"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Colossians 1:20

Being Reconciled With God

"Having made peace through the blood of His cross" means that by His paying the penalty on the cross for our sin, peace has been made between God and the sinner.
"By him to reconcile all things unto himself." Reconciliation is toward man; redemption is toward God. God is saying to everyone today, "I am reconciled to you. Now will you be reconciled to Me?" This is the decision we must make!

Paul explains this very clearly in his letter to the Corinthians. "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God"
2Corinthians 5:18-20.

A great many people have the idea that they must do something special to win God over to them. Well, they should be putting the shoe on the other foot so to speak, because they have it all wrong! God is trying to win them over to Him! God is reconciled ~ He is asking people to be reconciled to Him!

"Whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Notice that Paul limits the "all things" that are appointed to reconciliation. He doesn't mention things under the earth. In Ephesians 1:22 it says, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." What are "all things" that are going to be put under His feet? In Philippians, Paul wrote, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth" (vs 2:10). Notice that all things are going to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ ~ all things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. That doesn't mean that they are all reconciled. Paul makes no mention of things under the earth being reconciled to God.

Things in heaven and in earth are reconciled to God, but not the things under the earth. The things under the earth will have to bow to Him, but they are not reconciled to Him at all. This is the place and this is the life in which we need to be reconciled to God!

"Things in heaven" ~ not only means we be made ready for heaven, but heaven must be made ready to receive us. The Lord Jesus said, ". . . I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). By the Incarnation God came down to man; by the blood of Jesus man is brought up to God. This blood also purifies things in heaven according to Hebrews (see 9:23-24). Heaven must also be reconciled.

We can have peace with God and be reconciled to Him by accepting Christ, who died in our place. Is there a distance between you and the Creator? Be reconciled to God ~ come to Him through Christ Jesus!

"Lord Dictated Them"