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Doc
May 29, 07 - 9:46 AM |
Colossians
How is this couple of verses interpreted from a universalist viewpoint? Colossians 1:22-23 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 your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel |
Ed Smith
May 29th, 2007 - 11:17 AM |
Re: Colossians
This seems to be speaking of our salvation from sin. I don't mean from some retribution for our sins without salvation from the real problem--sin itself. The believers to whom Paul was speaking were in harmony with God, not enslaved to sin, but living healthy, holy lives. Of course, until they continue that way and stabilize their lifestyle, they may well have down periods in which sin is troubling them again. We all have our ups and downs as Christians, but we are all destined to eventually stabilize in complete holiness. A universalist believes that all people share the same destiny, though some don't show signs of moving in that direction in this life. Undoubtedly, you are thinking of this scripture in terms of "imputed righteousness" as opposed to actual righteousness. No matter how you view the atonement, our problem is with actual righteousness. I will explain. Even if you believe in limited atonement, as they call it, you surely believe that Christ is great enough to have paid for many more sins. If you believe He is an infinite being, it makes sense He could have paid even for infinitely many sins in a finite time. Thus, it would be easy enough for God to save absolutely everyone if imputed righteousness or the paying of some penalty were the primary concern. What requires some kind of involvement from the will of the sinnner is actual righteousness, that is, sanctification. Since we are on this subject, allow me to ask a hypothetical question. Suppose God had no way of paying some penalty that we deserved for sin, but He could find a way to cure us all from the presence of sin so that He could enjoy us in happiness and holiness forever. Would He condemn us all to eternal torment or destruction because of some idea of justice? Is that really possible to believe when He wants us to have an entirely different attitude when others sin against us? Perhaps saving us from the actual presence of sin is God's only real problem with us. It is certainly a much more tricky problem than paying a penalty for sins, which He could do with or without our consent. As you are reading through the New Testament, try noticing how often salvation through the work of Christ on the cross is spoken of in terms of actually freeing us from some kind of bondage as slaves to sin. Even when you see the word forgiveness associated with this act, if you look at the Greek, you often find that the word means "setting free" as if from slavery or prison. Best regards, Ed |
Mike Burke
 May 29th, 2007 - 11:51 AM |
Re: Colossians
Thank you Ed. I would only add one thing. In addition to speaking of the all that was created through Christ (verse 16), and the all that WILL be reconciled through Christ (verse 20), Paul is speaking to those who are NOW being reconciled to God (verse 22.) If they do not continue in their faith, they will not be reconciled NOW (verse 23.) God Bless. |
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Ed Smith
May 29th, 2007 - 12:17 PM |
Re: Colossians
That's a good point, Mike. This is actually a favorite, perhaps the most favorite, passage to universalists. What I was getting at was that I think v22-23 is saying something very obvious, by way of exhorting the believers to continue in harmony with God. As Christians, we've probably all had times we've fallen in sin. Then when we abandon that sin again, we have this great feeling of peace and harmony in our relationship with God--a barrier has been removed between us and the Lord. That is reconciliation. Paul was telling the believers we have been reconciled, but to continue in that harmonious relationship with God requires a continual act of the will. I think Paul was saying that our reconciliation will be as continuous as our reconciliation will be. Eventually, it will be a habit that is permanent. We must, as he said elsewhere, keep standing firm and not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. As a body, such as our moon, is going into tidal lock, it rotates more and more slowly. Then, one day, it fails to rotate, but still almost rotates--it turns in one direction and then the other, but not completely around. As time goes on, the influence of the larger body's gravity causes this wobble to become smaller and smaller until it is over and the moon forever presents one face continually to its parent body. The ups and downs in our Christian life will eventually fall to the greater influence of the great person to whom we turn our face over and over again. One day, we'll be unable to turn our face away even briefly. When we first decide to turn to Christ, our momentum of turning around ourselves is abandoned, much like our moon abandoned its own rotation and wobbled back and forth toward the gravity of earth. Christ still has much work to do on most of us, but the influence of His greatness has set our eventual destiny of complete holiness and harmony with Him. Ed |
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Mike Burke
May 29th, 2007 - 9:00 PM |
Re: Colossians
Amen. |
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