Sermons on Colossians 1:21-23

Colossians 1:21-23 Interpretation:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) interprets Colossians 1:21-23 as a vivid three-stage narrative of the Christian journey: alienation from God due to sin, reconciliation through Christ’s physical death, and the ongoing call to perseverance in faith. The sermon uniquely emphasizes the personal and relational aspect of reconciliation, not just as a cosmic or abstract event but as an individual transformation. It uses the analogy of two warring countries making peace to explain reconciliation, and further, the preacher draws on the Greek myth of Sisyphus to illustrate perseverance—not as a futile struggle, but as a journey where Christ comes alongside to help us push the “boulder” of faith up the hill. The sermon also highlights the importance of Christ’s physical body in reconciliation, noting the Colossian context where some doubted Jesus’ humanity, and stresses that the “if” in verse 23 is not about losing salvation but about the evidence of true faith being perseverance.

Embracing the Global Gospel: Hope and Transformation (Desiring God) offers a distinctive linguistic and contextual interpretation by focusing on the Greek participle in verse 23, arguing that the phrase “which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven” should be understood not as a completed action but as a description of the gospel’s nature—it is the kind of gospel that is proclaimed everywhere, not that it has already reached everywhere. This interpretation addresses a potential translation issue and reframes the passage as emphasizing the universal scope and authority of the gospel, countering any notion that it is merely a local or provincial message. The sermon also stresses that Paul’s mention of the gospel’s global reach is meant to assure the Colossians that their faith is part of something vast and cosmic, not parochial.

Persevering Faith: Assurance and Security in Christ (Desiring God) interprets the “if” clause in Colossians 1:23 as a genuine but not insecure condition. The sermon distinguishes between the reality of conditional perseverance and the assurance of God’s faithfulness, arguing that true saving faith is persevering faith. It uses the analogy of “receiving” Christ (drawing from John’s Gospel) to explain that faith is not mere intellectual assent but an ongoing, relational embrace of Christ. The preacher also clarifies that the warning is not to make believers anxious about losing salvation, but to keep them vigilant and dependent on God’s sustaining grace.

Reconciliation Through Christ: Past Accomplishment, Present Reality (Desiring God) offers a unique interpretive framework by distinguishing between reconciliation as an accomplished fact in Christ’s death (“accomplished” 2,000 years ago) and reconciliation as an applied reality in the believer’s life (“applied” at the moment of faith). The sermon uses the analogy of “Redemption Accomplished and Applied” (from John Murray) to clarify that the work of Christ on the cross is a finished, objective event, but its benefits are only experienced when applied to the individual through faith. This dual focus—accomplishment in history and application in personal experience—shapes the understanding of Colossians 1:21-23, emphasizing that the believer’s present reconciliation is rooted in a past, once-for-all act, but only realized when appropriated by faith.

Transformative Reconciliation: From Alienation to Holiness (Desiring God) interprets Colossians 1:21-23 by focusing on Paul’s rhetorical strategy: he grounds the Colossians’ assurance and steadfastness not by minimizing their past, but by highlighting the depth of their alienation, hostility, and evil deeds. The sermon uniquely insists that even those who grew up in Christian homes must learn from Scripture (not just experience) the true nature of their former alienation, so that reconciliation is deeply appreciated. The preacher draws a sharp distinction between subjective memory and objective biblical teaching about human depravity, arguing that the “you once were” statements are essential for a robust understanding of grace.

Blamelessness: Faith, Sanctification, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) provides a nuanced interpretation by distinguishing two senses of “blamelessness” in Colossians 1:21-23: (1) a forensic, imputed blamelessness in Christ (justification), and (2) a practical, growing blamelessness through sanctification. The sermon uses the metaphor of “being kept blameless” as both a status and a process, arguing that God’s sustaining work ensures both our position in Christ and our progressive transformation. This duality is presented as essential to understanding the passage’s call to perseverance.

Understanding Salvation: Journey, Perseverance, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) interprets Colossians 1:21-23 by emphasizing the “if” clause as a real, not hypothetical, condition for salvation—yet insists that the perseverance required is itself guaranteed by God’s faithfulness. The sermon uniquely frames salvation as both an event and a process, using the analogy of a “chain” (from Romans 8:30) to illustrate the unbreakable link between predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. The preacher stresses that warnings and conditions in Scripture are God’s means of keeping true believers persevering, not evidence that salvation can be lost.

Colossians 1:21-23 Theological Themes:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) introduces the theme of reconciliation as a change in relationship, not just a legal or forensic act but a restoration of intimacy and fellowship with God. The sermon adds a unique facet by emphasizing that perseverance is not self-generated but is aided by Christ’s continual presence and help, using the Sisyphus analogy to show that Christian perseverance is not futile because Christ is with us, pushing alongside. It also explores the idea that reconciliation is not only about escaping judgment but about being transformed into holy, blameless people for God’s glory.

Embracing the Global Gospel: Hope and Transformation (Desiring God) presents the theological theme that the gospel is inherently global and cosmic in scope, not limited to any one culture, ethnicity, or region. The sermon uniquely frames the gospel as the “kind” that is proclaimed in all creation, emphasizing its universal relevance and authority. This theme is further developed by connecting the global gospel to the identity of Christ as the creator and sustainer of all things, making the reconciliation offered in Colossians 1:21-23 a matter of cosmic significance.

Persevering Faith: Assurance and Security in Christ (Desiring God) develops the theme of assurance in perseverance, arguing that the conditionality of “if you continue in your faith” is not meant to undermine security but to reinforce the necessity of genuine, enduring faith. The sermon adds a new angle by explaining that God’s faithfulness guarantees the perseverance of the elect, and that warnings in Scripture are the means God uses to keep believers vigilant and secure. The preacher also highlights the relational aspect of faith as “receiving” and “embracing” Christ, not just believing facts.

Reconciliation Through Christ: Past Accomplishment, Present Reality (Desiring God) introduces the theme of “accomplished versus applied” redemption, arguing that all the benefits of salvation (reconciliation, justification, forgiveness) are secured for the elect at the cross but only become effective when applied by faith in the believer’s life. This theme reframes assurance, rooting it in Christ’s finished work while maintaining the necessity of personal appropriation.

Transformative Reconciliation: From Alienation to Holiness (Desiring God) presents the theme that a deep awareness of one’s former alienation is essential for steadfast faith and joy in reconciliation. The sermon adds the facet that biblical self-understanding must be shaped by Scripture’s diagnosis of human nature, not merely by personal experience or memory, thus democratizing the doctrine of total depravity for all believers, regardless of their background.

Blamelessness: Faith, Sanctification, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) develops the theme of “double blamelessness”—that believers are both counted righteous in Christ and progressively made holy in life. The sermon adds the distinctive angle that God’s faithfulness is the active agent in both justifying and sanctifying the believer, ensuring that the call to perseverance is not a threat but a promise.

Understanding Salvation: Journey, Perseverance, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) highlights the theme that the conditions and warnings in Colossians 1:21-23 are not contrary to eternal security but are the very means God uses to keep his people. The sermon’s fresh angle is that perseverance is both required and guaranteed, and that the “if” of the passage is a tool of divine faithfulness, not a loophole for apostasy.

Colossians 1:21-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) provides historical context by explaining that the Colossian church struggled with false teachings that questioned the humanity of Christ. The sermon notes that Paul’s emphasis on reconciliation “through his physical body” was a direct response to these heresies, affirming both the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus. The preacher also references the cultural understanding of reconciliation in the ancient world, such as the restoration of peace between warring nations or estranged spouses, to help the audience grasp the relational depth of the term as used by Paul.

Embracing the Global Gospel: Hope and Transformation (Desiring God) offers contextual insight by noting that Paul had never visited the Colossian church and was writing to assure them that their faith was not second-class or provincial. The sermon explains that in the first-century context, new Christian communities might have felt isolated or uncertain about the legitimacy of their faith, so Paul’s emphasis on the gospel’s global proclamation was meant to affirm their inclusion in the universal body of Christ.

Transformative Reconciliation: From Alienation to Holiness (Desiring God) provides historical context by referencing the Jewish and early Christian understanding of alienation from God, citing Isaiah 59:2 (“your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God”) as a truism among Jews and Christians. The sermon also situates Paul’s rhetoric within the broader Greco-Roman and Jewish context, where rebellion against divine authority and the desire for autonomy were prevalent cultural attitudes, thus making Paul’s diagnosis of “hostility in mind” and “evil deeds” especially pointed for his original audience.

Colossians 1:21-23 Cross-References in the Bible:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) references several passages to expand on Colossians 1:21-23: Romans 5:10 to reinforce the idea of reconciliation while we were still enemies; Psalm 58:3 and Ephesians 2:12 to describe the depth of human alienation from God; Romans 12:2 to illustrate the transformation of the mind; Colossians 2:13-14 and Isaiah 53:5-6 to explain the means and cost of reconciliation through Christ’s death; 1 Timothy 2:5 to highlight Jesus as the mediator; Matthew 7:21 to warn about the reality of false professions of faith; John 15 (abiding in Christ) to explain perseverance; Philippians 1:6 and 2:12-13 to assure believers of God’s sustaining work; and various Old Testament stories (Joseph, Moses, Samson, David) to illustrate God’s faithfulness in not giving up on his people.

Embracing the Global Gospel: Hope and Transformation (Desiring God) cross-references Colossians 1:5-6 to show the gospel’s fruitfulness in the whole world, Matthew 28:19 (“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”) to connect the global command, and Matthew 24:14 (“this gospel will be proclaimed throughout the whole world… and then the end will come”) to highlight the promise of the gospel’s universal reach. The sermon uses these references to support the idea that the gospel’s scope is cosmic and its proclamation inevitable.

Persevering Faith: Assurance and Security in Christ (Desiring God) references 1 John 2:19 to explain the nature of apostasy (“they went out from us, but they were not of us”), the story of Demas as an example of one who abandoned the faith, Colossians 2:12 and 2:5-7 to affirm the Colossians’ current faith and call to perseverance, John 1:11-12 to define faith as “receiving” Christ, Romans 8:28-30 to guarantee the security of the elect, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 to promise Christ’s sustaining power, Philippians 1:6 to assure completion of God’s work, Luke 22:31-32 (Jesus’ prayer for Peter) to illustrate Christ’s intercession, and Jude 24-25 as a doxology of God’s keeping power.

Reconciliation Through Christ: Past Accomplishment, Present Reality (Desiring God) references Colossians 2:13-14 to explain how the “record of debt” was nailed to the cross, Acts 10:43 to show that forgiveness is received by faith, and Romans 5:1, 5:9-11 to demonstrate the relationship between justification, reconciliation, and the death of Christ. The sermon uses these passages to reinforce the distinction between the objective accomplishment of salvation and its subjective application.

Transformative Reconciliation: From Alienation to Holiness (Desiring God) cross-references Ephesians 2:1-5 and 2:12-13 to parallel Paul’s strategy of reminding believers of their former alienation, and Romans 8:6-8 to expound on the meaning of “hostile in mind.” These references are used to show that Paul’s approach in Colossians is consistent with his broader theology and to deepen the understanding of human depravity and reconciliation.

Blamelessness: Faith, Sanctification, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) references 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28, 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, Jude 24, Philippians 1:9-10, 1 Corinthians 1:7-9, and Hebrews 12:14 to build a comprehensive picture of blamelessness, sanctification, and God’s sustaining work. The sermon uses these texts to argue for a twofold blamelessness—imputed and practical—and to show that God’s faithfulness undergirds both.

Understanding Salvation: Journey, Perseverance, and God's Faithfulness (Desiring God) references Ephesians 2:8 (“we have been saved”), 1 Corinthians 1:18 (“we are being saved”), Romans 13:11 (“salvation is nearer”), 1 John 2:19 (on perseverance and apostasy), Romans 8:30 (the “golden chain” of salvation), 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (God’s faithfulness to sustain), Philippians 1:6 (God completes the work), 1 Peter 1:5 (God’s power guards through faith), Hebrews 3:14 (perseverance as evidence of true union), and Jude 24-25 (God keeps us from stumbling). These references are marshaled to show that salvation is both event and process, and that perseverance is both required and secured by God.

Colossians 1:21-23 Christian References outside the Bible:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) explicitly references R.C. Sproul, quoting his response to the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” with “There are no good people,” to reinforce the universality of human sinfulness and the need for reconciliation.

Reconciliation Through Christ: Past Accomplishment, Present Reality (Desiring God) explicitly references John Murray’s book “Redemption Accomplished and Applied,” using its title and conceptual framework to shape the entire sermon’s approach to Colossians 1:21-23. The preacher credits Murray with clarifying the distinction between the historical accomplishment of redemption and its personal application, and recommends the book to listeners as a key to understanding much of the New Testament.

Colossians 1:21-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

From Alienation to Reconciliation: The Power of Christ (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) uses the Greek myth of Sisyphus as a detailed analogy for perseverance in the Christian life. In the myth, Sisyphus is condemned to push a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down each time he nears the top, symbolizing endless, futile struggle. The preacher adapts this image to the Christian journey, but with a redemptive twist: unlike Sisyphus, believers are not alone—Christ comes alongside to help push the boulder, providing strength and rest, ensuring that perseverance is not futile but empowered by God’s presence. The sermon also references the U.S. political process, specifically presidential pardons, as an analogy for reconciliation—just as a pardon removes legal guilt and restores a person’s standing before the law, so reconciliation through Christ removes our guilt and restores us to right relationship with God. Additionally, the preacher mentions the film “The Passion of the Christ” and the church’s Living Cross drama to vividly illustrate the physical suffering of Jesus and the reality of his sacrifice, helping the congregation emotionally connect with the cost of reconciliation.

Understanding the Depth of Saving Faith (FBC Benbrook) uses the country song “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” by Kenny Chesney as a detailed secular illustration. The preacher analyzes the song’s lyrics to highlight popular misconceptions about heaven, sin, atonement, and salvation—such as the idea that a small payment or good deed can secure heaven, or that sin is merely “the fun we’re having down here.” The sermon contrasts the song’s shallow theology with the biblical teaching of Colossians 1:21-23, using the song as a foil to expose the need for genuine, saving faith and a true understanding of reconciliation. The preacher humorously critiques the “prepayment plan” for atonement and the lack of any mention of Christ, the cross, or repentance, using the song’s imagery to set up a deeper exploration of what it means to be truly reconciled to God.