“21And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,…28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” – Colossians 1:21-22 & 28 (ESV)
I am so happy for the above verses. Paul explains to the Colossians, and to me, that my way has been paid by Christ and that the church body is here to assist in my growth and maturation to be presented to God as whole. I have help and that is comforting.
Often I feel as though I am all alone working for Christ when in reality, I am never alone as He is with me and has already paid the price for me to be free in doing His work. He died so that I do not have to. He cleaned me up even when I was so soiled only Satan would take me. I am grateful for the work done by Christ on my behalf so that I would be presented to God as His child and not some foreign entity.
And the church, the body of Christ, is there for me to lean on physically here in this world. The church is where I learn the glory of Him and am taught the love of God that I may grow stronger in Him to fend off the attacks of the world. It is the church that provides the physical Godly love I need to make it and grow in my maturity in Christ.
It is the work that has been done and that which is being one that prepares me to be presented to God. I am grateful for all of the work done and to be done to prepare the way for me and to prepare me to be presented. It is with the selfless actions of Christ and the church I am grateful. For Christ certainly could have gotten out of death on the cross and the church does not have to work for me. I am the recipient of love and glory from Christ and the church and for that I am and will be eternally grateful.
I will be presented to God as “holy and blameless and above reproach…mature in Christ” as noted by Paul in the verses above. But my presentment does not come without work done and still to be done by Christ, the church, and by me. Thank you Jesus and the church for loving me and wanting nothing but glory for me.
What beliefs do you have about the work of Christ and the church on your behalf? Are you aware of their work to make you ready for presentment to God? What if we embraced the work done by Christ, sought the work of the church and put in the work ourselves to be presented to God as “holy and blameless and above reproach…mature in Christ”?
Trevor's Thoughts 