Our Hope

By: Reverend Robert E. Daley, Jr.

“. . . 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 1:26-27

The Apostle Paul was given revelation and incite, concerning what God accomplished through Jesus of Nazareth, on the cross. In his epistle to the believers at Colosse, Paul pinpoints that revelation: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

21st century Christianity ought not be simply a continuation of God’s dealings with human beings in a covenant relationship, beginning with Abraham. That is . . . God covenanted with a man named Abram, and built an entire nation from this one individual. God was then their God, and they were His people, the people of God. Culminating His promises to His people, the Lord God Almighty sent Jesus to walk among and minister to men. Jesus was sent, by God, to save the nation to which he belonged, but they rejected him.

In their rejection, the nation brought to a temporary termination, God’s dealings with them; and an AGE of God’s dealings came to a close.

The resurrection of Jesus caused God’s attention to be turned toward the Gentiles of this world. Christianity is not simply a continuation of, or a remodeling of, Judaism. Christianity finds its basis in Judaism because before his crucifixion Jesus of Nazareth was Jewish. Since his resurrection though Jesus is no longer Jewish, but rather is a New Creation: a brand new species of Human Being that never existed before. Sadly, this is not a universally recognized truth in Christendom.

Paul is informing the Colossians that people from both a Jewish background and all Gentiles have a HOPE for eternal life, in Jesus Christ. It is ONLY in Christ that men and women will find deliverance from separation from God and everlasting destruction; AND, receiving the spirit saving provision that comes with being ‘in Christ’ is not a slam-dunk to everlasting life. Being ‘in Christ’ provides us with a HOPE. We must continue ‘in Christ’. We must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, and renew our minds. We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and (soul), perfecting holiness in the fear of God. We must lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and run the race with patience, looking unto the author and finisher of our faith. We must put off, concerning our former conversation the old man, and put on the new man which is renewed in righteousness and true holiness. We must SAVE OUR SOUL.

We have a HOPE in Christ, but we MUST “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12

To the Romans Paul wrote “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Romans 8:24-25.

This is the same HOPE that Paul is declaring to the Colossians. God has done a work, and made us partakers of that work. However, we also have a part to play; and that is securing the salvation of our own souls. Not popular, not preached, nevertheless true. May God Himself help us by the power of His Spirit that lives within us. Maranantha!

Article Source: http://www.articles.narrowisthepath.com

Gifted by God to be able to explain biblical truths in his “Must Read” articles, books, eBooks, and Bible studies; Reverend Daley eliminates the religious arguments and confusion by rightly dividing the Word of God. With simple understanding, you will receive true revelation that is not commonly taught at the church pulpit. Reverend Daley was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit in 1978 and has been instructed by the greatest teacher of all - the Spirit of Truth Himself. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God and pastors Central Christian Church in downtown Hilo, Hawaii. To learn more about Reverend Robert E. Daley, Jr. please visit his website at www.bythebookministries.org.

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