UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVABLE!

UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVABLE!

Col 1:19-22

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

20 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.

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:

          If a holy God were ever to be reconciled with sinful man, the initiative must come from God. Sinful man would never seek after God either because he loved his sin or the brightness of God’s light would blister his darkness. The extreme discomfort felt by the sinner in the presence of holiness keeps us from approaching God! There must be a fundamental change – a new birth – in order for us to feel comfortable in His presence.

          Jesus was not only our whipping boy, He was and is God. The word “fullness” in verse 19 is the Greek word pleroma (pronounced “play-RO-ma”) and it means “the sum total of the divine power and attributes.” The word “dwell” means to “be at home permanently.” So, God Himself took up permanent residence in Jesus and bore the punishment of sin on the cross for us. How could He not be satisfied with Himself? He made peace through the blood of his cross.

          Jesus is able to present us to the Father “unblameable.” The Greek is amomos and means “without blemish or flaw.” This is our real condition in Christ. The closest inspection by the harshest critic (Satan is our accuser) will find no blemish in the child of God because salvation fundamentally changes us.

          Jesus is able to present us to the Father “unreproveable.” The Greek is anegkletos and means “irreproachable.” The transformation from darkness to light extends not only from our new birth but to our new life. We have been made a new “tree” and therefore we bear different fruit than before. Salvation provides not only forgiveness for the sins we have done but the ability to discontinue sinning. Those who watch our lives often say: “Something has happened to you. You have “changed.”

Dear Lord, thank you for making me new. Thank you for making it possible for my sinful self to stand unafraid in the presence of pure holiness. AMEN