THE MYSTERY, NAMELY CHRIST - PART 3

FRIDAY 02 SEPTEMBER 2022

The tremendous knowledge of Christ living in us is a spiritual knowledge that offers us the acuity and wisdom to know that we're experiencing the life of divinity at work in us.

Reference: Colossians 1:26-27 New Living Translation (NIV) "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."

The human spirit is the deepest part of man and so, when it is recreated, he gains the ability to make contact with God, by receiving Christ and the Spirit of God inwardly. Moreover Christ comes in to dwell and take over as Lord.

No wonder Paul says in Galatians 2:20 (NIV): "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Here, Paul is saying, "I have been swallowed by the mystery by partaking of His crucifixion and by His resurrection, He's taken over me. So Paul is not living to glorify Christ through his own life, but rather Christ is living to glorify God through him as an earthen vessel. This is what the Bible means when it says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose" (Philippians 2:13 BSB). Since Christ lives in us, the Christian life is no longer a matter of living for ourselves. No! It is a matter of entirely yielding and submitting to the Lordship of this mystery, thereby allowing Him to live in us and find expression through us. That's the mystery!

The revelation of this mystery, Christ, is the knowledge by which we are established in faith. By this, I mean that He doesn't live in us for nothing; we are established in faith by His active presence in our lives. Romans 16:25 reads, "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" (NIV). Have you fully noticed that we are established in faith according to the revelation of this mystery, Christ, who was kept secret for long ages? Let me explain this further: When we believe in and receive Christ, He comes to live in our spirit. He moves into our heart to make His abode. As we learn about Him and grow in His knowledge, He begins to spread into every aspect of our lives, thereby shaping our Christian lives according to His knowledge. Got it? This is why the Word is so important. As we yield to and live by the Word, Christ is be able to express Himself more fully through us.

Christ doesn't live in us for nothing or to fulfil all righteousness; He lives in us to build us up according to the revelation of His mystery. From within us, God is pleased to reveal more of the wonderful person of Christ but we must give ourselves to the Scriptures for this purpose. Why? Its because all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV). Such training by the Scriptures will enrich our Christian lives in a practical way and reveal more of Christ in us. For this reason, the Bible says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16 ESV).

Beloved, it's not enough to receive Christ in you, you must condition yourself to allow all the dimensions of His mystery to be formed in you. Galatians 4:19 says, "My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you" (NKJV). Notice the phrase, "Until Christ is formed in you." The mystery, Christ, comes to dwell in the saints and to manifest Himself through them as long as they live the Christian life. Therefore, to allow Christ to grow in us is to enrich our Christian lives with His knowledge in a practical way until only Christ is seen and glorified in us - for all to see and acknowledge Him! Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:4-6; Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:8-9; Colossians 2:2; Ephesians 4:12-13.

Exuberant Declaration: I am alive unto God; I'm the object of His love, and a heir of the Kingdom inheritance and eternal life. Christ in me is a mystery at work and the hope of glory; I'm renewed by His Word daily and transformed by His unfailing love. Glory to God!