Friday Devo
Scripture:
Colossians 1:21-22
You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Commentary:
1:21–22 once … now. Paul presents a strong contrast between the Colossians’ pre-Christian status and their favorable situation now as Christians. alienated. Sin has resulted in estrangement from God (Eph. 2:12; 4:18) and thus creates the need for reconciliation. This is due, in part, to the fact that nonbelievers are hostile in mind to God (Rom. 1:21). The result of reconciliation is that Christ is now working in all the believers to present you holy and blameless before God. This is the same language used in the OT to describe the unblemished animals that the Levitical priest would bring for a sacrifice to God. When Christ brings his followers to the Father for inspection, they will be found to be above reproach.
Study Questions:
- The way to walk in humility is to live in light of the Gospel. When we truly understand and embrace what Jesus did for us when we least deserved it, we will naturally respond to him in humility, worship and surrender. It puts everything in its proper place. When you think of how Jesus took your place on the cross and paid your fine, despite all the times you've turned your back on him, done your own thing and gone your own way, what kind of feelings are stirred up? How does it make you view yourself? God? Other people?
- Colossians 1 gives us a beautiful balance when it comes to humility. It's true, we don't deserve Jesus' sacrifice. We can't earn it and can't repay it. But it doesn't stop there. Because of Jesus' death on the cross, we are a new creation. Surrendering your life to him didn't just make your life better. It literally brought you from death to life. You now stand before him completely justified; holy and blameless, without a single fault. How amazing is it to realize that when God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of Christ? Spend some time in prayer thanking God for his unimaginable grace.
Pray:
- That you would remind yourself of the cross daily.
- That you would live with the understanding of all God has done for you.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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