Colossians 1: 23 – The expectation of the evangel

Since surely you are persisting in the faith, grounded and settled and are not being removed from the expectation of the evangel.

The Evangel means: Good Message. It is a communication with a Divine sender. It doesn’t require anything from man to do. It is not a collection of commands that must be followed. It is also not an offer that one should accept. You don’t need rocket science to understand it. No, it is exactly what the word says it is: a Good Message!

It is a Good Message because it speaks of a glorious expectation. Paul had written about this a few verses earlier (:20). God is going to reconcile the whole world to himself. No matter how hostile or alienated a creature may be, God’s love, demonstrated “by the blood of the cross,” will reconcile all to Himself.

“The expectation of the Evangel” is all-encompassing. What Paul emphasizes is that we should not allow ourselves to be deterred from this “expectation of the Evangel”. Certainly not an unnecessary warning. Because that is exactly what would take place early in church history. “The expectation of the Evangel” was declared a “heresy of universal reconciliation.” But Paul says: stand in it. Grounded and settled. Just share it. Because everyone should know how great God’s love is!

Delen: