JESUS, THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHER -- Tomorrow:
"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)
Devotion 21 of 32
" . . . and enemies in your mind. "
Other versions read, "hostile in mind" (NASB/NRSV), "at war with God in your minds" (BBE), and "of hostile intent" (NJB).
The word "enemies" means hated, hostile, opposing another, and adversary (THAYER). Again, this might not have appeared to be our condition. Nevertheless, this is precisely what we were before we were delivered – "enemies," GOD'S enemies! We were not in agreement with God, were not seeking Him, and were not living for Him. Regardless of the level at which that condition existed, it was nevertheless a state of enmity against God, for the closer one is with the world, the more one is the enemy of God (James 4:4). As long as men insist upon comparing themselves with themselves, this status will not be acknowledged, and therefore the grace of God will not be sought. This explains the general disinterest in the Lord and His "great salvation."
We must ever remember that God is set against those who are not like Himself. Ultimately, He will, in all of His glory, confront all who are unlike Him, and the confrontation will yield no blessing, no benefit, no tolerance whatsoever. One of the grand purposes of salvation is to prepare men for that moment, so they will be in a state of reconciliation rather than enmity.
Our text states we were "enemies" in our "minds." We did not think like God. We did not have His values or His ways. We did not see the world as He sees it, to say nothing of our evaluation of His Son. It is not easy for some people to receive the statement that those who do not think like God are His enemies. However, whether this is palatable to them or not, it is the truth. This is why God indicted Israel so severely. "For My thoughts are NOT your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD" (Isa 55:8). Such people are referred to as "wicked" and "unrighteous" (Isa 55:7). This is a state from which we are delivered in Christ, not one that is maintained. If not delivered from this condition, condemnation is sure, regardless of any imagined moral accomplishments.
I have often heard professing Christians confess their fundamental disagreement with God as though it were trite, and of no consequence. They might say something like this: "That certainly is not the way I would do it." How utterly foolish to speak in such a manner. The blood of Christ's cross was required to rescue us from a state of disagreement and difference from God. How, then, can anyone be content to remain in such a deplorable state?
When "enemies" are "reconciled to God" (Rom 5:10), they are no longer enemies. Their thoughts and ways are no longer at a variance with those of their "God and Savior." The cry of their heart is, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psa 19:14). When contradicting thoughts come into their minds, they cast them down, bringing them into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 5:4-5). Thanks be unto God for delivering us from being "enemies in our minds."
BY WICKED WORKS
" . . . by wicked works . . . " Other versions read, "engaged in evil deeds" (NASB), "because of your evil behavior" (NIV), "doing evil deeds" (NRSV), "in your evil works" (ASV), and "through evil works" (BBE).
The idea here is that our deeds were the result of our thoughts. We DID wrong because we THOUGHT wrong. Our minds were corrupt, and therefore so were our deeds. As rational beings, men do not sin instinctively even though, outside of Christ, their primary nature is sinful. Their sin proceeds from their thoughts, for "as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov 23:7). Evil words come from an evil heart (Matt 12:34).
If it is true that "a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matt 7:17), then corrupt minds produce "evil deeds." Sin corrupted the mind like a virus corrupts whatever it invades. This being the case, "evil deeds," which are deeds that are NOT "wrought in God" (John 3:21), confirmed that we were, in fact, "enemies in our minds." God is greatly to be praise for delivering us from such a dreadful condition.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for deliverance from a state of enmity in which I both thought and did what was evil.