“And you – that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind – by wicked works – yet now hath He reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death – to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.” [Col.1:21-22] “Christ…loved the church, and gave Himself for it; (26) That He might sanctify and cleanse it – with the washing of water by the Word, (27) that He might present it to Himself a glorious church – not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” [Eph.5:25-27]
These two texts describe a work performed by Christ. A work not unlike the very creation of the world itself, for, indeed, it is describing the “new creature” [2Co.5:17] that every saved sinner is “in Christ”! Yes, this work is one that could only be done by the incarnated eternal Son of God, viz., the Lord Jesus Christ – the absolute greatest human ever to be born in and upon the timeline of fallen human history! Through Him alone — and for His glory alone – this work of perfecting the saints has been completely and totally accomplished! Not only has it been accomplished by Christ Jesus, the Lord, but because He is the eternal Son of God incarnated – it has been accomplished from eternity – in eternity – and for eternity! Praise His eternally holy and almighty Name!
Dear ones, He is our perfect propitiation before eternal and holy, holy, holy God. This literally means that He, and He alone is our only perfectly holy satisfaction before God. Christ Jesus (the incarnated eternal Son of God) has perfectly and eternally satisfied all the holy and eternal requirements — for all those whom God the Father has given unto Him [see Jn.6:37;17:2]. This includes their eternal Redemption, eternal Justification and their eternal Reconciliation — before, and with the Lord our God. This is what constitutes eternal salvation! “Salvation is of the Lord”!
This also means that Christ has satisfied the perfect Justice – of Almighty God! Our sins deserve the Divine Justice of eternal Hell itself. Therefore, our eternal Redeemer was made to be our sin [See 2Co.:5:21] and He satisfied Divine Justice for us as our eternal Savior and Substitute! The apostle Peter was Holy Spirit inspired to write concerning Christ’s atonement of us in these words: “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree…” and, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins – the Just – for the unjust – that He might bring us to God – (lit.) having been put to death in the flesh – but quickened by the Spirit.”[1Pe.2:24;3:18] Praise His holy, holy, holy Name!
How else can we be described by the Holy Spirit through the pen of His messenger and preacher, the apostle Paul — in such language that has been recorded in God’s Word from two different places in holy scripture? We are said to be: “holy” – “unblameable” – and “unreproveable in His sight” – according to the text in Colossians; and we are presented (i.e. lit., made to stand) before Him, our glorious Savior/God – “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” – but we are before Him: “holy and without blemish”! This is what it means to be among all those who have been included in the eternal atonement of the eternal “Lamb of God” the Lord Jesus Christ! Praise His Wonderful Name! If it’s not all Christ – it is all wrong!
God sees us – right where He placed us “before the foundation of the world”[see Eph.1:3-4]! The truth of the gospel of the glory, only, of our Lord Jesus Christ is even better news than we all thought! Look at, and meditate upon, that which is written in 1Jn.4:16-19! This passage is a very present help in the time of our being in this world of our trouble. Let us contemplate the mind-blowing last phrase of 1Jn. 4:17 and Rejoice! It says: “because as He is – so are we – in this world.”
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
