Commentary on Colossians 1:20

Colossians 1:20 “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Reconciliation by definition brings peace between two parties. This directly implies two parties were enemies and at variance with each other. How far does the reconciliation go from the blood of Christ’s cross? All things that are able to be reconciled will be reconciled. As far as the curse has gone. Earth was cursed because of Adam’s sin and so was Adam’s race. Through the blood ALL things are reconciled. The blood of Jesus reverses the effects of God’s curse which was a result of man’s sin.

But not all things are redeemable. Jude 6 says, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—” So evil angels are excepted from reconciliation with God. The reconciliation that the things in heaven experience are the effects from those who are reconciled on earth. Those reconciled on earth are changed into the image and nature of the Son of God. Therefore both God and angels (things in heaven) are reconciled to these people who were once enemies. It also seems that this has something to do with the things in heaven being separated from the things in earth. This separation and enmity took place at the time of the fall in the garden of Eden. Almighty God lifted his presence from the earth as a result of Adam’s sin, but through the blood of Jesus heaven and earth are reconciled so that heaven (in the future) will once again come back into its rightful position on earth. (Revelation 21:1) The reconciliation that Jesus’ blood paid for is three-fold. 1. our spiritual condition (John 3:5) 2. our physical condition (Phil. 3:21) 3. the earth (Romans 8:20-21)