Now, when it delights God, Who severs me from my mothers womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations.
Paul To The Galatians 1: 15-16, Concordant New Testament
Not too long ago, a good friend asked me just what it was that made me know that Christ Jesus dwelled in me. How is it that I am confident in my life in Him? Well, for one thing, the scriptures assure me that this is true. Yet there is something else which assures me that I reside in Christ. That is the revealing of Christ Jesus in me through the Father. The apostle Paul spoke to his own revelation in Galatians {Paul To The Galatians 1:15-16}. This isn't something that is unique to Paul only, but to all whom the Lord wills to reveal the presence of His Son. Don't get me wrong, before I knew of my life in Christ, I knew OF Jesus and His influence on my life. However, that's as far as it went. My understanding of Jesus was limited to what I learned through whichever mainstream church I attended. I understood that Jesus bled and died for the forgiveness of my sins...yet I was still a sinner in the eyes of the church. At least this is what was drummed into me from an early age. I am also confident that even at this point of discovery in my life, that I remained in Christ as I now do. My own understanding just did not comprehend this truth. Again, Paul helps us in our understanding of the indwelling Christ. It is Paul who speaks of the indwelling Christ in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}. So, think this all sounds confusing? Well, that is the mystery, as Paul described it {Paul To The Ephesians 5:32}. I have no doubt that Paul, in his day, was asked countless questions concerning his knowing of the indwelling presence of a guy who had been killed on a cross years earlier. How does that work? I'm sure there were more than a few people who considered this former Pharisee a fake. Still, Paul went on preaching the gospel which had been revealed to him.
To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory.
Paul To The Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament
Going from the words of Paul to the Colossians, the Father has willed that I would know His Son in me {Paul To The Colossians 1:27}. Of course, I am confident that He chose to reveal His Son in more than a few of my friends as well. This knowing comes from nothing that I have done. It didn't take a Pharisee school degree for me to realize my life in Christ. This, if you will pardon the expression, was a God thing. God has been with me from the beginning, and in His timing He revealed to me my life in Him. Now, we know from the words of Paul that his knowing of his life in Christ had a purpose. That is, to evangelize Christ among the nations {Paul To The Galatians 1:16}. So, not only does the Father reveal to us our life in Him, but He does so that we would speak the gospel of Christ Jesus to those among us who might have never known Him (I can already hear the questions, "Who have you shared Jesus with?). We know that the world will only come to see Jesus through the actions of those who know Him {Johns Account 14:17}. It is for this reason that Paul spoke Christ Jesus to the nations. That all would know the knowledge of the gospel. I cannot speak as one doing extraordinary things, only as one speaking the truth of Christ.
The spirit of truth, which the world can not get, for it is not beholding it, neither is it knowing it. Yet you know it, for it is remaining with you and will be in you.
Johns Account 14: 17, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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