“God was pleased to bring all things back to Himself because of what Christ has done…God made peace through CHRIST’S BLOOD, through His death on the cross…Yet now he has RECONCILED (reunited) US TO HIMSELF through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has BROUGHT US into HIS OWN PRESENCE, and we are HOLY and BLAMELESS as we stand before Him without a single fault.” (Col. 1:20, 22)
“God willed to make known this MYSTERY (mustērion: a hidden thing) among the Gentiles: which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27) The riches of God’s grace which were given to the Church through Paul.. are some of the most staggering truths, which could not be conceived-of by the human mind.. and which continue to be difficult.. if not impossible to understand by human reasoning. Nonetheless God Himself chose to make know to the Christian Church.. the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is: “CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.” This helps bring understanding to what Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will COME TO HIM and MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM.” (John 14:23)
This mystery is also revealed in this scripture, God said, “I will never leave you or forsake (abandon) you.” (Heb. 13:5) And just so we’re sure, “I am with you ALWAYS, even to the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:20)
-Bill Stockham