Category Colossians

Our Hope

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“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;“

Colossians 1:5

Our hope is laid up for us in Heaven. We first received this hope when we first trusted in Christ as our personal Savior, when we believed the gospel. So what is hope? What is our hope? How is it different from the unbeliever’s hope?

What does “hope” mean?

When people generally use the word “hope,” they usually use it in a way that they do for wishing. People say “I wish [or hope] this [something] will happen [or won’t happen].” There is usually no confidence with that kind of statement. They have no expectation that it will come to pass the way they hoped it would come to pass. So, when it doesn’t happen the way the person wanted it to happen, they then are depressed and maybe even mad that they didn’t get their way. But, this isn’t how the Bible uses that word. We can be thankful that it doesn’t use it this way.

So, how does the Bible use it? How does it define “hope?” Let’s start by looking at Philippians 1. Philippians 1:20 says, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Here the Apostle Paul uses hope with the words “earnest expectation.” Also, the word “boldness” is used. It is an earnest expectation. It is an expectation that we have in earnest. In all seriousness or reality, we have a guarantee that it will happen. Paul says according to this earnest expectation and hope that he has, “in nothing I shall be ashamed, but [instead writes] that with all boldness.” In this whole chapter, we see his confidence, even though we was in prison.

  • Philippians 1:6 – Being confident
  • 1:11 – Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God
  • 1:19 – I know that this shall turn to my salvation
  • 1:20 – Earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but with all boldness
  • 1:25 – And having this confidence
  • 1:26 – Rejoicing may be more abundant

Paul, who seemed to be in a hopeless situation, remained confident. He remained confident, because of the hope that he had in Christ Jesus our Lord. And we see this with Abraham as well in Romans 4.

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.“

Romans 4:18

Abraham, who against hope or beyond hope, it says of him that he still “believed in hope.” The hope that Abraham had was to “become the father of many nations.” God promised that to him back in Genesis 12:1-3. But, Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah, his wife, was definitely passed the age of child bearing. So, once again it would appear on the surface that it was hopeless. That they were beyond any hope of having one child, let alone becoming the father of many nations. But, that didn’t stop Abraham from believing in God. For it says in Romans 4:20, “He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.” Then, it continues on to say in verse 21, “And being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised (to Abraham), he (God) was able to perform.” God was and is able to perform that which He promised. In verse 17, it says “As it is written, I have (past tense) made thee a father of many nations.” And verse 18, “according to that which was spoken (past tense), So shall thy seed be.” Because God said, therefore it will come to pass. He says it like it has already come to pass. That’s how confident we can be that God will perform that which He promised. And Abraham believed God. Therefore God imputed righteousness to Abraham (Rom. 4:3,22). He imputes righteousness to us also who “believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered up for our offences and raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:24-25).

So, we have both Paul and Abraham as examples of both faith and hope and what both those terms mean. Faith is simply us trusting in what God has told us or promised to us. God says that He’s going to do something, and so we simply believe Him that He will do what He said He would do. And hope, is that expectation itself. For Abraham, it is the fact that God would make him a father of many nations. For us today, it is eternal life in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, members of His own Body.

What is our Hope?

  • Eternal life – Titus 1:2
  • Resurrection of the dead – 1 Cor. 15
  • Adoption, the redemption of our bodies – Rom. 8:23
  • Blessed Hope, the Rapture – Titus 2:13

The four things that I’ve listed here are basically the same thing. But, they start with the most general basic idea of our hope and gets more specific at the end. The first thing is eternal life. Where once we were dead, but now we have been made alive, given life.

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;“

Titus 1:2

 Speaking of the “hope of eternal life” it says that “God, which cannot lie, promised before the world began.” That which God has promised, He is also able to perform it. He promised to give eternal life to us in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in Christ Jesus, that we find life. And we get into Christ, by believing that He died for our sins on the cross and was buried, and rose again for our justification or righteousness. Romans 5:18 says that “by the righteousness of one [Jesus Christ] the free gift [salvation, life, righteousness, etc.] came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Having eternal life means we will be resurrected. On one hand, we already have been resurrected. Eph. 2:6 says “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” But, practically we are still looking for that resurrection. In 1st Corinthians 15, Paul reassures us that there is a resurrection from the dead. Some were teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:12). If that were true, then it would mean that Christ didn’t rise again. And if Christ isn’t risen, then our faith is in vain, we are then false witnesses of God, and are of all men most miserable (1 Cor. 15:13-19). Why would we be the most miserable amongst men? Because, we would have had hope in Christ only in this life. But, we know that there is a resurrection of the dead, Christ did rise again, and therefore our faith is not in vain, and we are not the most miserable. Because, we hope in Christ not only in this life, but in the life to come.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man [Jesus Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.“

1 Corinthians 15:20-22

“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.“

Romans 8:23

Therefore, we have the promise of adoption as well. That is, the redemption of our bodies. We won’t have to deal with the present sufferings that we go through now anymore, once we are resurrected. In Romans 8:23, it says about us who “have the firstfruits of the Spirit” are “groaning within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” So that we don’t have to suffer anymore, but be delivered from this present evil world (Gal. 1:4). In the next verse, it says we are saved by hope. It is a hope that we see not. If we saw it, we wouldn’t hope for it. But, we instead hope for that which we see not, so then we will patiently wait for it to come (Rom. 8:23-25). When it does come, then we will rejoice! For then will our hope arrive! It will arrive when Christ appears, for He is our hope (Col. 3:1-4; 1 Tim. 1:1). This appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is called a Blessed Hope in Titus 2:13.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;“

Titus 2:13

This blessed hope is also called the Rapture, which simply means a catching away. We read more about this in 1 Thess. 4:13-18. In verse 17, it says that we will be caught up together with them (those who have died in Christ previously) in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. From that point onward, we will always be with the Lord. So, we have the hope of eternal life, which means we will be resurrected, we will receive the adoption, and all of this is summed up in us being caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. “When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:4).

Where is our Hope?

  • In Heaven – Col. 1:5; Phil. 3:20
  • In Christ – 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:1

Our hope is in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our conversation or citizenship is in Heaven. Our home is there, which is where Christ is. For Christ Himself is our hope. Our hope is in the Lord!

When is our Hope?

  • When will it happen? when we are caught up – 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Col. 3:1-4
  • When did we first receive it? When we believed the gospel. – Col. 1:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14
  • When was it planned? Before the world began. Titus 1:2; Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9-10

In contrast, the unbeliever in any age has a very different hope. In Proverbs 10:28, it says “the hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” Before salvation came to us Gentiles through Israel’s fall, it says in Ephesians 2:11-12 that we had no hope, and that we were without Christ and without God in this world. If the unbeliever dies in their sin (without first believing), then they will be eternally lost forever with no chance of being saved later. As it says in Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after the judgment.” After they die, comes judgment. The wicked/unbeliever from any age that dies in this life will suffer for all eternity. They will suffer the second death and be sent to the Lake of Fire. Their hope is only death, not life. Believers, on the other hand, while we may die in this life, we still have a hope of eternal life that is to come.

Speaking again of our hope, we are therefore instructed to comfort one another with the hope that we have in the Lord. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:16-17). We are secure in Christ. We have Christ literally in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). When God looks at us, He sees us in Christ and Christ in us. Christ is made for us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

This is why we can rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be instant in prayer (Rom. 12:12). For when “Christ who is our life appears, then we also shall appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4). He is the hope of glory in each and every one of us.

God is the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our tribulation so that we may also comfort one another in any trouble with the same comfort that he comforts us with. That is this hope of eternal life that we have with Christ in God. Therefore, our hope of each other is stedfast. We know that as we are partakers together of the sufferings, we will also be partakers of the consolation. (2 Cor. 1:3-7)

As believers, we have the hope of eternal life and therefore, we will be resurrected, because Christ Himself rose again from the dead. Christ, the hope of glory, is in each one of us, and when he appears we also will appear with Him in glory. We are saved from wrath through Christ. We are saved by His life. (Rom. 5:9-10).

If you’re an unbeliever, and want to have this hope of eternal life, then all you have to do is believe the gospel. Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins (you are a sinner, you have sinned against God), that He was buried (He took away your sins and buried them out of His sight forever), and He rose again the third day for your justification. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. Christ did it all for you. Believe and you will be saved. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Renewed in Knowledge After the Image of Christ

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For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:9-10

In the previous lessons, we learned that it was by the will of God to make Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ and a minister to make known what is the mystery of Christ. We also learned that God has saved us and given us a holy calling “according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9-10). He had given that to us in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ Jesus is God’s elect that He had chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). We as believers are simply chosen in Him.

God wants us to know this mystery, and the glory of it. In the verse above, He wants us to be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9). This is for the purpose that we “might walk worthy of the Lord.”

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Colossians 1:28

Here, it says that we “may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” First, notice that it says every man. A major thing that distinguishes the mystery from the prophetic program with Israel is the fact that in the Body, there is now no difference between Jew and Gentile. Under the law, if a Gentile wanted to be saved they had to go through the nation of Israel. The middle wall of partition was still up, but now that wall is broken down (Eph. 2:14). Salvation has now come unto the Gentiles, not because of Israel’s rising, but rather through their fall (Rom. 11:11; Isa. 60:3).

God wants us to be perfect or mature or complete in Christ. Speaking of our position in Christ, we are already complete in Him (Col. 2:10) the moment that we believed the gospel. But, from a practical point of view we are still on this earth in our old bodies waiting to return home (which is Heaven), to receive our new bodies and to be with our Lord. In Ephesians 3:4, it says “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” Then, if we are to turn back to Colossians 4:5, we learn that we are to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.” God has revealed this mystery to his saints through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, because He wants us to know it. And once we know it, we are to walk in it. We are to pray that God would open to us a door to be able to speak this mystery and to make it manifest to them that have not yet learned of this mystery (Col. 4:3-4). Everything that we do by the Spirit working in us is for the purpose of edifying (building up) the Body of Christ. It is for the purpose of making all His saints perfect in Christ Jesus.

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Ephesians 4:12-13

This perfect man that Ephesians 4:13 mentions is the same as the Body of Christ. It is the one new man. This perfect man is unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. In Colossians, we learn that “it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell” (Col. 1:19). What fulness? The fulness of the Godhead (Col. 2:9). “That in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18).

In Scripture, we learn of three images. We have the image of God, the image of Adam or man, and we have the image of Christ.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:26-27

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Genesis 5:3

The first two we find in the book of Genesis. In the beginning, when God created man, He created him “in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Originally, we were created in the image of God. It was considered very good. But, something happened. We (specifically, Adam sinned) sinned. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” So, when we come to Genesis chapter 5 and verse 3, where it says Adam begat his own son, what image was his son born of? It says “he begat a son in his own likeness, after his image.” Seth and the rest of mankind from that point onward was after the image of Adam.

We had sinned and we needed a savior. We cannot save ourselves. But, thanks be unto God, for he has provided a solution. He provided a Savior, a Redeemer. That would be His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ came and died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). He was delivered up upon that cross for our offences/sins, and was raised again for our justification (righteousness) (Rom. 4:25). All you have to do be saved is to believe in what He did for you at the cross.

When you believe, you are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). You become a part of the Body of Christ, the new man, the perfect man. The final image is found in Colossians.

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Colossians 3:10

The new man, it says, is “renewed in knowledge after the image of him.” That is, the image of Christ. And it says there at the end that Christ created him. The “him” at the end there is once again the new man. Christ created the new man.

God created us after His own image originally. Then, Adam sinned against God and begat a son after his own image. That’s why we are all born with a sin nature. When born, we are all in Adam. And we would be doomed if the story stopped there. But, Christ came to “make in himself of twain [Jew and Gentile] one new man, so making peace” (Eph. 2:15). He created us (those who believe) in Himself, after his own image. Believers are taken out of Adam and put into Christ. We are no longer after the image of Adam or man in general. But now, we are after the image of Christ. We have been redeemed through His blood (Eph. 1:7).

Christ has “made peace through the blood of His cross” in order to “reconcile all things unto himself” (Col. 1:20). We have the hope of being conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29) and for our bodies to be “fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Phil. 3:21). We have this hope “which is laid up for us in heaven” (Col. 1:5). All of this can be yours, if you just believe. Recognize that you are a sinner. You have sinned against God. Then, believe that Christ came and died on the cross for your sins, was buried (took away your sins forever), and rose again the third day for your justification. Believe and you will be saved! You will be renewed in knowledge after the image of Christ.

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 2:11-16

In conclusion, God made Paul an apostle and gave to him a new revelation, from Jesus Christ Himself, to make known to His saints what is the mystery of Christ. This mystery was “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25-26). But now, God has revealed it in this dispensation of grace. He has saved us and called us in Christ Jesus our Lord. It was Christ that was chosen before the foundation of the world. And we are chosen in Him, when we believe the gospel. God wants us to “come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) and be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col. 1:9), so that we “might walk worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10), and to “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). We have been reconciled unto God through the blood of His cross and are made after the image of Christ. Therefore, we are to walk in that wisdom, to be renewed in knowledge (day by day), because of who we are in Christ.

We are complete in Him! (Col. 2:10) We are renewed in knowledge after the image of Christ!

According to His Own Purpose and Grace

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Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

2 Timothy 1:9-10

In the first part, we learned that Paul was chosen by the will of God to be an apostle and minister of Jesus Christ to make known the mystery, the mystery of Christ. And that God chose to reveal his word through the act of preaching (Titus 1:2; 1 Cor. 1:18). Also, we saw that even when we are talking about Paul, the focus still comes back to Christ Jesus our Lord.

In this lesson, we will look at the believer’s salvation and holy calling today in the dispensation of the grace of God. From the passage above, it says that we are saved and called with a holy calling, “not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” This does not say that God chooses or has chosen certain individuals to be saved and others not to be saved. The next part of the verse explains how God has given us salvation according to His own purpose and grace.

It says “in Christ Jesus before the world began.” First, take notice of the phrase “in Christ Jesus.” All that God the Father has planned to do according to His will, according to His purpose and grace, He has purposed to do it in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is true whether we are talking about the prophetic (kingdom) program concerning the nation of Israel, or we are talking about the mystery program concerning the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ is to be the King of Israel in the future; and, Jesus Christ is also the Head of the Body today. There are those things that were prophesied about Christ, and things that were kept secret as well. Since we live in the dispensation of grace today, we should take a special interest in what God is doing today and how Christ plays a major role in this dispensation (not that He doesn’t play a major role in the kingdom program, because He does). So, our salvation is given to us in Christ. We are chosen in Him. It is Christ that was chosen. When we believe the gospel for today, we become chosen in Him.

When we talk about the topic of election and the elect of God, we should also think of it in terms of service, rather than salvation. God uses different people, or nations to carry out His purpose at different times, even if they are unsaved. We see this with the example of Judas Iscariot (Luke 6:16). Judas was chosen as one of the 12 apostles, but he was not saved.

For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

Isaiah 45:4

Israel is called God’s servant (Jacob’s name was later changed to Israel) and His elect (cf. Isa. 44:1-2). Israel was chosen to be God’s elect to be a light unto the world, to be a kingdom of priests. In Gen. 12, we have the Abrahamic Covenant which promised that Abraham would be made a great nation and all the families of the earth would be blessed through him and the nation that would come from his seed. In Exodus 19:5-6, we have where it says that “if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” All of this concerns itself with what “God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

But concerning that which God “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25), God has a new elect group for this dispensation of grace that He is using. The elect of God today is not Israel, but the Body of Christ (also called the one new man). Speaking of the new man in Colossians 3:10, in verse 12 of the same chapter Paul tells us to “put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” He now refers to the new man as the elect of God. And as the elect of God, we are to serve God by putting on bowels of mercies, etc.

But, as I mentioned earlier whether we are talking about Israel or the Body of Christ, Jesus Christ is still the focus in both elect groups, in both programs.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:1

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Matthew 12:17-18

Both of these passages are talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is ultimately God the Father’s elect. Christ is the one God chose. It is Christ that His soul is well pleased with. We can compare this with Christ’s baptism, where it says that God the Father says “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17; cf. Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22).

So, how does this relate to us in the dispensation of the grace of God today? Our salvation and holy calling was given to us in Christ Jesus. In Ephesians 1:4, it says “According as he [God the Father] hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…” We are chosen in Christ!

The next thing is to notice the timing of this. We are chosen in Him “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4) and “before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9). Again, this doesn’t mean that God chose us some and not others. Remember, it is Christ that was chosen. He was chosen before the foundation of the world. God had this plan all along. He just kept it a secret, until it was the right time to reveal it. And only He knew when that time would come. He didn’t reveal it in the Old Testament. He kept it hidden in Himself (Eph. 3:9).

When God did reveal this mystery, the mystery of Christ, He did so first to the Apostle Paul. He gave Paul the responsibility to make known “what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Also, we talked about us being chosen in Christ. Here, it says Christ is in you [us]. Both are true!

The Lord Jesus Christ has “made known unto us the mystery of His will” (Eph. 1:9). In Colossians 1:9, Paul prays that the saints “might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” God has now made manifest this knowledge to his saints. He wants us to know this. His will [or desire] is that “all men be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). He wants us to know this mystery, which is the Body of Christ (us in Christ, and Christ in us).

The purpose for us to be filled with this knowledge is so that we “might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge in God” (Col. 1:10). “That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28).

In conclusion, God gave to us salvation and a holy calling “according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9). He gave it to us in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ (Christ is still the focus) that is considered God’s elect. Therefore, it was Christ that was chosen before the foundation of the world. And anyone today that believes the gospel (Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day) is said to be chosen in Him. This plan for the Body of Christ was a mystery, “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25), until God revealed it first to the Apostle Paul to make known to His saints. And as we fill ourselves with this knowledge, it will help us to walk worthy of the Lord. Praise the Lord that we are members of His body! We are chosen in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).

Paul, an Apostle, By the Will of God

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Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

Colossians 1:1

The Apostle Paul was made an apostle  of Jesus Christ by the will of God. It was by God’s will and purpose to appoint Paul the apostle of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13).

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Galatians 1:1

In Galatians, it says that Paul is an apostle “not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” He didn’t get his office of apostleship from men. Instead, he got it from Jesus Christ, and God the Father. Paul continues to write in verse 11 and 12 of the same chapter about the message itself that was given to him. He said “that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.” So, neither was his apostleship or the message given to him was given him by man. Instead, it was given to him by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 1:11-12)

What was it that Paul was made an apostle and minister for? There’s the gospel itself. That is, that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Also, to make known the mystery of Christ.

Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Colossians 1:25-27

Paul was made a minister, it says, according to the dispensation of God. The dispensation of God is the dispensation of the grace of God mentioned in Ephesians 3:2. This is the current dispensation in which we currently live today. It was given to him for us. This dispensation was given unto Paul to fulfil or complete the word of God. The word ‘even’ is italicized, meaning it is not in the greek texts, but was supplied by the translators to help with the flow of the sentence. You could read it as such “to fulfil the word of God; the mystery.” The mystery was given to complete the word of God. Mystery simply means a secret. It doesn’t mean that something is mysterious, spooky, mystical, or something similar. It is just a secret.

This secret, or mystery, had been hidden. Which is another good word to describe what mystery means! Something that is hidden. It was “hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.” In Ephesians 3:9, speaking of this mystery it says “which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.” It was hid in God. In the previous verse, it calls it the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” It was unsearchable or untraceable. We can’t find it revealed in any of the Old Testament. Why? It was hid in God. But now, God has made it manifest to his saints!

God has made the mystery known to his saints through preaching. Titus 1:2-3 says “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.” In due time, God made known his word through the preaching of it by committing that message first to Paul, and then he preached it to us. This revelation of the mystery was hid in God, and was “kept secret since the world began (Rom. 16:25).” So, the only way for it to be revealed for the first time was not by man, but by Jesus Christ. And God chose to reveal it first to the Apostle Paul. Then, Paul would give it to us.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 Corinthians 1:21

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought [nothing] things that are: [so] That no flesh should glory [boast] in his presence.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29

God chose the foolish things to bring to nothing the things that are. The concept of “bringing to nothing the things that are [something]” is seen clearly in Paul’s own conversion in Acts 9. Paul said of himself in Philippians 3:4-6 that if any man “might trust in the flesh, I more,” and “concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” According to Paul’s own testimony, there was no one who could boast in their own flesh more than himself. But, little did he know that his life would soon be changed forever. Acts 9:3-4a says, “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth…” Then, in verse 6, it says that he was trembling and astonished. Paul learned, as do all believers that believed after him, “that no flesh should glory in his presence.” But, instead the only boasting we do is in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31).

In conclusion, we learn that Paul was chosen by the will of God to make known what is this mystery. While we haven’t yet touched on exactly what that mystery is in this lesson, we will soon! Also, by the will of God we learned that God planned to reveal this mystery through preaching, specifically the preaching of the cross, which was committed unto the Apostle Paul. And that God has chosen the foolish things to “bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.” “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” The focus is on Christ Jesus our Lord. It is Christ that chose Paul. It is Christ that gave him the message to make known unto us. And it is Christ that we glory in!