Let the Word of Christ Dwell In You Richly in All Wisdom - Part 1547

Christ is all in all. (Colossians 3:11)

He is our Lord God and Saviour, who after His kindness and love for His beloved creation endured the cross, that was such a contradiction. Here was He who knew no sin personally delivering to us His free gift of salvation so that we might experience life in Him. His peace. His joy. His love and mercy which surpasses all human understanding. (Titus 3:4-7)

"Which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:23)

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him which is the Head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:9-10)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

Not another but the one and same God who created man and woman in the beginning, He was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, "This was He of whom I spake. He that comes after me is preferred before me for He was before me." (John 1:15)

God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) The Lord coming forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13)

"... now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were night. For through Him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (Ephesians 2:13-22)

It is in this context that apostle Paul continually warns us of those who would spoil us through philosophy and deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. It is because of the importance of understanding that before the foundation of the world was even formed, God knew that He would have to become our Saviour. That His humanity would have to shed His precious holy blood on the cross if we were to be redeemed. That He Himself would have to usher in this dispensation of grace -- how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery .. the mystery of Christ -- "which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of His promise of Christ by the gospel ... and to make all [men] see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 3:1-10)

"According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord ..." (Ephesians 3:11)

In the old, we see that God prepared Himself a body so that He could become the perfect sacrifice. In the new, we are members of His body -- the body of Christ -- wherein Jesus is the Head. (Romans 12:4-18)

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews, or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit, for the body is not one member but many." (I Corinthians 12:12-14)

Paul continues this same message in Galatians:

"Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, "the just shall live by faith." And the law is not of faith but, "the man that doeth them shall live in them." Christ hath redeemed us fro the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree."

That the blessing might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; "Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannuls or adds thereto," Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, "And to seeds, as of many; but as one. And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should  make the promise of none effect.

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serve the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by the angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew, nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus, and if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:6-29)

This is why God had to conclude them/us all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, amen." (Romans 12:30-36)

Stand in the offering plate.