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 29 of 32
UNREPROVEABLE
" . . . and unreproveable . . ."
Here another aspect of the Divine objective – the reason for reconciliation. Being "holy" has to do with character. Being "unblameable" addresses the matter of our expression. Being "unreproveable" is dealing with Divine assessment – the inevitable Divine assessment.
From the standpoint of language itself, the word "unreproveable" means "not accused of doing anything wrong, irreproachable, one that cannot be called into account" (STRONG'S/THAYER). This, of course, assumes a time of judgment and Divine evaluation. The Word of God will not let us forget that what we think, say, and do, will be ultimately subjected to the open and apparent judgment of Almighty God. There will be a revelation of these things, together with a public assessment of them.
1. "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Mat 12:36).
2. "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom 14:12).
3. "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God" (1 Cor 4:5).
4. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor 5:10).
Whether or not we will stand before the Lord to give an account is not a question. This will happen, and there is no way to avoid it. As it is written, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27). Among other things, salvation is calculated to prepare us for this scheduled event.
There is coming a time when the "books" will be "opened," and the dead will be "judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Rev 20:12). The only question that remains is the outcome of the time of judgment – whether or not we are found "unreproveable."
Believe me when I say, that day is not the time to be rebuked! That is not the time you want to be reproved! If the aim of the reconciliation is to make you "unreproveable" in that day, then you must make that your objective in this world, and during this time. The only way for this status to be attained is through the appointed means of being reconciled to God. Where this reconciliation is realized, full provision is made for clearing your record of causes for reproof, and then changing your nature so you do not continue in such a course.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for a salvation that will stand the test of Divine scrutiny.