THURSDAY November 7, 2024
Be Reconciled to God
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
Colossians 1:21-22
Paul explained to the Colossian believers how they were alienated and enemies of God, but then he gave them hope. Through Christ’s death, they were reconciled to God.
Notice, nobody can reconcile themselves to God; that would be an impossibility. Reconciliation cannot happen through Mary, Jesus’ mother, or angels, or any other person. We can only be reconciled to God one way––through Jesus Christ: For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all... (1Timothy 2:5-6). Again, Jesus is the only One who can reconcile us to God.
Salvation through Christ has been made available to everyone––not just for the select few. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin to those who are alienated from God. The Bible tells us: “And when He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He convicts a person and leads them to repentance.
Through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repenting, and receiving Jesus as Savior, regeneration takes place. This is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit whereby people who are dead in sin are now given spiritual life. They are born-again. Listen, if there is no regeneration, then there is no spiritual life––no true conversion.
Jesus Christ died on the Cross, and those who now accept Him as Savior and Lord are reconciled to God as holy, blameless and sanctified. This is the work of Jesus Christ; it is all by grace.
Here we see the infinite love of God, that He has been pleased to think of us poor creatures from everlasting and make it His work to reconcile us to Himself.
~Jeremiah Burroughs~
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