I Think It's About Forgiveness

The Word is first...

Colossians 1:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

I must admit that when I read this verse, a song started rattling around in my head. It's not a traditional hymn nor is it a contemporary Christian praise and worship tune. It's actually a song by Don Henley about a man who has lost his love and is titled "Heart of the Matter." In that song there's a line "I think it's about forgiveness... forgiveness.. even if, even if you don't love me anymore." I'm not sure why that particular song surfaced but there it is.

In Paul's letter to the church at Colosse, he begins by rejoicing and encouraging the believers for the reputation of their faith and the love that they express to fellow believers. He had not been there himself but had 'heard' of them, of their fervent love for The Lord and he prays out blessings upon them. Near the end of the introduction he then establishes his oneness with them in V13. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,..." (emphasis mine)

In so doing, he alludes to the bond which all Christians share. Though each have unique circumstances and each are at a different place on their walk with the risen Lord, before Jesus and in Jesus all are equal. Though the path which led to this place may be vastly different, the redemption is the same for all. And it is this thought, the heart of the matter, that concludes Paul's introduction to the Colossians. I think it's about forgiveness.

In my study verse today, Paul establishes the three "R's" that bind all believers together. "in whom, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" we find relation, redemption and remission.

Relation is established by Paul's thrice-repeated use of the plural "us" and "we." He did not say "in whom you have redemption." He carefully stated that it is "we" that have redemption. We're in this together so to speak. I believe there is at least a two-fold reason for this. First is that the Colossians were gracious towards fellow believers and Paul wanted to firmly establish the shared bond so that the recipients of his letter would graciously receive the contents of his letter. This is helpful because what Paul is sharing is what I'd characterize as 'advanced Christian concepts.' Second, identifying this bond is helpful to us that we may be reminded that we are indeed 'one in the Spirit, one in the Lord' and that unity is the seal of the believer's faith.

Redemption can never be overstated for it is the "heart of the matter" for all of Christ's suffering. Christ came with the prime directive to reconcile men to God. In order to accomplish this supreme task, the price for our sin had to be paid in full before we could be recovered. I'm familiar with pawn shops. In the distant past, I've take some of my prized possessions to a pawn shop and given them over for a pittance. For those that I was able to pay the price of redemption, I recovered. But there were some, which grieves me still, for which I could not pay the full price and they were lost to me. Though I could see them or touch them, they could not be recovered. In our own way (each to his own way) we have given over our souls for a pittance to the pawn broker, Satan. Being children of the Almighty God, we have exchanged our birth-right for fleshy pleasures for a minute fraction of true value. We exchanged righteousness for sin and we could never pay the full price of redemption to recover our souls. Christ paid the price... in full, for all of us. By His blood, he redeemed our eternal lives from the pawn broker of men's souls.

Remission is the forgiveness of our sins by the Redeemer. This means that we have not only been redeemed from the pawn broker but we have been released from the guilt and penalty of our sins. The sin nature inherited from Adam is no longer counted against us. The sins we have accumulated through acts of iniquity and intention (commission) are no longer counted against us. The sins we have accumulated through acts of ignorance and lack of intention (omission) are no longer counted against us. There are no sin stains that can withstand the cleansing flood of Christ's atoning blood so they are all washed away.

And so we, as disciples of the risen Christ, are to live a life worthy of the Lord in an effort to please (not appease) him. We are to bear fruit by and for him in every good work. We are to grow in knowledge, being strengthened by his might and to develop perseverance and patience. In this we give thanks as we go forward now in relation with the Triune God having been redeemed by the Son to the Father by the remission of our sins.

All praise and honor and glory is His alone. May His name be praised for He is good. His love endures forever.

Shalom,

Carl