“to whom God was pleased 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;”

The saints of God are now identified as including the Gentile people, of whom the Colossian Christians are a part. God does not just include the Gentile nations but makes known to them, the richness of His glory. All the glory that is revealed in Scripture is now revealed to all who will come to God in faith. The offer stands to the “whosever will” and all humankind is now invited to hear and respond to the gospel message.

The mystery of the gospel has now been revealed to all peoples. The door of mercy is open to all who will respond to the gospel call and repent and believe. All that has been kept with the Jewish people, is now fully open and available to anyone who seeks the Lord. The glory of God is that He has lifted the Gentiles, who have dwelt in darkness for so long, and are now included in the church of Jesus Christ. It is the mystery and crown of the magnificent gospel message.

Anyone can respond and enjoy the riches of salvation: forgiveness of sin; a new life in Christ; spiritual communion with the eternal God. This caused quite a stir with the Jewish believers, who did not want to give up their exclusive relationship with God, and God has had to deal with His people to show them the riches and depths of his mercy to all people. He is no respecter of persons.

This is shown in the lives of the Christians at Colosse. The goodness and mercy of God is laid out to a watching world as the Christians live out their lives to the glory of God. Paul is stirring up the grace of God in the hearts of the Christians and where they now stand in relation to God. They are in Christ and have the eternal life in them and the hope of everlasting glory. They are the people of God and of the household of faith and therefore have now dignity and purpose in the family of God. They are the work of God in the frail vessels of human form.

We who believe on Christ have a peculiar dignity, lifted up from the dirt of sins and this tawdry world. We are the possession of Christ and do not need to carp of complain ever again. The riches of God dwell in us and the express revelation of Jesus is our daily view. Let us enter into all that God has purposed for us- outsiders who have been brought into the heavenly experiences of the Christian life, and deep and ultimate blessings of the holy God.

What is our hope of this eternal glory?

It is the person of Christ in us, the marks of the eternal God in our lives that lead us to salvation and holiness of life. There is no other hope for us in this life or the next.

O the depths of riches, to be found in the love of Christ. Who can come to a final conclusion about their true extent, or summarize the effect of that love on human history. The tragedies averted, the joys blessed, the troubles allowed and the deepest of needs satisfied.

The effect of that love and power on a human life is immeasurable. We can examine the minute detail of the application of His mercy, but we must conclude it is beyond our understanding. Heaven will not tire of the praises of God’s people, nor will it be too long to tell out the life story of every saint who has walked and talked with Him.

These are the treasures we possess and they well up in our souls in true love and the holy possession of a life that never ends. The depths of colour, beauty and sheer perfection belong to all who trust in him and are prepared to forgo the foolish toys of this miserable world, and reach out to joys that do not end. We fight to know the effects in our lives here and now, but one day we will enjoy the full extent of their blessings.

If we could get a glimpse of it, we would catch a taste of what we are missing out on, and turn and seek Him, who is the soul’s true delight and our friend forever. Like the sweetness of honey, it will fill our desires with all good things, and lead us to seek more. As we see Him, all of life is a testament to grace, and our expression of love towards Christ and his people. It is the bond that joins every believer to Jesus and others who truly belong to Him.

We will have a clearer vision of why we are still left in this physical sphere of earthly life, and our hearts will enlarge to include those around us who do not know our Lord, and who live life on the precipice of tragedy and despair.

Only Jesus. It seems so exclusive to our human minds, but to have Him is everything. If we know Him and His love, it will fill us to include everyone, even those who revile us and scoff at our seeming simple-ness of mind. To be like Him is our true desire, and to persevere in that difficult road, until we reach the end, is the way of the Christian. We continue to travel along it until the day when we are finally welcomed into our father’s house.