And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. – COLOSSIANS 1:21

This verse, like so many others, is separated into 2 parts. The 2 parts here are the problem – and the solution. First, let’s look at the problem:

• “…alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works…
  • because there are 2 principals of sin, there are also 2 principals at work here in this scripture.
    • because of the action of our sins (the bad things we do), we see ourselves as alienated and enemies, separated from God.
    • being separated from God, we see no hope of reconciliation (because we doubt His goodness and the truth of His Word), so we continue to live in separation from Him. We continue to do bad things, creating a condition of sin. 

Every problem can be traced back to a corrupt world, and that corruption came because of separation from God, and that separation is caused by sin. – Isaiah 59:2, Romans 3:23

I’d like to repeat something from the last study:

• Everything you do is an extension of your feelings. Your feelings are controlled by your thoughts. Your thoughts are a function of your mind.

No matter how anyone feels about that statement – it is a bioelectrical and biochemical fact. Either our minds are corrupt because our chemistry and electronics are off, or our chemistry and electronics are off because our minds are corrupt. It happens both ways, but it really doesn’t matter. In our minds we are enemies with God, and it’s the result of the action and condition of sin.

OUR MINDS HAVE TO BE RENEWED – WE HAVE TO START THINKING DIFFERENTLY

Romans 8:6-8 says the carnal mind (denoting human nature, in the flesh) is death (the wages of sin-Romans 6:23a), but the spiritual mind is life (the gift of God-Romans 6:23b) and peace. The carnal mind is (enmity) animosity and resentment and ill will against God, and it will not submit to God’s law. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God.  That definitely sounds to me like the mind of someone who is an enemy of God.

The solution:                                                                                                                                 The good news is that part 2 of the focus verse, COLOSSIANS 1:21 says “…yet now hath He reconciled.”

• To be reconciled, we have to be changed (transformed) (new creations).
• We are changed by the renewing of our minds. – Romans 12:2

Heavenly Father, right now as best we can understand, we surrender our hearts and our minds to You. We humble ourselves to You in confession and repentance and we offer ourselves up to You, exposing everything and hiding nothing. We ask first of all that You forgive us for our many sins and our sinful ways. But we also ask You to  change the things about us that do not please You; the things that disappoint You. We ask You to change our character and personality so that we can be what You created us to be. We might not understand it all perfectly yet, but we trust in Your Goodness and in the truth of Your word. We understand the we are helpless and hopeless to save ourselves. The saving work is yours alone. Only you have to power and authority to forgive sin. And Your word says that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us and make us clean. We don’t want to be your enemies, we want to be Your children. Your word also says that Jesus made peace between us – between You and us – by the blood of His cross. In Your word, Jesus said that You gave Him all authority and power. We believe that He died to save us from this fatal condition of sin and separation from You according to the scriptures. Your word also says that if we believe in Jesus as our Savior and confess that He is Lord of all, that we are given the power to become your children. In the name of Jesus Christ, we want to be different. We want to be changed. Please make it so. Please do Your saving work. Please renew our minds, and let us move on with with the process of becoming Holy and pure because you have given so much in Christ to make us set apart from the world.                                                                                                                    -Amen.