Don't Move
Colossians 1:21-23 NKJV
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Paul is reminding the believers in Colosse about where they came from before Christ. The letter contains four chapters but is powerful revelation of what Jesus has done and how that has impacted those who believe.
In our passage for today, Paul reminded the believers that they were once alienated and enemies in their mind. Their mindset was against God, and their works were wicked. Paul does not paint their former condition with a soft brush. But neither does he focus on the negative. His emphasis is to remind the church that they were reconciled to God by the death of Jesus. Jesus took the punishment for sin and became sin so that the believer might be made holy and blameless and above reproach in the sight of God.
Verse twenty-three includes a condition. The believers are holy, and without blame and above reproach, provided they continue in the faith. He encouraged them to remain grounded and steadfast. Those are two solid positions. I like how the NLT translates verse twenty-three. "But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God's servant to proclaim it." Don't move away. Don't drift away. Paul had an ongoing concern for the new believers in the new churches he was called to. His concern was them drifting away from the hope of the gospel. Moving away from the truth that had been delivered to them. Keep in mind, these churches were in the very middle of a pagan world, and their beliefs were not supported by the culture around them. Paul was letting them know that their spiritual life had to be maintained, or they ran the risk of moving back into the world they were delivered from.
Application
Moving away is still a challenge today for the modern church. Even though our American culture is much more supportive of living what we believe, we still must remain grounded and steadfast. This is where individual spiritual disciplines and practices come into play. Fellowship with the Lord, reading and meditating on Scripture, praying, and being part of a local church all help the believer stay grounded and stand firm in the truth of the gospel. Even though our Texas culture is friendly toward the Christian faith, there is still the ever-present undercurrent that pulls at the believer and, unless resisted, can cause drift. So stay steady and don't move.
Prayer
I believe You, Lord. I believe Your Word and the witness of Your Spirit within me. I am not moving. I am not moved.