Answering God's Call

Continue in the Faith

Colossians 1:21-23.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 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— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

Colossians 1:21-22 presents to us a striking contrast between our life before we believed in the gospel and now that we have been reconciled by Christ. The passage describes that we were “alienated from God” and, worse, “were enemies” because of our evil behavior. It then shifts to what we become when already in Christ: holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. 

To be alienated from God is choosing to live independently of Him. Our sinful life has caused us to pursue many other things but God. We turned our back on Him and cared less if we know Him or not. This made us enemies in our mind with God. Our innermost being rebelled against God and did not want to live under His lordship. 

But when we believed in Christ, everything changed. From being alienated from God and being enemies with Him, we are now reconciled with Him. Because of His death we were made holy in the sight of God, without blemish and free from accusation. God, by the death of His Son, set us free from all unrighteousness and released us from guilt. 

However, v. 23 challenges us to continue in the faith. It clearly establishes the fact that there needs to be a deliberate and conscious effort on our part to be steadfast and immovable in our faith. If you truly experience how it is to be reconciled with Christ, and enjoy the righteousness and guilt-free life He gives, you do not just walk away from such a gift! Instead, you must strive by His grace not to be distracted from focusing on Christ.

There is no other message by which we can be reconciled with God than the gospel of Christ. Focus on Christ and deepen your relationship with Him. Enjoy a guilt-free, holy life. Continue in the faith.