Who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of every creature
Paul to the Colossians 1: 15, Concordant New Testament
I spent many years in the halls of the mainstream institutional church before my eyes were opened to the truth of my life in Christ Jesus. Honestly, it took this long because the truth of our lives in Jesus is something which is rarely, if ever, spoken to by Christian pastors and church leaders. In fact, I had been absent from the church for more than a few years before, through my conversations with a friend, I was introduced to the truth of Christ in this world. Yet besides the fact that I KNEW of Jesus, it was difficult for me to believe that One Who I could not see could play such a crucial part in my own life. I sincerely believe that this is what the apostle Paul was referring to when he spoke to our knowing of Christ Jesus among us as "The secret among the nations" {Paul to the Colossians 1:27}. For Paul, Jesus wasn't just One Who operated from behind the scenes. Paul himself had spent a good portion of his life in the temples of the Jewish religion, so he was all too familiar with the culture and religion which Jesus was Himself raised in. Yet Saul, as he was known then, also spent a good deal of his time in the persecution of the followers of Jesus. His "Come to Jesus" moment came on that now famous road to Damascus. My own come to Jesus moment happened as I was on a hike with a dear friend of mine as we talked about the revelation of Christ which he himself had received. His words were that all of creation, nature included, resembled the presence of the Lord. Having been raised in the mainstream church Christian religion, this was a difficult pill to swallow for me. God the Father? In me? I recalled all of the sermons which I sat through while listening to the pastor explain that I was but a sinner in need of the grace of God. I' guessing that my thoughts in that moment were similar to those of the man Saul that day on the Damascus road. Who is this Jesus?
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
Who indeed! Like I said, I had heard of this Jesus in my time in the mainstream church, but this was something totally different altogether. For the theology of the church preaches a Jesus that I have been separated from by my own sin. Yet these words of Paul spoke of his "Expectation" of our own knowledge of Christ among us. Of our life in Jesus. I believe that the struggles I faced in my revelation were similar to those faced by Paul after his Damascus road experience. He speaks to not immediately seek council concerning his experience {Galatians 1:16}. But Paul spent a good deal of time in the desert of Arabia, undoubtedly unpacking all which had been revealed unto him {Paul to the Galatians 1:17}. I can relate. For after my own eyes were opened to my life in Christ, I had my own share of questions about what I was now experiencing. Fortunately for me, my good friend was there to help as we both navigated this secret among the nations together. One can understand the struggle I went through as I began to look upon Jesus with a brand new perspective and understanding. That Jesus was more than someone written about in the scriptures. What the Father has done is to reveal His living Son unto me. Jesus is far from dead. For as the angels proclaimed at the empty tomb that resurrection morning, "He is risen!" {Matthews Account 28:6}. Jesus is real, and I have not been separated from Him as the church so proudly proclaims. The words of Paul testify to this in Galatians, "Living in me is Christ" {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. THIS is Jesus.
~Scott~
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