Colossians 1:27-29

Colossians 1:27-29

To whom God desired to make known the riches of glory of this mystery in the Gentiles that Christ is in you all – the hope of glory.  We proclaim Him while warning every man and while teaching every man in all wisdom in order that we should present every mature man in Christ. Into this I also labor while making every effort according to the focus that He is at work in me in power.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul tells us more about God’s mystery.  The mystery is Christ in us.  You see, God’s plan was a mystery.  The Hebrew people waited patiently for God’ Messiah to reveal how salvation was to come to mankind.  It was a mystery.  But that isn’t the end of the mystery.  God didn’t just save us, He made is possible to have an intimate relationship with Him by His presence within us!  That’s the mystery of God!

What does your forgiveness mean to you?  What does a personal relationship with God mean to you?  Why are both of these unfathomable in a sense?

Second Thought:

Paul preached Christ.  This is perhaps the main fundamental difference between Christianity and other religions.  Some religions teach a philosophy of living.  Some religions teach a person who taught us how to live so that we can be worthwhile in the sight of their deity.  But Christianity teaches Christ.  Christianity teaches that salvation only comes through Christ and His death on the cross.  Christianity teaches that we aren’t saved by what we do or who we are or even how good we can appear to be.  Christianity teaches us that it is all about Christ and His death.

Why is it so important that that Christianity is all about Christ?  Do you ever struggle to make it more than Christ only to miss the mark?

Third Thought:

We then get to Paul’s work.  Paul preached.  Paul warned.  Paul taught.  What was the point of all of these actions?  Paul sought the mature.  Paul sought the development of faith.  This is the point.  God doesn’t call us where we are in order to keep us where we are.  God calls us where we are in order to develop us into something new and better!

Are you more mature than you were a few years back?  Where are you headed in terms of your maturity?

Passage for Tomorrow: Colossians 2:1-5