Living Water #614

LIVING WATER – EPISODE 614 || 8TH FEBRUARY, 2026

By Solomon Uwumbolibe Mensah

CHRIST THE RECONCILER OF ALL THINGS

Scripture Readings: Colossians 1:21-22 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:21-23

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The Apostle Paul writes to believers who were already saved, yet were facing pressure from false teachings, diluted truth, and subtle spiritual compromise. Rather than beginning with rules or corrections, Paul begins with identity. He reminds them who they once were, what Christ has decisively done for them, and what they must continue to stand upon. In doing so, this passage answers three foundational questions: who we were without Christ, what Christ has accomplished on our behalf, and what is now required of us. These questions are not limited to individuals alone; they also confront churches, organizations, systems, and institutions that claim alignment with God.

1. Our Past Condition: Alienated And Hostile In Mind

Paul begins by confronting the reality of our former state: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” Alienation here does not mean ignorance of God but separation from Him. It is relational distance, not lack of information. Sin fractures fellowship, and Paul makes it clear that behavior is only the outward symptom of an inward problem. Wrong actions flow from a wrong mind, and hostility toward God begins internally before it ever manifests externally.

By locating the problem in the mind, Paul shows us that enmity with God is first a matter of attitudes, beliefs, and worldviews. Behavior follows thinking, and systems are built upon shared beliefs. This is why transformation must always begin in the mind. For individuals, this means that one can attend church, participate in worship, and still remain mentally distant from God. True repentance is not merely abandoning sinful behavior but allowing God to renew one’s thinking. For organizations, it reveals how companies may adopt ethical language while operating in greed, pride, or exploitation, because corporate culture reflects collective mindset. For institutions, it warns that schools, governments, and even churches can drift into hostility toward God—not necessarily through open persecution, but by quietly excluding Him from their decision-making processes. What is often called neutrality toward God frequently becomes resistance to Him.

2. The Divine Intervention: Reconciliation Through Christ’s Body

Into this dark reality Paul introduces two powerful words: “But now.” Once alienated, but now reconciled. Grace interrupts history. God does not leave humanity in separation but acts decisively through Christ. Paul is deliberate in stating that reconciliation came through Christ’s physical body and through death. Salvation is not symbolic, mystical, or abstract; it is rooted in real suffering and real sacrifice. Jesus entered into human pain to restore real people to God.

The cross accomplished three essential things: it satisfied God’s justice, removed human guilt, and restored broken relationship. The purpose of this reconciliation is clearly stated—to present believers holy in God’s sight, without blemish and free from accusation. This is courtroom language. To be holy is to be set apart, to be without blemish is to stand without moral defect, and to be free from accusation is to have no charge that can stand against you. God does not merely forgive; He repositions His people.

For individuals, this means we must stop living as though we are still condemned when God has already declared us acquitted. Holiness is not something we earn through effort; it is something we grow into through relationship. For organizations, reconciliation must become visible in how people are treated—through fairness, dignity, honesty, and justice. It is inconsistent to claim Christian values while tolerating injustice within. For institutions, those touched by Christ must reflect redemption by restoring lives rather than exploiting them. The gospel must move beyond theology and be expressed through policies, systems, and structures.

3. The Continuing Requirement: Remaining Firm In The Faith

Paul then introduces a necessary condition: “If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” This is not a threat to salvation but a description of genuine faith. True reconciliation produces stability, perseverance, and endurance. Continuance is evidence of authentic faith, not a means of earning God’s acceptance.

To be established is to be well-founded and rooted, while to be firm is to remain unmovable and unshaken. The gospel is not merely the doorway into the Christian life; it is the foundation upon which everything else stands. Paul warns against drifting—against shifting doctrines, cultural pressure, and diluted truth. Abandonment of the gospel rarely happens suddenly; it happens gradually, through slow compromise.

For individuals, this is a call to guard one’s hope carefully, because what we consistently listen to eventually shapes what we believe. Faith must be intentionally fed. For organizations, this highlights the danger of mission drift, where profit, relevance, or growth replaces purpose. Values must be actively protected, not merely assumed. For institutions, abandoning biblical foundations results in the loss of moral authority. Longevity without faithfulness is not success in God’s eyes.

4. The Global Responsibility: A Gospel For Every Creature

Paul reminds the believers that this gospel is not private or local, but universal—proclaimed to every creature under heaven. It is not tribal, cultural, or political; it transcends boundaries. The appropriate response to such a gospel is servanthood. Paul does not claim ownership of the gospel but stewardship, declaring himself a servant of it. In the kingdom of God, authority flows from service, not dominance.

For individuals, reconciliation leads to commission. Every believer becomes a carrier of the gospel. For organizations, Christian identity must express itself through service rather than the preservation of power or image. Impact matters more than appearance. For institutions, alignment with Christ demands a serious question: who are we truly serving? Influence without humility inevitably leads to corruption.

This passage takes us on a divine journey—from alienation to reconciliation, from reconciliation to continuance, and from continuance to proclamation. The gospel changes minds, restores relationships, stabilizes faith, and sends servants into the world.

Call To Action

Individuals are called to return to the hope of the gospel, to examine their thinking, renew their faith, and walk in holiness. Organizations are challenged to realign their culture, policies, and practices with gospel truth. Institutions are invited to repent where necessary, reform where possible, and recommit to Christ-centered foundations.

Prayer

Father, thank You for reconciling us through the body of Your Son. Renew our minds, stabilize our faith, and anchor us firmly in the hope of the gospel. Let individuals walk in holiness, organizations operate in righteousness, and institutions reflect Your justice and mercy. Make us faithful servants of the gospel, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.