Hey Bob
Another exegesis void of context from you!
In context, the analysis of the Greek “if” clause shows that the final embarrassment is with the NSNS position for slicing scripture and picking only the parts that it seem to support its self-righteous view.
A significant clue can be seen in verse 21. They were once alienated. The word alienated (apallotriomenoos) is in the Greek Perfect Tense (GPT). The basic explanation of this tense is that it denotes an action that was brought to completion and whose effects are felt in the present. The perfect tense isn’t the normal choice for even most Greek speakers. We must assume that there is a reason for its use whenever it occurs whether or not we understand it. The act of being alinenated happened in the past and continues in the present. Since the Greek Perfect Tense has no wiggle room for a cessation of the action, there must be a definitive statement that will specifically undo the action mentioned in the Greek Perfect Tense for it to stop. Here, there is a direct reference to reconciliation that stops the formerly continuous action! If there is no direct reference; there is no cessation of action!
The word reconciliation is an aorist. Paul is wishing to view past salvation as if it were a point event without emphasizing the continuance of the results of that point event. The believer is only inserted into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13) once. Nowhere in the Bible is there any language of being immersed into Christ a second time. Salvation is called the second birth – not the third birth or fourth birth.
Verse 22 shows that believers are inserted into the body of Christ in order to be presented holy, blameless, and irreproachable before God. The point event of justification needs a process of shaping. The goal of this shaping is rewards – not justification.
Verse 23 provides the biggest clue in this whole passage. The word grounded (teqemeliwmevnoi) is yet another Greek Perfect Tense. Note that there is no other construct that will undo this verb. The intent is that this act continues! Many of the significant passages in Scripture describing the new birth use the Greek Perfect Tense to highlight the permanence of that change. So the GPT implies that the Colossians were perfectly and continuously grounded in the faith from a past act of faith in Jesus Christ.
The outcomes of whether or not they continued in the faith had nothing whatsoever to do with their present reality of being completely and firmly grounded in Jesus Christ. This means that the outcomes of whether of not they continued in the faith had everything to do with their present reality of fellowship. Were they settled? Where they moved away from the gospel?
The presentation of the believers is equivalent to Eph 5:27 where the church is presented to God with almost the exact same words. The issue isn’t salvation but sanctification. The words holy, unblameable, and unreproveable are all three words that describe the process of Christian growth. The Christian’s growth is marked by up’s and down’s, varying degrees of faithfulness, and incomplete obedience at the best. This is sanctification.
If justification depended on our faithfulness, then no one would be saved. God tells us that even in our BEST state that we are but “vanity” (Psa 39:5). Paul declares that at the final judgment that everyone in the whole world will be so convinced of their own personal guilt that every mouth will be stopped (Rom 3:19). The Romans Road includes a verse that common-sense indicates that everyone falls short of God’s glory through sin and disobedience (Rom 3:23). If Christ hasn’t risen, then we are all “most pitiable” for we are still in our sins (1 Cor 15:17)! In Adam all die (1 Cor 15:22)! If justification depends in any little part on continued human faithfulness, then we all will fall short of the mark. God demands perfection and anything short of perfection will be judged. Unless we can claim Christ’s righteousness, it will be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God! Since no one (but Jesus) has been able to fulfill the law, how is it that the NSNS Sadvocates think so highly of human faithfulness?
When the apostles were faced with the very same corrupting NSNS view, they were quick to condemn it saying, “Why would you test God by adding the yoke of faithfulness which neither our fathers nor we were able to fulfill?” (Acts 15:10). If the negative response wasn’t enough they rephrased it positively saying, “Even we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner [of purifying faith (see verse 9)] as they.” (Acts 15:11).
Lloyd
Another exegesis void of context from you!
Christ-deniers miss the fact that the “if” clause modifies the presentation of the believer as holy, unblameable, and unreproveable. It has nothing to do with salvation. It is terrible exegesis to slice up a passage and pick and choose only what you want.
In context, the analysis of the Greek “if” clause shows that the final embarrassment is with the NSNS position for slicing scripture and picking only the parts that it seem to support its self-righteous view.
A significant clue can be seen in verse 21. They were once alienated. The word alienated (apallotriomenoos) is in the Greek Perfect Tense (GPT). The basic explanation of this tense is that it denotes an action that was brought to completion and whose effects are felt in the present. The perfect tense isn’t the normal choice for even most Greek speakers. We must assume that there is a reason for its use whenever it occurs whether or not we understand it. The act of being alinenated happened in the past and continues in the present. Since the Greek Perfect Tense has no wiggle room for a cessation of the action, there must be a definitive statement that will specifically undo the action mentioned in the Greek Perfect Tense for it to stop. Here, there is a direct reference to reconciliation that stops the formerly continuous action! If there is no direct reference; there is no cessation of action!
The word reconciliation is an aorist. Paul is wishing to view past salvation as if it were a point event without emphasizing the continuance of the results of that point event. The believer is only inserted into Christ’s body by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13) once. Nowhere in the Bible is there any language of being immersed into Christ a second time. Salvation is called the second birth – not the third birth or fourth birth.
Verse 22 shows that believers are inserted into the body of Christ in order to be presented holy, blameless, and irreproachable before God. The point event of justification needs a process of shaping. The goal of this shaping is rewards – not justification.
Verse 23 provides the biggest clue in this whole passage. The word grounded (teqemeliwmevnoi) is yet another Greek Perfect Tense. Note that there is no other construct that will undo this verb. The intent is that this act continues! Many of the significant passages in Scripture describing the new birth use the Greek Perfect Tense to highlight the permanence of that change. So the GPT implies that the Colossians were perfectly and continuously grounded in the faith from a past act of faith in Jesus Christ.
The outcomes of whether or not they continued in the faith had nothing whatsoever to do with their present reality of being completely and firmly grounded in Jesus Christ. This means that the outcomes of whether of not they continued in the faith had everything to do with their present reality of fellowship. Were they settled? Where they moved away from the gospel?
The presentation of the believers is equivalent to Eph 5:27 where the church is presented to God with almost the exact same words. The issue isn’t salvation but sanctification. The words holy, unblameable, and unreproveable are all three words that describe the process of Christian growth. The Christian’s growth is marked by up’s and down’s, varying degrees of faithfulness, and incomplete obedience at the best. This is sanctification.
If justification depended on our faithfulness, then no one would be saved. God tells us that even in our BEST state that we are but “vanity” (Psa 39:5). Paul declares that at the final judgment that everyone in the whole world will be so convinced of their own personal guilt that every mouth will be stopped (Rom 3:19). The Romans Road includes a verse that common-sense indicates that everyone falls short of God’s glory through sin and disobedience (Rom 3:23). If Christ hasn’t risen, then we are all “most pitiable” for we are still in our sins (1 Cor 15:17)! In Adam all die (1 Cor 15:22)! If justification depends in any little part on continued human faithfulness, then we all will fall short of the mark. God demands perfection and anything short of perfection will be judged. Unless we can claim Christ’s righteousness, it will be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God! Since no one (but Jesus) has been able to fulfill the law, how is it that the NSNS Sadvocates think so highly of human faithfulness?
When the apostles were faced with the very same corrupting NSNS view, they were quick to condemn it saying, “Why would you test God by adding the yoke of faithfulness which neither our fathers nor we were able to fulfill?” (Acts 15:10). If the negative response wasn’t enough they rephrased it positively saying, “Even we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner [of purifying faith (see verse 9)] as they.” (Acts 15:11).
Lloyd
BTAIN!!