5.31 Epistles – Christ in us, the hope of glory

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus was revealed in the flesh as a physical person. He was the son of Joseph and Mary. He was a carpenter. He walked on the shores of Galilee. He touched and healed the sick. He sat tired by the well at Samaria. He was scourged and crucified on the cross. Physical blood flowed from His body.

Some of us may say, “Oh it would be great if Jesus had left behind a photo so that we can see how He looks like. Or if he had left behind His prayer shoal so that we can touch and receive healing like the woman with the issue of blood. Or if only I was born 2,000 years ago like Peter or John so that I can see Jesus physically.”

Some still want to see and touch the human Jesus who walked on this earth. But in the Epistles, Paul says that we are not to know Jesus in the flesh any longer.

(2 Cor 5:16, NKJV)
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Christ has resurrected and ascended to the right hand of God, and He has poured out His Spirit in us. We are to know the resurrected Christ in Jesus in a different and better way.

While the 4 Gospels showed Christ is the flesh, the gospel message that Paul preached in the Epistles reveals the resurrected Christ who appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Paul describes the riches of this mystery of the gospel which has been hidden from the ages and from generations. It is the revelation of Christ living in us, which is the hope of glory:

(Colossians 1:27, NKJV)
…the MYSTERY which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them 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.

Oh! We are privileged. None of the Old Testament saints experienced what we have today. We were designed to be the dwelling place of God – the temple of the Spirit of Christ. When we have Christ living in us, we are complete. We lack nothing for He is everything. We begin to live life differently – with Christ living in us and through us. We enjoy communion, transformation and empowerment from within. In the face of problems, we experience boldness and confidence as we depend on Him. Be conscious of Him in you.