Sermon Central
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The Christ Life
Contributed by Riaan De Villiers on Sep 11, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: For many years we have walked with a hope in us not realising that we can enter into the fullness of Christ.
The Christ Life
Colossians 1:26 – 27
AMP: The mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations [from angels and men], but is now revealed to His holy people (the saints), To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing the] glory.
KJV: "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"
See clearly that there is a mystery but this mystery has a glory. So the first thing we want to know is what is the glory of this mystery? It is one thing to know the mystery, but the Bible says it very clearly that this mystery has something that goes with it – a glory.
The mystery we all know = Christ in us. This has been hidden throughout the ages but is now revealed and it is not a mystery any longer. But what we have failed to see is that there is a glory that accompanies this mystery and we need to know what that glory is. In fact the Bible says that it is not just a glory but it is rich in glory.
So the mystery is that Christ is mow in us and that is so rich that it has a glory. So the fact that Christ is in me means that there is already a glory in us.
AMP: I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one:
GNB: I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one:
We must understand that God gave Jesus, the Christ, a glory and that glory he has given to us. So we need to understand that there is so much glory in the fact that Christ is in us. It is the same glory that Jesus had when He walked on the earth. That is the glory of the mystery which is Christ in us.
But now the Bible says that these riches of glory are only a hope of the real glory. This first glory is called a down payment, the first fruits of the Spirit, an undercoat.
AMP: That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it--to the praise of His glory.
BBE: Which is the first-fruit of our heritage, till God gets back that which is his, to the praise of his glory.
MSG: This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
That is exactly what Colossians 1:26 – 27 are saying:
CEV: For ages and ages this message was kept secret from everyone, but now it has been explained to God’s people. God did this because he wanted you Gentiles to understand his wonderful and glorious mystery. And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.
GNB: God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God.
MSG: God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple.
Jesus received His own glory from God and He has given us that glory when Christ is in us but that glory is only our hope to receive the glory of God. This first glory – Christ in me – will takes us into another glory – the glory of God.
When we are born again, we accept and receive Christ as our lord and saviour and the He dwells in us. This is a mystery and has a glory. But if we can really fathom (grasp) what God really meant when He said Christ is now in us, we can start to work on this glory. For this glory will take us from glory to glory. This first glory is our hope of the real glory.
