… which is Christ in you …
Summary: As Paul continues his description of the Gospel, he defines the “glorious riches of this mystery” as Jesus Christ.
Ah-ha! The “mystery” is solved! The “glorious riches” Paul mentions are, in fact, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
So what is “Christ in you” worth? Why does Paul equate Jesus to “glorious riches?”
The answer to that question is personal. It is personal, and it changes as we mature.
In the first place, most of us didn’t even know we needed Jesus before he found us. Like little lost pigs, we were happily rooting around in the mud of our sins without realizing that death was lurking nearby. When Jesus found us, we were just beginning to see our need for him. (Luke 19:10)
As we mature in our faith, we discover that Jesus had a choice. He could have lived to a ripe old age or, better yet, just stayed in heaven and never had to endure life as a Jew under Roman rule.
What kind of person gives up their life for someone else? More to the point, who would give up their life for me? (Romans 5:8)
At some point, we discover why Jesus died for us. It wasn’t that he had to die or that he wanted to die. It wasn’t that he needed to impress his Father. He gave up his life because we were lost in sin, and the only way for us to be saved from the path we were on was for Jesus to pay with his life. He gave up his life because he loves us more than anything else. There was no other way, and he loved us that much. (John 15:13)
Jesus didn’t act on his own, either. His Father, God, encouraged this act of selfless sacrifice. The Father has one perfect Son. All of mankind was doomed to eternity apart from God because of Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3). The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was the payment needed to purchase the lives of those who love God.
No amount of gold, silver, or jewels could accomplish this. Sum up the value of all the real estate in the world and add to the gold and silver, and you are still not close. Add in every costly thing that mankind has ever known and take every penny from everyone on the planet, and you still cannot write a check big enough to buy what Jesus paid for with his life.
Application: Thank God for your redemption through the blood of Jesus.
Food for Thought: What does it mean to have “Christ in you?”
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