The Hope of Glory Part 1


This morning I awoke with these words on my heart, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Over and over in my head I found myself thinking the phrase, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Putting on the morning coffee: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." 

Walking Sage and picking up after her: "Christ in you, the hope of glory." 

Driving to school, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." 

I notice this happens sometimes, a phrase or an idea enters my mind and I can't escape thinking about it. What does it mean to have "the hope of glory?"

The phrase comes from Colossians 1:27 (thanks, Google!) Paul had not helped to start the church in Colossae, but his friend Epaphras had given him a concerning report regarding the status of the church. Paul decided that the Colossian church was in need of some guidance and encouragement, so he wrote them a letter. In the letter Paul discusses the goal of the spread of the gospel. Of those who have received the good news of Christ, Paul says:

"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ." (Colossians 1:27-28 ESV)

So I've learned that the phrase, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" is some sort of mystery.

What is this mystery of Christ?

The "Mystery" Examined: Fellow Heirs, Members of the Body, Partakers of the Promise

"When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." (Ephesians 3:4-6 ESV)

Fellow Heirs - The mystery of the gospel is that the Gentiles (all the non-Jewish nations of the world) are fellow heirs of eternal life with God. The mystery hidden throughout the Old Testament is now revealed in Jesus Christ. God reveals that salvation comes for all people of every nation who put their faith in Jesus Christ. It isn't just Jews who can put their hope in God, but all people.

 Through Jesus, God has made the way for all people to be reconciled to Him and live with him in glory forever.

Paul says of the Gentiles, "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV)

The word of truth is the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. When it is believed, the person is sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. When someone believes the gospel of Jesus Christ they become an heir of God. Jew and Gentile together in one family become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ in the hope of eternal life.

Members of Christ's Body - Another revelation of the gospel mystery is that all in Christ are members of his body. We know that when we believe the gospel, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit and Paul expands on that idea to inform us that we also join the body of Christ.

 "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV)

 The Holy Spirit unifies Jew and Gentile. The Holy Spirit brings all the peoples of the world who put their faith in Jesus into one body. Divisions of the flesh like race, gender, class, and so many more are destroyed because those who put their faith in Christ become one body through the Holy Spirit.

We become Christ's body. He is our cosmic head, and we are the members of his body. God's glory radiates as the gospel brings His beautiful creative power of unity in diversity to fulfillment in the body of Christ. With Christ as our head and our hope, all of our earthly distinctions become as nothing.

"for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:26-29 ESV)

Partakers of the Promise - All who put their faith in Jesus through the gospel are partakers of the promise. This refers to the promise God made to Abraham in the Book of Genesis:

 "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3 ESV) and God explains further to Abraham's son Isaac regarding the promise, "I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed...(Genesis 26:4 ESV)

 Through Jesus Christ God has begun and will fulfill the promise he made to Abraham. All the familes of the earth shall be blessed through faith in Jesus Christ. All the nations of the earth blessed!

We see the a glimpse of the fully reconciled people of all nations in the Book of Revelation:
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10 ESV)

A great multitude that can't be numbered, from every nation - all peoples represented, the fullness of God's creative power in diversity - praising together in unity the name of God and the name of Jesus! What an image!  Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight!

Jesus Christ brings about the fulfillment of all God's promises. 

We have thus far examined the mystery of the gospel. With these thoughts of the revealing of the mystery fresh in our minds we will be able to delight in part 2 as we unpack the idea behind Paul's phrase: "Christ in you, the hope of glory."


End of Part 1

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