JESUS, THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHER "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. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." (Colossians 1:20-22) -- Tomorrow:
Devotion 16 of 32
ALL THINGS
" . . . all things . . . "
Whatever has been affected by sin must be impacted by the reconciliation as well. There cannot be a lesser circumference to reconciliation than there is to transgression. What Christ has done must reach as far as what Adam did. His work must be as extensive as that of the "first man." The "gate" is strait, and "the way" is narrow "which leadeth unto life" – but it is not owing to any "ineffectiveness" found in either the gate or the "way." There is nothing about salvation that places a limit on the number of sinners it can transform.
In confirmation of this, our text speaks in tones of staggering depth and scope: "ALL things."
The word "all" means every one, throughly, whatsoever, whole, everyone, and everything collectively (Strong's). The idea transmitted by the English word "things" is included in the word translated "all."
This expression means that Christ's reconciliation is applicable to every domain impacted by man's sin, providing a sufficiency that will bring Divine approval and acceptance. It means that, because of Christ's death, there is provision for "all things" to be in harmony with the God of heaven. The reconciliation effected by Christ is, therefore, most excellently adapted to the dilemma caused by sin.
The expression "all things" will be more fully expounded in the next phrase.
HIMSELF
" . . . unto Himself . . . " The reconciliation is with God because the alienation was from Him. God was offended by the transgression, and thus it is He that is the objective of the reconciliation.
We are therefore said to be "reconciled to God" (Rom 5:10), be "alive unto God" (Rom 6:11), and made "acceptable to God" (Rom 14:18). Those who believe are turned "to God" (1 Thess 1:9), draw nigh "unto God" (Heb 7:19), and "come unto God" by Christ (Heb 7:25). Christ is bringing us "to God" (1 Pet 3:18), and by the Spirit we have "access unto the Father" (Eph 2:18).
Here the whole of our salvation is traced back to God Himself. He is the One who reconciled us unto Himself by Christ Jesus. As it is written, "that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them" (2 Cor 5:19).
This does not conflict with the statement that Christ Himself reconciled us to God: "And that He (Jesus) might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross" (Eph 2:16). Jesus did this as God's exclusive representative. Therefore, from one point of view, it was actually God Himself who was reconciling us.
The purpose belonged to God the Father, and therefore God Himself reconciled us. The appointed means through which the reconciliation was accomplished was the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore He is said to have reconciled us to God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for a salvation that brings men into harmony with You.