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Throughout this passage Paul is dealing with believers, in contrast with unbelievers,
urging them to act in harmony with their calling. They were "saints" (I Cor. 1: 2), and
this sanctification was theirs through Christ Who had been made unto them
"sanctification" (I Cor. 1: 30). It was complete and unalterable, and rested upon no merit,
growth or godliness of the believer; all this is most evident in the epistle to the
Corinthians, for these "saints" in themselves were guilty of most "unsaintly" conduct.
The apostle did not and could not take away from these Corinthians, their sainthood, but
he could and he did urge them to "perfect holiness", which in other words, was their own
response to such a holy calling.
"Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God" (II Cor. 7: 1).
The position of the believer in Col. 1: 22 is so gloriously complete, that the mind is
overwhelmed at the very contemplation of that presentation which will place the
erstwhile enemy and sinner "holy, unblameable and unreproveable" in the sight of God.
The apostle, however, was not content that the believer should be thus sanctified by the
death of Christ. He longed to see the "fruit of holiness", and so he warns them of the
specious teaching, that is repudiated in Col. 2:, which would beguile them of the reward
which is associated with "perfecting" as in II Tim. 4:, Phil. 3: and James.
Supplementing the two "presentations" Col. 1: 22 and 28, are the two "Inheritances" of
Col. 1: 12 and 3: 24.
And again we have the same relationship and the same
differences as we found in the two "presentations", and the two aspects of "justification",
moreover we observe the same harmony when the principle of right division is applied.
"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1: 12).
"Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve
the Lord Christ" (Col. 3: 24).
In the first instance, the work of grace is already accomplished. The Father "hath
made us meet", He "hath delivered us", He "hath translated us". No works of ours can be
admitted in any shape of form. In the second instance the atmosphere changes from
acceptance through grace alone to that of the desirability of acceptable service. The
words are addressed to "servants" who are exhorted to serve their earthly masters "as to
the Lord", and that recognition of faithful service would be "the reward" of or pertaining
to the inheritance.
In the presentation of Col. 1: 22, it will be remembered, the reconciled sinner is to be
presented, not only "holy", but "unblameable and unreproveable", but, the servant in
Col. 3: is warned that
"He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no
respect of persons" (Col. 3: 25).
Here "blame" and "reproof" come within the radius of the possible, just as surely as
they are entirely outside the blessed scope of Col. 1: 22. Both doctrines are compatible,
both are truth, and the conjunction of the two, reasonable, salutary and right. Why cannot