they come from, who they are, and what they have now in Christ. God’s people have always been a forgetful people. In our study of Colossians, we have seen the theme is the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. We must go further because many believe that Jesus is supreme and sufficient for salvation, but not much else. They live as if Jesus did His part, now the rest is up to us. We must see that Jesus is supreme and sufficient not just for salvation but for sanctification in Him (the conforming of the believer into the likeness of Christ) and for service for Him. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that is our beginning, middle, and end. It is His grace that brought the gospel to us, grows in the gospel, and produces gospel fruitfulness in our life for His glory. Being reconciled requires that we remember who we were before Christ and to then rest in who we now are in Christ. However, the reconciled position that we now enjoy is to then enable us to live out our practical responsibilities of being a reconciled believer. Previously, we saw the fulness of our reconciliation through the reconciling work of Christ. It is supreme and sufficient for all of life. Today, we will look at Col. 1:21-23 which says, “²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled ²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: ²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” In our study of these verses today, we see the Apostle Paul getting more personal with the Colossians. He is reminding them of the foundational gospel truth of what Christ has done, what it means, and why it matters for them in their circumstances. They were facing the temptation and threat of false teaching which added man’s wisdom and work to the supreme and sufficient work of Christ. We need the same message today. We must not get above our raising or think that we have outgrown the gospel. However, we must see that the gospel of Jesus Christ as described through the reconciling work of Christ in this passage is how we live out in practice what we have in our position. Because we have been reconciled and brought into union with one another in Christ, we must now live out in practice what it means to be reconciled to God through Christ by the power of the Spirit in our life. Today, we will see in these verses the believer’s conversion. We must not forget where we come from, what we are, and where we are going. We will also see the believer’s condition. The believer has a positional relationship and practical responsibilities in Christ. Lastly, we will see the believer’s continuation. This will deal with how we are to continue in the gospel by grace for His glory throughout our everyday life until we are delivered from this present world.

            First, we must see the believer’s conversion in Col. 1:21 which says, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.” As we have discussed in our study throughout Colossians so far, there is much headship and union language that is used to declare and demonstrate not only Christ’s headship over all things, but the union with and in Him that the believer now enjoys. All who have been reconciled to Christ have the same testimony in that they were blind but now they see. They were lost, but now they are found. They were lame, but now they are whole. They were dead, but now they live. They were enemies, now they are sons and daughters of the King of Kings. They were beggars but now enjoy the riches of grace in Christ. Every believer has a before and after story that is unique to them. Some were saved from hard and worldly backgrounds. Others saved from church pews. The point us, there is a before and after that we must never forget and we must never get over. If you can get over being saved, then I wonder if you got the real deal. Yes, there are times when we grow cold, but in a fresh look to Christ our hearts are warmed and filled. Let’s see the two different aspects of the believer’s conversion by seeing the before and after.

One, before we were saved, we were in Adam. Meaning, we were still lost in our woeful and willful sin that separated us from God. Notice the word “were.” This shows us that this is the past condition that we were in, but it is also in the present tense signifying that we were staying that way. Our continual standing and state were alienation from God. The word “alienated” is the word “apallotrioo” which means to be totally and entirely estranged and alienated from another. It is in the perfect tense and passive voice which indicated that this was a past and continual condition. To put it plainly, you didn’t become a sinner, you were born one. Rom. 5:12 says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” David also said the same thing in Ps. 51:5. The fall of Adam was fatal to all, but the faithfulness of Christ offers salvation. Nevertheless, we see that this past alienated condition permeated our entire being. We are inside and outside beings. We are body, soul, and spirit. Here, Paul says that we were “enemies” in our “mind” which is our intellectual understanding as well as ethical and moral faculty. Eph. 2:3 says, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Even the best behaved had bad insides because of their fallen nature apart from Christ. Furthermore, our outer man is described as expressing “wicked works.” This means that from the inside out we were enemies of God in our mind and morals, both in attributes, attitudes, and actions. That’s a bleak picture of who we were, but we must never forget what we were saved from.

Two, our conversion then placed us in Christ the moment of conversion where we were redeemed, justified, adopted, and reconciled to God in Christ. There is a wonderful phrase in this verse that says, “yet now hath he reconciled.” Last week, we discussed the fulness of reconciliation. We have been brought into harmony through our union in and with Christ. We are totally, fully, without deficit reconciled to God in Christ. The Lord Jesus made His foes His friends. We were outsiders, now we are insiders. Eph. 2:11-22 describes the believer’s conversion wonderfully in describing our previous outsider status and now present, and eternal united status in Christ.

            Second, we must see the believer’s condition in Col. 1:22 which says, “In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” The first portion of this verse really could be the tail end of the previous verse as it describes how our reconciliation has occurred in Christ. It is through His death that we have life, and it is now through His life that we now live. It is the message of the gospel of grace that brought us life. Now, we will see two things about the believer’s condition.

One, we see the believer’s positional relationship. This deals with our standing in Christ or our unchangeable position of union with Christ. We have been reconciled which deals with our position. We are in harmonious union with Him because of His supreme and sufficient work on the cross. The verse tells us that the purpose of our position is to “present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” The presentation is both a current present position. We are now positionally or judiciously “holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight.” However, there is a future aspect in that one day we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive reward for faithfulness to Him. There is coming a day when every believer will be able to put off this corruptible flesh and put on incorruption so that we will forever be “holy, unblameable, and unreproveable.” The word “holy” is the word “hagios” which means to be separated from sin and separated to God. We are now presently presented as positionally holy because we have been imputed the perfect righteousness of Christ. The word “unblameable” is the word “amomos” which means without spot, blemish, or blight. This word was used in the Old Testament sacrificial system especially regarding the Passover Lamb and the sacrifices for the Day of Atonement. In Christ, there is no more blemish (Eph. 1:4). We are washed white as snow by the precious blood of the Lamb. Then, the word “unreproveable” is the word “anegkletos” which means to be unaccusable. Paul writes in Rom. 8:33-34, “³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Positionally speaking, there is no more accusations that can be brought against us because we are fully, totally redeemed and reconciled by the supreme and sufficient work of Christ who has made us holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight.

Two, we see the believer’s practical responsibilities. Because we have been declared positionally holy, unblameable, and unreproveable we should practically live in a way that reflects what Christ has done. We are to practically be “holy,” being separated from sin and separated unto Christ for His holy service. 1 Pet. 1:13-16 says, “¹³ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: ¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” We must live holy lives because we have been made holy. Holiness in the life of the believer looks like putting sin and self to death and living by God’s grace for His glory. Every day. Every hour. Every moment. Every season and every second. We are to be practically “unblameable” in that there should be nothing blatant in our life that would mark us as false converts or hypocrites. We must deal with our sin, or it will deal with us. Our life is now to be a holy and living sacrifice worthy of Christ. Rom. 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Furthermore, we are to practically live as “unreproveable” in our daily life. We should not live in a way that would allow others to bring up sinful accusations upon us or be a reproach to the name of Christ. God knows that we will still struggle with sin, but He deserves sanctified and separated believers who practically live out of their position in Christ.

            Third, we must see the believer’s continuation in Col. 1:23 which says, “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” Christ is supreme and sufficient enough to save, sanctify, and sustain us in practical living by His grace. This verse calls all believers to continue living in lasting loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ. We live by His gospel and grace for His glory. We are called in this verse to “continue” which is the word “epimeno” which means to abide or persevere. It is in the present tense which tells us that we are to continuously continue in our walk in Christ. It is not that we are to continue in our strength, religiosity, or just good work. Rather, we are to continue “in the faith.” This phrase is referencing the body of biblical truth that is rooted in the gospel, the person and work of Christ. 1 Cor. 16:13 calls believers to do likewise saying, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” This is also seen in other scriptures such as Eph. 4:13. The point is that we are continue in the truth of the gospel of Jesus. We never outgrow it or outlive it. We are to be “grounded” which is a word meaning to have a secure foundation. The gospel is that foundation. Christ and His supremacy and sufficiency is that foundation. We are to be “settled” which is the word meaning to be steadfast or to be firmly seated. Both of these together show us that it is the gospel that grows us deeper in firmness and then higher and wider in fruitfulness. The longer I am saved the more I realize that I have hardly walked into the depths of the ocean of His grace found in the gospel. Furthermore, we are to continue in the faith by not being “moved away” which means to be shifted or stirred. The New Testament is filled with warnings about departing the faith or backsliding from the threats of temptations and trials. The Colossians were facing the same threat and so are we. Today, there are countless believers who are not grounded and settled in the gospel. Therefore, gospel preaching doesn’t stir them as it once did for they have forgotten what it really means to be reconciled. Then, those same believers often begin to shift away from biblical doctrine and the local church. The key to all of this is to build our practical life on the “hope of the gospel” which is the message that we heard (and must continue to hear), is going out into the world, and was given through the Apostles ministry. All of life is to be founded fixed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.            

As we bring this to a close, notice what Paul says in Phil. 1:27. He says, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” It is the gospel that brings us into union with Christ and one another. Our life must be worthy of the gospel that saved and reconciled us. Our life should be striving together for the sake of the gospel so that we would be continuing in the practical life of faith being settled and secured by the wonderful hope that the gospel has given us. I ask, have you been converted and reconciled? What is your condition before God? Are you practically living by faith? Are you continuing in the gospel? Have you been unsettled? Unsure? Are you drifting? Don’t get above your raising! Come back to the gospel of Jesus and remember the reconciling work of Christ. Rest in Him. Rejoice in Him. Respond to His reconciling work by living a holy life of faithfulness by His grace for the sake of the gospel and glory of Jesus Christ.