Galatians 2:20
**How did Paul put it in Colossians 3:11? "Christ is all and in all..." For Paul, his apostleship was not to advance a defining array of doctrines or a checklist of propositions. As far as he was concerned , our faith is not even a relationship with a set of doctrines or commandments... Christianity is a relationship with Jesus the Christ.**
Colossians is a letter from the apostle Paul to the church at Colossae. A group of people that Paul had never personally met. He had received a report from Epaphras, who some believe to be the founder of the Colossians church, that there was some heresy creeping into the church and the believers there were beginning to move away from the teachings of the gospel and into the philosophies of the world and the traditions of men. They were being deluded by persuasive arguments and not holding fast to the teachings of Christ.
In many churches today, tolerance (to sin) and an ultra social gospel are the focus. While some are confused between the theory of evolution and Creationism. Others dabble in horoscopes and palm readings, and many have allowed teachings of humanism and the new age movement to creep into their Sunday morning message.
Paul's letter to the Colossians was written to bring back to their remembrance, the power which had been attained by the receiving of Christ as Lord and Savior. These are Christians Paul is writing to, and he goes on to say that the Power of the resurrected Lord was available to them, the power to do all things... everything that God required of them.
Paul begins by making mention of the report he has heard about their love for one another and for all believers. The marks of true conversion, about the radical changes that had taken place in their lives. These were the evidences that the gospel of Jesus Christ had genuinely changed them.
It wasn't something that was merely added on to their regular life and lifestyle, but something so powerful that it caused a complete and radical change of life and lifestyle. The same should be true for the church today, and the people of God today. So often people come to the altar and say a prayer for salvation or raise their hand in a service and say prayer for salvation, yet there is no change in their life. It merely becomes something added on to everything else they are doing rather than it becoming who they are.
It is my experience and understanding that no man or woman can come in contact with the living God and remain the same. Nor can they continue a lifestyle of sin, and be changed. I definitely understand that many changes do not happen overnight, but that which takes place within the heart takes place immediately.
The desire for and the carrying out of a lifestyle change in a person comes from within the heart, as does the decision to begin to live for God, the way the scripture calls us to live. As we examine the standard which is God's Word, and we begin to compare it to our own life, we see that we fall far short of our Lord's expectations. We then begin to make decisions that cause changes in our lifestyle, in our choices, in our thinking, that will put us in line with God's Word.
The purpose of Paul letter was to reestablish their foundation in Jesus Christ, both who He was and what was available to them as believers. To let them know that they did not have to look to the philosophies of the world and the misguided teachings of men to attain power for living or to find significance in their life. Which in fact is a trick from our enemy the devil, who desires to subtly come into the church with his false teachings and half truths, and convince the followers of Christ that they no longer need to look to Christ for strength in living their life.
Paul goes on to deliver an awesome prayer concerning these saints of God, expressing his desire for their spiritual growth and maturity in Christ, and their knowledge of His Word, knowing that through growth and maturity they would be able to fend off anything the enemy, Satan, throws their way. Any false teachings, any unusual wind of doctrine that would cause them to stray from the true gospel or the "truth of the gospel" as Paul called it.
And that is my prayer for you today church. For each and every one of us to have an ongoing learning and growing spiritual experience, an ever expanding knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is, and to know what He has made available to each one of us saints.
The power that comes to us through Jesus Christ was attained through the resurrection and His ability to conquer death. Paul establishes early on in chapter one of Colossians, Christ preeminence, that He is the first-born of all creation. Not that He was the literal first born on the earth, but more accurately, He is the heir of the Father the owner of all creation.
Just a few verses later Paul mentions Him again as the first-born, but this time, unto death, no, unto resurrection. Again, we know that Jesus was not the first person to resurrect, as we read the gospels. But He again is the heir of salvation, through His death and resurrection.
Paul makes mention of his calling as a minister of "the gospel of truth". And in that gospel a mystery has been revealed, something that had been kept from God's people, from "past ages and generations". This mystery now being revealed through Paul and the other apostles to the church, the called out ones, is this; "Christ In You, the hope of glory."
He further states that his purpose in this life was to hold every man accountable. To warn him of this pending doom without Christ, and to teach and prepare all men for the glory that is to come.
Through Christ I can do all things, without Him I can do nothing!!
All fruit that is separated from the branch (it's source) will wither and die, but for you and I - "We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
If we look at Paul's life we see that he took three missionary journeys during his time of ministry. He was beaten and chased from town to town by people with bad intentions. When he stayed in a town to minister to the church there, he would work during the day as a tent maker (his professional trade), and preach the gospel at night, often into the early morning hours. He had been shipwrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake, beaten by soldiers, stoned by and left for dead by the people he was trying to help and many other tragedies befell him. All because he was compelled to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness.
It amazes me that he had the energy and the power to move forward, always to do what God had called him to do. We have no less power then he, we make many excuses like; "I'm too tired", "I don't have the energy", "I'm too busy", "I don't have that gift or ability", "but, my job, my family prevents me!" Whatever it is we make many excuses to not fulfill God's calling on our life.
But we see here, Paul, as an example to us, that the power of God, "Christ in us", is sufficient for us to fulfill all that He has called us to accomplish. CHRIST IN ME!!
This message is not meant to be a judgment on anyone in particular, nor is my intentions to put anybody on a bummer for what they are not doing. This message is to be an encouragement, to let you all know that whatever it is that you want to do for Jesus Christ, you have the power to do it. It's there, all you have to do is grab hold of it and walk in it.
Whatever situation you find yourself in today in your life, just know this, that God says to you and I in His word that He will not give you anymore than you can handle, in everything that comes your way, He will make a way. He will give you the power and the wisdom to do what is needed, what is required to overcome, to gain the victory. Amen and Amen
You are a "living epistle of Christ" written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is of the heart.
God Bless and Press On
Larry
**from the book 'Jesus Manifesto'
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