Colossians 1:24-2:5
Scientists and movie makers are attracted to the idea of intelligent life in outer space and making contact with it (or them). The motivation of this quest into the mysterious unknown is often to gain superior knowledge from superior beings that will enhance and perpetuate life on earth. It is interesting, when the imagination and money machine of Hollywood is turned loose on this theme that the beings they conceive are typically super intelligent, large frightening looking combinations of men, reptiles, insects or germs with ravenous appetites for either us or our stuff.
I see a similar theme in our passage today: that of communication between man and intelligent Life from above. But in our story line, the mysterious knowledge that men intuitively hunger for which, at the time this letter was being written, had been hidden from the past ages and generations and was then being delivered through an unlikely vessel of Paul to an unlikely people – saints.
It turns out that the Life from beyond, was not an intelligent ravenous monster with malevolent intent, rather it was an omniscient loving Being with benevolent intentions Who revealed the mystery in His own way and in His own timing. God Himself knew that it was not just knowledge we needed. And, He knew we needed more than just to perpetuate life on earth in its progressive state of decay. He knew that what man needed was Life Himself in order to perpetuate, not just more perfect temporal unions, but to inaugurate and build His eternal kingdom. In God’s story, the mystery (aka true knowledge) is “Christ Himself in whom had been hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge“.
The plot of God’s story thickens further in regards to this mystery and it has to do again with the unlikely audience – these people called saints; “to whom God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery“; which turns out to be;
“CHRIST IN THEM” – THE HOPE OF GLORY.
If you read all the writings of the unlikely vessel Paul you will discover that much is riding on the eventuality of “glory” being manifested through the collective expression of the “saints”. No one could have invented this plot! It really is scandalous! What is the likelihood of Paul, a Christian hater and persecutor of The Way, inheriting the well-spring itself of The Way and then sharing that sovereign mystery to the unclean and very unlikely Gentiles. A first century Jew would have said, “Are you kidding me!” Yet, how very much like God! (Definitely read; 1 Cor 1:18 – 2:16.)
I have been amazed at how frequently matters return to the issue of identity. Satan, while tempting Jesus, said; “IF you are the son of God……” He is not really very creative because he uses a similar lie aimed at our identities,…”IF you were a saint……” To so many within Christendom, sainthood is an earned status or an advanced level of Christian maturity or even something we only achieve after we die. These are monstrous lies designed by Satan to promote a cosmic-level identity crisis within the Church. A great deal of Satan’s kingdom will be dissolved when these lies are exposed.
The wealth of sainthood was deferred to us and should have been realized at our new birth. Sainthood is not earned. It is our gifted birthright of which we are to have full-assurance of and understanding. We are His! The issue of identity was resolved at the Cross. It really is finished as He has proclaimed! The rending of His flesh removed the veil that we could forevermore, by way of this inheritance, come boldly and joyfully into His most holy presence. True sainthood has never had anything to do with maturity, pedigree or resume. It has always had to do with our new hearts and our brand new natures. “It is no longer I who live but Christ lives within me.”
Paul is leveraging his revelation of Christ and his powers of speech, pleading with the Colossians;
“As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him….I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument……. See to it that no one take you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
Father, as a race of men, we are bloated in-knowledge and bankrupt in-Mystery. We have accordingly reaped a whirlwind of societal plagues and then wondered at the cause. Forgive us Lord. May Your saints arise in these days, ahead of whatever tumult may await us. In our new identities that are steeped in the wealth of full assurance, may our hearts be knit together in love, providing each other and this world with a revelation of “Christ in-us” so potent that a hope of glory is produced – a new optimism that the kingdom of God is a NOW-kingdom and an ever expanding one; one of which we are NOW-citizen-saints in good standing. May Your saints fulfill their destiny – becoming the unlikely source of fresh wisdom and light, exposing the futility this earth is subject to and the underlying spiritual darkness that creates it. Amen.