²¹ Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. (Colossians 1:21 CSB)

The idea behind the word “once” is that it is a fixed point in time in the past. It should mean that beyond this point, what ever the act being referred to then there is no more. It happened and now it does not happen.

But our life is marred by sin. It is our fallen state. We want to say “once” in reference to sin but we continue to sin.

Now our scripture today refers to our unrepentant state before we came to Christ saving grace. What we once were, is no more. And Christ died to once and for all save us and forgive our sinful nature. Our past, present and future sin.

Where our mind was once hostile to God, it is no longer.

Thus, should we not do all in our power to also put our sinful nature “once” and for all behind us. Yes, this takes a daily commitment to put into practice all we learn through scripture. It takes us focusing upon a different life and it requires us taking captive every thought before we act.

So we should consider the word “once” more carefully in our daily lives.