No longer Hostile to God
- Rick Terletzky
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
Colossians 1:21-23
[21] And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, [23] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
There is a stark difference to a transformed life in Jesus. Some are noticeable differences in the manner and outward actions of how we live. However, the transformed life leads to something greater. We expect external action to be the exclusive winning formula; acts of service and kindness, a lot of which can be replicated by anyone. Those who have no relationship with God seem to be able to act in ways that appear right and good.
Yet, at the core of a transformed life lies a difference in an internal reconciliation between the person and God. It is a relational heart issue that now impacts motivation, identity, and life.
Our deeds were once evil because of our separation and hostility towards God. They lacked life. This was not something that we could fix on our own. Romans stresses that a mind hostile to God does not and cannot submit to God’s ways. While this leads to death, evil deeds, and alienation from God, it is those in the Spirit who live in a way that leads to life. (Romans 8:7-9)
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Jesus’ sacrificial death was a means to not just reconcile our sins and unholiness before God; it was also a means to restore our minds from death to life. In Christ, we now have the ability to do what is pleasing to God. Our future eternal life, restored and together with God, starts now. Paul is urging that the gospel he is preaching offers even more than good standing with God, but a transformed heart and mind. For those with faith, we no longer have to live in our deeds that lead to death. Because of His Spirit, who works in us, we can live in such a way that proclaims the salvation we have in Jesus’ work on the cross. We have life and it is new. This changes the aim of our actions but, more importantly, our relationship with God. Newness of life should encourage us to press forward in our hope and the ability to say no to the actions of our old life.
Paul is recognizing this in his own life, too. He himself, once hostile to God, even though he was part of Jewish leadership, rejected Christ and executed many who proclaimed Jesus as Lord and Savior under religious justification. Yet, Jesus transformed his heart and mind. The gospel that saved Paul is now the same gospel he preaches. He has been forgiven, reconciled with God, and given life.
When we understand the magnitude of what we have received from Christ, why would we not use that same restored heart and mind to proclaim the gift and freedom we now have in Jesus?
Questions
Q: Why is it so important to God that the heart and mind are transformed?
Q: What holds us back from proclaiming the Gospel?
Q: What are some examples of internal differences from a transformed life?
(Romans 8:7-11) The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ, because the Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. He is the Spirit of adoption, making us children of God the Father by joining us to Christ our brother. God, by the Spirit, has torn the “first Adam” jersey from our backs and put us on the “second Adam” team.
- Kevin DeYoung
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