Today we look at the end of this Christological section in the first chapter of Colossians. The part is still what I would call the opening statement to Paul’s letter. Previously, we have seen Paul gives thanks to God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the church in Colossae (Col 1:3-14). Last week, we looked at the Christological Poem, found in verses 15 to 20. In these verses, we see Christ is over all creation and the new creation as the redeemer. Colossians 1:21-23, still looks to Christ but as the personal redeemer over his people. We see he or himself referenced eleven times (he, him, himself.). But when we turn to verses 21 and 23, we see a shift to you (x4). There was a period of text with no reference to the church since verse 14.

Three things we were

Paul speaks in verse 21 that you who were (past tense). Paul speaks of the church of what they were, making a comparison later of what they are now. This is important to consider. Paul is writing to the church in Colossae and the list at the end of chapter four shows that the church was a predominantly gentile audience. These three things show what these people were, past tense. They were alienated, they had a hostile mind, and doing evil deeds.

Alienated

Firstly, they were alienated. Merriam Webster defines alienated as “to cause to be estranged: to make unfriendly, hostile.” The word isolation is also a synonym. Isolation speaks clearly in the year 2020. Paul uses this word in Ephesians 2:12, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Being an outsider is never a good feeling, not understanding a joke, feeling left out, or not being able to enter a place. Paul in Ephesians lists four things they are alienated from 1) Christ, 2) Israel, 3) Covenants of Promise, and 4) God. We take this for granted that the church is open to people of all nationalities, including us! However, one of the great struggles in the New Testament was the level of Gentile’s submission to the ceremonial and civil laws of the nation of Israel, see Acts 15. However, before Christ, they were alienated from the covenants of promise. This is the basis for the mystery hidden for ages and generations.

Hostile in Mind

Secondly, they were hostile in mind. Not only were they outside the ‘circle,’ but they were on the wrong side. Thirty-two times this word is used in the Bible, and it is always translated enemy or foe. Hostile is not neutral but opposed to, at war with the enemy. Jesus states the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Emphasis added). We are not neutral; there is no fence-sitting when it comes to loving God. You cannot be indifferent about Christ. There is no Swiss neutrality principle of religion.

We need to remember this when we talk to others, for two reasons. First, Paul writes in Ephesians 4:17-18, “that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” Paul later will explain how we are to handle this callous mind (see Eph 4:19ff). The second thing to remember is that the believers in Colossae ‘were’ these people, that God can work in sinners’ hearts and callous minds to renew them breathing new birth and regeneration into them. Don’t be surprised when people have a hostile mind to Christ, but don’t let that stop you from sharing the truth and hope of the Gospel, because it is the inward illumination of the Holy Spirit that transforms the stone-cold heart into a warm, tender heart for Christ.

Evil Doers