Art Toombs Ministries
Online Bible Commentary
Eternal Assurance
Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 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. (NKJV)
Paul continues in his letter to the Christians at the church in Colosse. It is about 61 A.D. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch about 43 A.D. (Acts 11:26). It has been about 24 years since Paul’s conversion and about 31 years since Jesus was crucified for our sins on April 7, 30, according to “Smith’s Bible Dictionary.”
Paul begins the passage by writing “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,” (v. 19). God, the Father is pleased that the fullness of the Godhead rests in Jesus Christ.
God the Father is also pleased that “by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (v. 20a). All things, on earth and in Heaven, are reconciled to Christ.
To reconcile means to restore to a right relationship. All things on earth and in Heaven were reconciled to Christ some thirty-one years earlier on the cross.
When sin entered the world, through Adam and Eve, all things and all people were corrupted and the right relationship with God was broken. Prior to that, God fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden every day. Sin broke that relationship.
Paul continues “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death” (vv. 21-22a). Before becoming Christians, we were enemies of God. Our minds were controlled by Satan and not Christ.
All things, on earth and in Heaven, were restored to right relationship with Christ when He died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. That reconciliation is available to every person.
However, it must be received individually. Each person must receive reconciliation through confessing with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in his heart that God raised Him from the dead (Ro. 10:9).
This reconciliation will make us “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (v. 22b). God will see us as being holy and, therefore, qualified to enter His Holy Place, Heaven, even though we are not because we still sin.
This is called “imputed righteousness.” God sees us as being righteous, even though we are not. He puts righteousness upon us, through His grace.
When we are restored to right relationship with Christ, He sends us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells every person from the time that he becomes a Christian. It is the Holy Spirit that helps us continue in the faith.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in every Christian is a deposit guaranteeing eternal life in Heaven (Ephesians 1:14). He is an ever-present guarantee of what is called the perseverance of the Saints. Christians cannot lose their salvation.
Paul confirms this assurance when he concludes this passage by writing “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.” (v. 23).
The Greek word translated here “if” is the word “ei”. The Greek word “ei” can be translated “if” or “since”. The better translation here is the word “since”.
So, Paul is saying “since” Christians “indeed” continue in the faith, they remain “grounded and steadfast” in their faith. They “are not moved away from the hope of the gospel”, which is eternal life in Heaven.
So, Christians cannot lose their salvation. We have eternal assurance.