Colossians: Participating in the Completion of the Word of God. (Col. 1:25-29)

"So then we, from now on, know no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer." (2 Corinthians 5:16) This verse indicates that Christ “from now on” is not merely known historically. And actually, from now on, we don’t know any man merely according to the old creation. Now that we are in Christ, we are new creations, and we perceive everything from that perspective. (2 Corinthians 5:17). The new creation is that we are in Christ and he is in every believer. Praise the Lord for the historical manifestation of Christ! We need the Gospels, but the Christian life is more than merely imitating the historical example of Jesus. Paul’s apostleship to the churches, therefore, reveals that Jesus is actually in the Saints. Paul’s apostleship began unlike the other apostles. He saw Christ in the body, in the spirit. The way this apostle knew Christ is the way we know Christ. Of course all the apostles experienced Christ in this way after his ascension, but this was Paul’s exclusive, subjective enjoyment of Christ. And, this is mine! Yours! And this is what he shares with all the churches to enjoy! He describes this enjoyment as the riches of Christ If we are to know Christ today, according to the revelation of God‘s word, we must know him in our spirit, and in the body. This is the way God intended for us to know him from eternity past. This revelation, Paul says therefore, completes the word of God. This means there’s nothing else that can be added to the church for us to experience the church. There is no new expression of the gifts, no new manifestation of the Spirit, no new, charismatic, preaching,no new revelation, no new program, no emotional experience, etc. that can exceed what Paul reveals to us. This is why he says "To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory," (Colossians 1:27). This is why he says he labors diligently and prays fervently that the eyes of the Saints would be opened. This is the goal of the new creation, you in Christ, and Christ in you! It is not only Paul’s writing, and sharing that completes the word of God, but it is also our appreciation, our enjoyment, and our living out this rich truth that completes the word of God. This revelation is intended to capture you and catapult you to live in the realm of this new creation thus manifesting our part in the completing of the word of God.