Creator, Father, King #236

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God.

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THERE HAVE been some famous conflicts between enemies:

• Moses and Pharaoh
• David and Goliath
• the ancient Greeks and Trojans
• Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr
• the Hatfields and the McCoys
• Israelis and Arabs
• Harry Potter and Voldemort

Okay, that last one was fictional—thrown in just for kicks to see if you were paying attention!

Tragically, many of these bitter struggles resulted in bloodshed and death. But there’s another conflict between enemies that has endured since the world began that might not immediately come to mind. Can you think of it?

It’s between humans and God.

Did you know that you started life as God’s enemy? It’s true!

What’s It Mean?

Perhaps you’re thinking, Wait a minute. How can this be? I’ve never felt like God’s enemy. I’ve always been a pretty good person. I’ve never committed any “major” sins like murder, stealing, etc.

Sin is subtle. It tricks us into believing we’re not that bad. But our personal feelings or assumptions should never inform our theology. They are terrible guides!

Scripture is quite clear: because of indwelling sin, every person starts life diametrically opposed to God (Romans 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5). We are fallen not only in nature but also in word, thought, and deed.

But here’s the amazing news: Jesus died to radically transform your enmity toward God into peace and friendship. Look at Colossians 1:19-22:

God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

God ordained the Cross to bring peace where our sin had once created division. Jesus has already accomplished his atoning work. Your job is to repent and believe in the gospel and grow in its knowledge and grace every day!

Now What?

Memorize Colossians 1:19-22.

Did You Know?

How could God make peace with sinners who have so greatly transgressed his laws? Because he considers our account completely “paid in full” through Jesus’ death. That’s how powerful the Cross was!