“Once you
were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil
behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death
to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if
you continue in the faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope
held out in the gospel.” (vv.21-23)
Today’s verses are a classic before-and-after picture that Paul
loves to use. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behavior” (v. 21). Simply put, due to sin we were
disconnected from our Creator and in a state of rebellion against Him. Paul
located this rebellion in our minds, because in this epistle his emphasis is on
knowledge and truth and their consequences.
“But now”… the alienation turned to friendship and the rebelliousness
to obedience (v. 22). Our minds being transformed, purified, and made holy
through Jesus’s sacrificial death and God’s ongoing work of sanctification in
our lives. No longer separated but at peace with God.
Salvation is a one-time event that changes our life forever,
however it’s a process or pilgrimage that continues until we reach our
destination. We must, “continue in our faith and not move from the hope in the
gospel” (v.23)
The Truth
“Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to
which you were called when you made your good confession in the
presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
