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there will be a kingdom that cannot be shaken, but, like the Lord Himself, will "remain"
(Heb. 12: 27, 28). The thought of Heb. 1: 12, "Thou art the same", is repeated in
Heb. 13: 8:--
"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for the ages."
The passing of the former creation is described in Rev. 21: 1-5:--
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth
were passed away, and there was NO MORE sea . . . . . there shall be NO MORE death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be ANY MORE pain: for the former things
are passed away . . . . . Behold, I make all things new."
If the statement of verse 5 were taken out of its context, it might well be made to teach
that all things without reserve or distinction, will be made new, but in the light of the
context, it will be seen that much that belongs to the present creation is destined to pass
away and will find no place in the new creation of the future.
In a similar way, the reconciliation of Col. 1: 13-23 has been explained as
co-extensive with creation in its literal sense, and consequently universal in scope, not
only with reference to every human being, but also to the seed of the wicked one, to the
angels that sinned and even to Satan himself. Yet we have only to read as far as Col. 2:
to discover that this cannot be true. Reconciliation in Col. 1: is vitally associated with
the cross of Christ, and we know no other ground of reconciliation.
Among those included in the creation of Col. 1: 16 are "principalities and powers",
and such are included also in the reconciliation of verse 20. We must not, however, teach
that all principalities and powers are reconciled, for Col. 2:, speaking of the same cross
as in verse 20, says:--
"Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2: 15).
It would be just as true to teach from Col. 2: 15 that not one of the principalities and
powers will be reconciled as to teach universal reconciliation from Col. 1: A true
interpretation must not take account of either passage by itself, but must embrace both;
then we are upon solid rock.
Turning to the passage before us, and verse 14 in particular, we observe that this is
practically a repetition of Eph. 1: 7. The subject of redemption and forgiveness has been
recently studied in the series entitled, "Redemption", and the reader should refer to these
articles if help is needed in the exposition of this wonderful theme.
When dealing with Eph. 1: 7 we noted that redemption is not limited to the question
of sin and its forgiveness, but has to do also with the purchased possession (verse 14).
Col. 1: and Eph. 1: traverse the same ground. The new creation of Col. 1: 18-20
headed up in Christ finds its parallel in Eph. 1: 10:--