More Than Yellow Ribbons
Devotions for Growing Christians
More Than Yellow Ribbons
Colossians 1:19-22 - For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
Yellow ribbons have become a nationwide symbol. Everyone recognizes that yellow ribbons communicate “Welcome Home!” - whether pinned or tied on trees, fences, mailboxes, or doors. For an individual member of the family who's been away, or for the nation's armed forces returning from war, the meaning is the same: "We love you and we're glad you're home!"
God has His yellow ribbons too! As our heavenly Father, He welcomes us home when we turn to Christ. Figuratively speaking, every tree and fencepost in Heaven has a yellow ribbon tied around it! But God's "welcome home" reaches much farther than ours. We tie yellow ribbons to welcome friends and family home - but God welcomes former adversaries and enemies! We put up yellow ribbons for our heroes and success stories, but God throws a party for bunglers and duds! Our yellow ribbons don't guarantee a permanent welcome, and sometimes our celebrations are short lived - but God says, "I love you without - now and forever."
"Reconciliation" is the theological word the Bible uses used to convey the divine concept of "more than yellow ribbons." The Greek word translated "reconcile" basically means "to change completely." Reconciliation, then, is the act by which God brings us into a completely changed relationship with Himself. Once we were God’s enemies - alienated from Him. But now, because of Jesus Christ's work of reconciliation, we are not just friends of God - we’re part of His family. The concept of yellow ribbons is only the beginning of what God has done for us. God's reconciliation of us sinners is far more than yellow ribbons!
The reconciliation that Jesus Christ accomplished at Calvary is the subject of Colossians 1:20-22. This passage is part of the glorious description of our Lord Jesus that begins with verse 15. False teaching about the Person of Christ was threatening the church at Colosse, so the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write this magnificent portion of Scripture about the Lord Jesus. The theme of the entire epistle to the Colossians is the supremacy and the all-sufficiency of Christ. The wonder of Christ's Person, the preeminence of Christ’s position, and the magnitude of His work are clearly brought before us in Colossians 1.
We can only scratch the surface in discussing all that this marvelous section of Scripture has to say about the Lord Jesus, so we’ll primarily concentrate on His work of reconciliation. However, we can’t pass by without commenting on the points about His Person and position! As to His Person, the passage clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is God. He is not just like God, and He is not just part God. He is the "image" or the exact representation of God (v15) - because He is God!
Verse 19 leaves no doubt - it’s teaching the full Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. "All the fullness" means the full essence of God, including all the powers and attributes of Deity. All the fullness of the triune God is in Christ. This same amazing truth is taught in Colossians 2:9, where we read that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." In the Greek language, it would be extremely difficult to express the fact that Jesus is fully God in more clearly (or more locked-tight) than the way it’s written in Colossians.
As to the preeminence of His position, Jesus Christ is over the universe, and He is over the Church (v16-18). He is preeminent over the heavens and the earth because He created everything and He sustains everything (v16-17). Quasars and quarks were created by Christ and for Christ! (A quasar, by the way, is a “radio star," and a quark is a subatomic particle.) Modern science may not agree with that "outrageous" claim, but the Bible clearly teaches that nothing in this material universe created itself or controls itself. In any case, Christ created all and sustains all. Furthermore, every spirit being in the universe, even if now fallen, was created by the Son of God for the purpose of His glory. Do we bring our Creator glory?
Christ is also preeminent over the Church. He is over the Church because He began the Church. And the Church is His body (v18). As the first one resurrected from among the dead, He is the Church's living Head. The Head of the Church is not in Rome, or in any headquarters on earth. Our Head is in Heaven. As the risen, ascended Head of the Church, our Lord Jesus has the first place in every area. The scope of His preeminent position is universal, and the extent of His preeminent position is eternal.
The magnitude of Christ's work of reconciliation is brought before us in verses 20-22. In His work of creation we learn of His infinite power and wisdom, but in His work of reconciliation we learn of His infinite grace and love. Notice that the reconciling work of Christ affects the material universe as well as mankind. Our own reconciliation is certainly the main point of these three verses, but verse 20 teaches that the things of the universe are also reconciled. What things? All things! Quasars and quarks? Yes! Rocks and trees? Yes! Verse 20 says all things on earth and in heaven. Things as well as people need to be reconciled.
Why do the things of the material universe need to be reconciled to God? Trees and stars haven’t sinned! No, but but they've been affected by the consequences of mankind’s sin. Romans 8:19-23 teaches that because of our sin, God has temporarily allowed the created universe to be subject to decay. Right now “the whole creation groans while it anxiously and eagerly awaits its liberation.” We know that new heavens and a new earth are coming, and they will be characterized by righteousness. (See 2 Peter 3:13.)
The second law of thermodynamics involving death and decay was not part of God's original creation, and it won’t be part of natural law in the future eternal state. Romans 8:21 indicates that the universe itself will be brought into the "glorious freedom of the children of God." Because the Lord Jesus Christ dealt with all the effects of sin on the cross, all things on earth and in heaven will be reconciled to their Maker! Perfect harmony and peace between the Creator and His creation will be restored. There will be no jarring note throughout all eternity because "peace has been made through the blood of His cross."
In the Mosaic Law there is a beautiful picture of the reconciling work of Christ in the regulations for cleansing. The priests were sprinkled with the blood of the atoning sacrifice, but things were sprinkled as well. (See Hebrews 9:19-23.) The death of Christ has dealt completely with the problem of sin! Ultimately, through the cross of Christ, the effects of sin in this material universe will be completely erased. In the eternal future, the majesty of the Creator will not be compromised by a backdrop of a fallen creation. We will delight in a universe that fully displays the glory of God - forever!
What about the angelic hosts? Are they covered in the "all things" of Colossians 1:20? Probably not. The holy angels do not need to be reconciled, because they were never alienated from God. The phrase "under the earth" in Philippians 2:10, but not in Colossians does not necessarily mean that the good angels are included in the "all things" of Colossians 1:20. As to the fallen angels, there is no indication anywhere in the Bible that any of them will ever be reconciled to God. They've already been judged and will ultimately be consigned, with Satan, to hell forever. (See Matthew 25:41.) Philippians 2:10-11 indicates that the fallen angels will be forced to "bow the knee" before Christ, but subjugation is not reconciliation. Redeemed people may be included in Colossians 1:20, but this verse refers primarily to the things of the material universe.
But the focus is on people in verses 21-22. In these two verses a number of significant truths about our reconciliation are mentioned. First, we’re told that formerly we were not only alienated from God, but we were literally against Him! This was not said of the trees and the stars. The things of the universe are not against God - but people are. People are "hostile in mind and engaged in evil deeds." Bad attitudes and bad actions (inseparably linked in verse 21) characterize every person who is not reconciled to God.
Some people may object at this point, and say that they have never been against God, and have never done anything so bad that it would be classified as “wicked.” They don't seem to realize that rejecting God's Son as their only hope of salvation is equivalent to spitting in the face of God! What could demonstrate a more hostile attitude and evil action as that? That was our former position, whether we realized it or not - but is not our present position. Praise God, we have been reconciled!
The fact that we have now been reconciled is another very important truth for us to appreciate. Quasars and quarks will be reconciled in the new heavens and new earth, but we are already reconciled. In Christ, we are in a wonderful and harmonious relationship with our Creator - right now! We may not always feel reconciled, but we are reconciled. We will definitely feel more reconciled when we have our resurrection bodies (Romans 8:23), but it's wonderful to know that this is our position now. Our appreciation of this “more-than-yellow-ribbons” truth goes a long way during times of discouragement and depression.
Another important point to remember: our reconciliation to God is entirely in one direction. He reconciles us to Himself - not vice versa! We normally use the word "reconciliation" when referring to marital strains and family feuds, where each side gives in a little in order to be reconciled. And some Christians tend to view God in the same way - He gives in a little and we give in a little until we reach a settlement. No way! We are reconciled to God only because He reached down and changed us completely. God didn’t make a deal with us, or change His mind, or sweep our sin under the rug so we could come to some "middle ground.” And in no way did we help Him work out a plan for our reconciliation. No. He did it all!
Our reconciliation was accomplished at great cost to God. The Creator had to become human in order to die (v22). This was the only way God could remove our hostilities and evil deeds and reconcile us to Himself. God's yellow ribbons were not bought with money, but with the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1:18-19).
The goal of our reconciliation to God was not just to rescue us from the clutches of Satan, and redeem us from the bondage of sin. That would have been fantastic enough! But God has gone much farther than that. We will come before Him as "holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”
The story of the lost son in Luke 15 illustrates the idea of reconciliation. The runaway son wasn’t just forgiven for his bad attitudes and sinful actions. The father welcomed him home and gave him all the rights and privileges of sonship - a most prestigious and favored position in the 1st century. In the same way, we who once ran away from God are welcomed home by God Himself, and we’re placed in the most-favored position - God’s forever family! Much more than yellow ribbons!
- Dave Reid