Introduction: One of the less pleasant features of my legal career has been that both sides have a dislike for the other. The labor union did not like my client because my client wanted nothing to do with the union and had asked me to help. My client did not like the union because it was trying to get him fired. Why? Because my client was either standing up for his religious beliefs or standing up for his free speech rights. Sometimes the union resorted to violence. Did you know that God “hates all evildoers?” Psalm 5:5. John 15:18 tells us that the world “hates” Jesus. And we should expect the world to hate us too. That sounds like a lot of unpleasantness! Our study this week is about how Jesus got this hate turned around. Let’s dive into our study and see what Jesus has done for us to bring reconciliation and hope into our lives!

I. Reconciled

A. Read Colossians 1:20. Jesus reconciled “to Himself” all things in heaven and earth. Do you think that heaven was in conflict with Jesus?

1. Were humans in conflict with heaven?

B. Read Galatians 3:10 and Galatians 3:13. What has Jesus done for us? (When Jesus took on our sins at the cross, He carried the curse of our disobedience. At that point Jesus was in conflict with heaven. We sinners, before Jesus died for our sins, were in conflict with heaven.)

C. Read Colossians 1:21-22. These verses tell us that our evil deeds caused alienation and hostility. Is that now over? (Yes. By Jesus’ death, He is able to present us as holy, blameless, and above reproach.)

1. Wait a minute. Is Jesus like a dishonest used car salesman who presents a car as perfect when in fact it is not?
2. Or have we stopped doing evil deeds?
3. Or, has something else happened? (I vote that something else has happened, and it is very remarkable. Christians still do evil deeds. Those who have accepted Jesus are still saved despite those evil deeds. This is possible because Jesus’ death on our behalf covered all our sins.)

II. The Exception

A. Read Colossians 1:23. Is there an exception to this rule? Is there a “catch?” (Yes. To be covered by the blood of Jesus, to be saved by His sacrifice, we must “continue in the faith.”)

1. What does it mean to “continue in the faith?” (Paul says that we must continue to “hope” in the gospel. We must continue to believe that Jesus has saved us.)
2. This seems so easy. Why would anyone ever turn away from the hope they have in Jesus? (I believe, because I have experienced this temptation, that sometimes the allure of sin is very strong. Someone who knows and loves Jesus realizes that turning to make that sin a regular part of your life is not a temporary deviation in the relationship. Rather it is a “shifting,” a course change that turns away from the hope in Jesus. You are no longer “stable and steadfast.”)

B. Look again at Colossians 1:23. Paul states that this gospel has been “proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” I have two questions:

1. What does heaven think of it? Should those who caused Jesus so much suffering have to pay a penalty? Do the haters get away without punishment?
2. It appears that Satan and his fallen angels are not offered this opportunity to be saved. Why not? (I think they were given the opportunity to turn back. The problem is that they have “shifted” so that they not only reject the hope but are in active warfare against it.)

III. Suffering Paul

A. Read Colossians 1:24. How do you understand Paul’s “filling up what is lacking” in Jesus’ afflictions? Is he saying that he is suffering more than Jesus?

1. Who or what decides “what is lacking” in the suffering of Jesus? (This is the key to understanding. The enemies of God are the ones who decide what is lacking in the sense that they would have liked to punish Jesus more. Since Jesus has returned to heaven, Paul says that he is now a target of those who hate Jesus.)

B. Read Colossians 1:25 but keep verse 24 still in mind. Is there a purpose in Paul’s sufferings? (This is not a situation in which the haters are looking for targets and they just picked Paul. Instead, Paul is targeted because of his work for fellow Christians.)

IV. The Hidden Mystery

A. Read Colossians 1:26-27. I’m having you read shorter passages, but I don’t want you to miss the line of Paul’s statement found in verses 24-27. What is the mystery that Paul is making known to the saints?

1. Is it that the gospel should now go to the Gentiles? Are they now included in God’s people?
2. Is it that Jesus lives in His followers?
3. Is it that because of Jesus we all have the hope of heaven? (The mystery is all these three things.)
4. Do you see one part of the mystery as more important than the others? (Read Romans 8:11. The idea that God would now live in His followers, including the Gentiles, is a revolution in the human understanding of God.)

B. Read Colossians 1:28. Paul says, “we proclaim,” who is the “we?” (Paul and his fellow Christians.)

1. Paul’s message is both a warning and a proclamation. What is it a warning against? (The underlying Greek word does not mean “warning against danger.” Rather, the most common word I see is “admonish.” Meaning to correct confusion.)

C. The last part of Colossians 1:28 is important. Our study last week and this week hammers the concept of righteousness by faith alone. Only switching away from our hope in Jesus can cause us to lose our salvation. In that context, Paul tells us that part of his goal in teaching is to “present everyone mature in Christ.” What does it mean to be “mature in Christ?”

1. And how would you teach that maturity?

D. Read Deuteronomy 4:2 and Deuteronomy 12:32. Also read Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18-19. What have these warnings to do with Christian maturity? (Immature people, people who believe that their ideas can correct the Bible, are those who add or subtract from God’s word.)

1. How does this help us to understand righteousness by faith alone? (If you trust Jesus for your salvation, then you will trust His word. If you trust His word, then you realize that it presents the perfect way for a sinner to live. Mature Christians are obedient Christians. By “obedient,” I mean they obey the teachings of the Bible.)

E. Read Colossians 1:29. Do you sometimes feel that you have “low energy?”

1. If you answered, “yes,” what does Paul teach is the solution for that? (Jesus not only supplies our salvation, but He will supply our energy.)

F. Friend, your salvation is free. You cannot earn it. What God requires of you is to continue in your faith in what Jesus has done for you. This attitude of dependence, of trust and faith, means that you don’t add or subtract from what God has given us. Instead, a mature, steady belief causes Jesus’ followers to live a life in accordance with His will. Will you decide, right now, to place your faith in what Jesus has done for you?

V. Next week: Complete in Christ.

Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/9-reconciliation-and-hope-colossians-120-29-teaching-outline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=9-reconciliation-and-hope-colossians-120-29-teaching-outline

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr. Clinton Wahlen, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson,

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/9-reconciliation-and-hope-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=9-reconciliation-and-hope-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author

View an in-depth discussion of Reconciliation and Hope in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 25th of February 2026

In another place, Paul refers to “the mystery of God,” which is God’s eternal purpose “ordained before the ages for our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7, NKJV) and revealed through the plan of salvation. Peter speaks of this truth as something that the prophets anticipated and that “angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:10-12). It was devised “before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20) and “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25). However, through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, this mystery has been unveiled (2 Corinthians 3:14).

1. Ephesians 1:7-10

2. Ephesians 3:3-6

Ultimately, “all things” in heaven and on earth will be brought together into complete oneness in Christ. This was the focus of Christ’s prayer in John 17:1-26. Exactly how this would come about was a mystery that has now been revealed through the gospel.

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

Why God would love us so much that He would give Jesus, heaven’s priceless treasure, for our salvation, will be our study throughout eternity. But we know this: Christ “died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15, NKJV). As a result, all who believe in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, share equally in the promises of God through the gospel and have been brought together into one body, the church.

“Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) refers to Christ’s dwelling in the heart by faith (Ephesians 3:17; compare Galatians 2:20). This spiritual union with Christ enables believers even now to “sit together in heavenly places” (Ephesians 2:6) and taste “the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:5). Through Christ’s presence in our lives, He is already beginning to unite us with heaven. It is the gospel working in the hearts of believers that “has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:12, NKJV).

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-09-mystery-of-god-revealed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-09-mystery-of-god-revealed

The Bible declares two mysteries –the mystery of iniquity and the mystery of Godliness.

Photo by Enoc Valenzuela on Unsplash

The phrase, “mystery of iniquity,” is mentioned only one time and only in the KJV.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 KJV”

Paul mentions the mystery of iniquity right after talking about a man

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV.”

While the KJV uses the word “iniquity” many other versions use the word “secret.” Also many other versions use the word “lawlessness” instead of “iniquity.”  In 2 Thessalonians Paul is talking about someone whose secret agenda is to overthrow God’s law and set himself on God’s throne.

Is this what also happened in heaven? Yes!

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV

John shares more light on this mystery when he says,

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Revelation 12:7 KJV

Here we see an outright war. Not with tanks and machine guns, but a war of the minds. Lucifer is secretly trying to overthrow God’s law and government in order to set up his own kingdom. I imagine he was using flattery, bribery and mind games to secretly undermine God’s law and government and turn people to himself, just as he does now.

This is where the word “iniquity” comes in. Iniquity can be described as being bent towards or inclined towards self. Ezekiel has another clue in this mystery.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Ezekiel 28:15 KJV

In heaven, Lucifer’s love, which was supposed to be centered on God and others took a u-turn and headed towards himself. Somehow Lucifer mysteriously started undermining the importance of God and others and began his secret agenda of exalting self.

When things appear unexpectedly where they are not supposed to be, we call that a mystery. In case you may have heard of the famous D.B. Cooper case, this case involves a family finding a large sum of money while hiking in the forest. It was a mystery because the money was unexpected and not supposed to be there. Was self-love supposed to be in an angel’s heart in heaven? No, it was unexpected and not supposed to be there. Was there a logical reason for Satan to be at war with Christ in heaven of all places? No. It was not logical at all. The rebellion was not supposed to be there. That makes it a mystery doesn’t it? We can’t explain it or defend it. It’s a mystery.

Sometimes we are tempted to think, once we get to heaven we just automatically won’t sin any more, because we will be in a perfect world. Yet sin began in a perfect world! What a mystery!

However we do know there will be no sin in heaven.

Affliction will not rise up a second time. Nahum 1:9. NKJV

This leads us to another mystery, the mystery of Godliness. While many find it a mystery how a perfect being became so sinful, they also find it a mystery how a sinful race can become Christlike.

Obviously this is not done on our own. This mystery can only be performed by Christ working in us.

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 NKJV

Revelation 10 gives us another clue to the mystery. John is given a book, which I understand to be the book of Daniel. It was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. When the 2300 days in Daniel 8:14 came to an end, the expectation of Christ’s return in 1844 was sweet, but the disappointment was bitter. (I wonder if the thunders told John about the disappointment, but he was not allowed to write it down because some things must be learned through experience?) While they were disappointed in 1844 when Jesus did not return, Revelation tells us what would occur in 1844.

… but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. Revelation 10:7 NKJV

According to Colossians 1:27, the mystery of God is Christ in us. This leads us to the cleansing of the sanctuary, not just a building on earth or in heaven, but even more so the cleansing of the soul temple, so God can dwell right within us! See Exodus 25:8 and John 14:1-3.

Again this mystery can only be accomplished by Christ working in us. It is all grace.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 NKJV

In Titus 2:11-14 Paul describes a people on earth who have become Christlike. What a mystery! In heaven where you would least expect it, sin began. Now thanks to God’s grace, right here on earth, where you would least expect it, people become Christlike. John agrees with Paul. We don’t have to wait to get to heaven to be like Jesus.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17 NKJV

I like the way Ellen White explains it:

That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. –Ellen White, Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.

In the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan we see a perfect angel in heaven who becomes sinful. We also see a sinful race on earth become Christ-like.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/two-mysteries-in-scripture-iniquity-and-godliness/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=two-mysteries-in-scripture-iniquity-and-godliness