Colossians 1: 20 – Universal reconciliation?!

…and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.

It is not without reason that in the discussion of the letter to the Colossians we have been stuck longer than usual at Colossians 1 verse 20. This is not only because translations are often unable to do full justice to what Paul recorded. But the main reason for this special attention is that this verse, as the culmination of Paul’s teaching, has suffered from ecclesiastical and theological resistance. So strong in fact that the expectation it speaks of is called ’the error of universal reconciliation’. A major heresy for which there is no place in the church. While the word ‘universal reconciliation’ is actually taken from this verse!

That God reconciles ‘all’ to Himself through the blood of the cross is a truth that has been contested from all sides but has not in the least been distorted. For example, ‘reconciliation’ is often confused with ‘forgiveness’. God would eventually forgive everything, as a ‘general pardon’. But ‘forgiving’ is not ‘reconciling’. Forgiving sins means: not holding the other person accountable for what they have done. But appeasement of an enemy means: turning him or her into an enthusiast!

Delen: