This is Part 8 of a 15 part Bible Study on the book of Colossians.
Compiled and written by Norma Becker – a true woman of God and God’s word.
FREE – Printable e-book version
Part 8 – The Mystery
In the city of Colossae (verse 25, 26), the Colossian heresy boasted of a ‘fullness’ of knowledge possible only through their al experience. But Paul declared that the fullness of the mystery is found only in Christ.
In verse 26 he is saying the Christian mystery is not secret knowledge for a few. It is a revelation of divine truths – once hidden but now openly proclaimed. This contrasted with the Colossian heretics’ notion that a mystery was a secret teaching known only to an exclusive group and unknown to the masses.
The ‘mystery’ of the church, however, does not mean that Gentile salvation and blessing was unforeseen before Christ. (Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:29-32)
In Isaiah 49:6 God is talking to the pre human (pre incarnate) Messiah and says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
In other words, God was not concerned just for the Jews but for the whole world, which included the Gentiles.
Then in the New Testament, there was a man in Jerusalem that received a promise from God that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah. This was fulfilled when Jesus was presented in the temple when he was eight days old. Read Luke 2:29-32:
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
The mystery was not that Gentiles would be saved but how they could be fellow heirs on the same level as Jews.
“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6).
Revelation of Blessing
While the Old Testament revealed something of God’s coming blessing for Gentiles as well as Israelites, the method by which they would be accomplished was a mystery first revealed to Paul.
This special union in which there “is neither Jew nor Greek” was nonexistent before Christ died and the Spirit descended to baptize all believers into this new body.
Verse 27 says:
“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.”
1 Corinthians 3:16 says:
“Surely you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you.”
Taking those two together – would you say then that the essential feature of a Christian is to have Christ and the Spirit in them?
Born Again
The Jews have always been called the but then in John 1:11-13 it says:
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become . Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Again, this is the idea of “being born again.” God isn’t in a persons’ life until He is asked to enter and He also doesn’t force His way into your life – it is a free choice. That is why you are on firm ground and not being judgmental if someone says they are a Christian and you ask them if or when they have asked Christ into their life and they say, “No but they are a good person they don’t have to,” or some of the other things they say. You can be sure they don’t have eternal life.
What is the first thing you want to do when you move into a new home? Clean and change things around, right? When you asked Christ and His Spirit into your life, don’t you think that is what Christ wanted to do too? Did you let Him? It is easy to say, “Come in but let me lead my own life because I don’t want to change this or that.” A person like this is often called a carnal Christian. There is no happy disobedient Christian.
When Christ enters the life of a person, it both solves problems and creates problems because we have more of a conscience and others expect more of us.
The nature of Christ’s Spirit and our own spirit are opposites. They have different appetites. One has a hunger for God and desires to please Him. The other has a hunger for worldly things and wants to please self. Because these two natures are different there is conflict.
Does this help to explain why it is so hard to lead a “holy life”? How can you help a new Christian realize that neither does life suddenly become a bed of roses, nor do we automatically become Christ-like. He lives in us, but His Spirit will not override our own spirit. We must choose moment by moment which spirit we will obey. As long as we live, we will possess these two natures and will have to make choices. The satisfaction and joy we get out of life depends on our choices day by day.
Admonishing and Teaching
Verse 28:
Now back to Paul…so because Christ is in him, what does he do in verse 28a?
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone.”
Everywhere Paul and Timothy went, they brought the Good News to all who would listen. He is saying that an effective presentation of the gospel or the Good News, includes admonishing or warning and teaching. The warning is that without Christ, people are doomed to eternal separation from God. The teaching is that salvation is available through faith in Christ.
“With all possible wisdom” (Colossians 1:28b)
This isn’t just knowledge about Christ, but wisdom that comes from above. This wisdom is the practical application of divinely given knowledge. Remember we talked earlier when Paul prayed for the Colossians that they might have knowledge of His will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. The goal of this is to “present everyone perfect in Christ.”
As I have mentioned, the word “perfect” here means mature or complete, not flawless or sinless, because we know that Christ is the only one that is sinless. Paul wanted to see each believer mature spiritually. He wanted them mature individuals – not still babes – as he told the Corinthians:
“I had to feed you with milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it…because you still live as the people of this world live” (Corinthians 3:2).
We all struggle with maturity – it doesn’t come overnight. Even a new Christian can be a spiritual Christian – this doesn’t take maturity – only willingness! The real battle we have is with self and often indifference or procrastination.
Motivated to Learn and Grow
We can learn and grow daily but we must be motivated by love, not fear. We also have to know that God gives us the energy and power to do it.
In verse 29 he says:
“To get this done I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me.”
Getting a job done takes hard, persistent work. Notice though, that he did not do it on his own power and God doesn’t expect us, or want us to try to do it that way either. The power came from the mighty strength that Christ provides. The Lord does not call us to do anything that He is not willing and able to provide the ability to do the task.
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