“To them God chose
to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this
mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” –Colossians 1:27 (ESV).
‘Christ
in you, the hope of glory.’ No doubt
we have heard this phrase in both Bible teachings and sermons. We know it is a deep biblical truth, one that
perhaps we have a little knowledge about but which seems at the same time to
have a truth that evades us. Let us look
at the context of the verse, which tells of Paul’s ministry to the church at
Colossae and elsewhere. In this context,
he is speaking of “the mystery hidden for
ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.” We need to understand
that the “mystery” Paul speaks of is not some eerie, dark secret that is hard
to decipher. “Mystery” in Paul’s day
referred to God’s unfolding plan for the world, and specifically His revelation
of His plan of redemption through Christ Jesus the Lord, the Messiah. Although the prophets of old had already made
known some of the aspects of the mystery, still much of it was "hidden for ages and generations.” Paul wants the Christians at Colossae to
whom he had addressed his letter (and us) to know assuredly that the mystery
has been revealed through the amazing new covenant which includes “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” This is a concept almost too marvelous
for us to grasp: God Himself, in the
person of Jesus Christ, is personally present in the lives of everyone who
believes in Him. Through the indwelling
Holy Spirit of Christ, the believer is given full assurance of a present life
to be lived abundantly in Him and a future life with Him when He returns. And Christ Jesus opened up this “hope of glory” for both Jews and
Gentiles who believe.
A word of explanation about the “old”
and the “new” dispensation is in order.
Under the “old” dispensation, the Jews held the “mystery” or revelation
of God in the law and prophets. Anyone
not born a Jew had to go through a ritual of becoming a Jew (submit to the laws
of circumcision and other requirements) in order to partake of the blessings of
the covenant. But Christ broke down all
the walls that divided the kingdom. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you
shall find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:2-30, ESV). Thus was the “mystery” revealed, the “new
dispensation” that all regardless of birth, nationality, or station in life,
can come, believing, and become a part of the family of God. In this truth is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Paul had a calling and commission to
help people understand the great mystery of Christ’s inclusive sacrifice and
love for humanity. “For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully
works within me” (Colossians 1:29).
It is a holy calling Paul has to help people see that Christ is
everyone’s ‘hope of glory.’ He wants everyone who hears and believes
to grow into a strong, mature Christian.
He goes further in this letter to the Colossians to warn the people not
to be deceived by “philosophy and empty
deceit” (2:8) but that “as you
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and
established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (2:8). In our day, as in Paul’s, we need to beware
of ‘philosophy and empty deceit’ that
would entice us to ways that are not of the Lord. Let hope that is in us, Christ, the hope of glory,’ keep
our focus on Him and on the things of the Spirit.
