CHRIST: THE MYSTERY WE PREACH - PART 1

THURSDAY 07 SEPTEMBER 2023

In regard to apostle Paul's comment concerning His labour for the church in Colosee, He noted, "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:24-27 NIV). What is this mystery? The powerful Christ! More below!

Reference: Colossians 1:28-29 New International Version (NIV) "He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me."

In today's article, and in accordance with the versified statements of truth above, plus its implications, I'm introducing a new topic, which is "Christ: The mystery we preach!"

Paul started by saying, "He is the one we proclaim..." Who? Christ! This points directly to the scene of evangelical conversations. Yes, we proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the teachings of the glorious gospel in Christendom. And beloved, your faith in God will be equal to this truth, if you are truly living for Christ. By this, I mean that you'll be able to convince, persuade and demonstrate to others, about the mystery known as Christ, with all wisdom it conveys, if you are standing firm on Christ.

The eternal Son of God in all the revelations of Himself, whose light and life have been given to us by the Spirit, has been unveiled to us in the Word through Pauline epistles - in his highest and most refined written revelation. And the sense of our need of Christ's revelation can never be undermined because the efficacy of our faith rests on it beyond any human understanding. To that effect, Pauline epistle noted in Romans 16:25 - "Now to Him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—" (NIV).

The Scripture regards Paul as the minister of Christ, and one of those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed (1 Corinthians 4:1 NIV). So the revelation of the mystery, namely Christ - was given to Paul by the gift of higher wisdom, with Christ Himself being the full capacity of wisdom within him. To instantiate this verity, Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NKJV). This revelation is now made known to all of us in Christ Jesus as the members of His body, who are the living branches of the true Vine. So we are the present beneficiaries of the gift of godly revelation and inspiration, reflected in apostle Paul via his epistolary expressions.

When Paul says, "Christ is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ", the proclamation he emphasized on, is a means to an end, and the Scripture described the certain end, which is to present everyone perfect in their relationship to Christ, as having nothing less than spiritual maturity. So the central idea in this Scripture is the necessity of growing in the knowledge of Christ as born again Christians, which is characterized by engaging the revealed truths of God's love in Christ. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Deuteronomy 32:3; Luke 4:18; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 John 1:3-4.

Exuberant Declaration: The wisdom of God embodied and demonstrated in Christ is a weighty indicator of the true knowledge that builds me up and brings me to the mature level of spiritual understanding as I proclaim it. I therefore, testify that I have an anxious interest in this wisdom because it empowers me to know and to do God's will, thereby showing forth His glory in my world. Hallelujah!