The Book of Colossians Pt. 15 Jesus Christ Is Worthy of All Our Worship and Honor.

Colossians 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 

We left off with this text in our last post and it is part of the final paragraph of Colossians 1. Therefore, it is connected to the verses that follow which is why I included it here.

Paul was an apostle wholly dedicated to loving and serving His Lord Jesus Christ. In some ways, Paul's conversion to Christ motivated him more than the apostles who walked with Jesus for more than three years. 

He did everything he possibly could to preach the gospel of Christ unto all nations, making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Lord (Acts 28:20). 

Now Paul is going to teach us more about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.   

Revealing the marvelous mysteries of God

Colossians 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 

In part, the mystery is this: that God planned in eternity past, to grant Gentiles the same privileges as the Jews. 

God planned to take two distinct people groups and make them one, in the body of Christ. He determined to make the Gentiles His people who before were not His people and not heirs to any promises.  

It helps to keep in mind that Paul was dealing with Gnostics, who promoted their secret mysteries that allegedly showed a new, secret way to blessing, to those who followed them. 

Much like the invasive infomercials we see today, Gnostics promoted a secret promise, a special revelation outside the scriptures, a hidden knowledge that only they possessed. 

They would only share the secret mystery with new initiates in return for their allegiance to Gnostic views. 

The word translated "mystery" means something that has been hidden but revealed only recently. 

The irony is that the Gnostics were peddling man made secret mysteries based upon false teaching, but Paul was opening the hearts and minds of all believers to the amazing mysteries of God. 

God's amazing mysteries had to be hidden until Christ was born, but after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension, they were fully revealed by His apostles. 

These are the secret counsels of God that deal with the righteousness and redemption in Christ. These mysteries were hidden from ungodly and wicked men, but clear to the godly who studied the Word. 

God's mysteries flow from His eternal counsel.

Ephesians 1:9-11  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10)  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11)  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

The mystery Paul unfolded for the believers at Colosse is called the mystery of the will of God in his letter to the Ephesians. This mystery includes having all people gathered together in one body in Jesus Christ. 

Paul explained what God planned to do and then he made sure to tell us that God alone has the power to fulfill His mysteries. 

God's Word fulfills His plans and executes His mysteries.

Isaiah 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? 

Isaiah 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Only Omnipotent God could make such a plan work as a hidden mystery so that He could save us from our sins. 

Each believer in Christ should always remember and be uplifted by this great, eternal truth:  God will always do what He said He will do. Nothing can hasten or hinder His plans from coming to perfect fruition, in His perfect timing. 

Isaiah asked beautiful rhetorical questions. Jehovah has set His plan in motion He has declared what He will do. He is going to fulfill His purposes and His power to accomplish them is set in motion. 

Who can disannul or make His plans void. Who can turn back His mighty arm?

The answer to both questions is that no one can stop the plans that God set in motion. God decreed it and He will make it come to pass. His word cannot return void. Rather, His mighty Word will always accomplish His will. 

The mystery of Christ that God hid in Himself. 

Ephesians 3:4-9  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5)  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; 6)  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7)  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8)  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9)  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: 

Paul adds some detail in his letter to the Ephesians. He reminded them that it was his apostleship that brought him an understanding of the mystery of Christ. 

This mystery was not revealed in time past, but it was now being preached by the apostles and prophets as the Spirit of God guided them.

The main point was that God was going to make the heathen (Gentiles) to enjoy the same spiritual benefits being conferred on the Jewish nation. 

The glorious mystery of God is part of the unsearchable riches we have in Christ. Paul's main focus in ministry is to make all men see that they can have fellowship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Nothing taught by the Gnostics or any other cult, compares to the sublime truth Paul is teaching. 

The Greek word translated "ages" in Colossians 1:26, is a word used frequently by the Gnostics. 

It is the word "aion" which is where the word "eon" is derived. An eon of time refers to an indefinitely long period of time. 

The Greek word was used by the Gnostics to reference angelic spirit beings whom they said emanated from God. The Spirit of God speaking through Paul, precisely confronted this error.  

Paul taught that the mystery of redemption was hidden in God’s purposes in Christ. It was hidden from the angelic beings and from all humanity.

No angel ever had the world under their subjection. 

Hebrews 2:5-8  For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6)  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7)  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8)  Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 

Gnostics were teaching that angels must be worshipped. Yet, the author of Hebrews lets us know that Jesus Christ alone is King of kings, Lord of lords and governor of heaven and earth. 

The Father put all things under the authority of Jesus Christ. All things on the earth, under the earth, in the sky, and in the heavenly realm. All things includes the angels. 

The apostle Paul also said that all kings, lords, kindreds and tongues would bow at the name of Jesus Christ while confessing His Lordship and Glory (Philippians 2:5-11).  

Jesus Christ is superior to the angels because He is the Son of God (Hebrews 1:4-5). 

The angels worship Jesus Christ and they are His ministering spirits who faithfully serve Him and carry out His commands (Hebrews 1:6-7). 

Therefore, the sin of angel worship was confronted by Paul.

Angels sought to understand the prophecies of God. 

1 Peter 1:10-12  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11)  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12)  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

Peter also spoke of the glorious mysteries of God that were hid in Christ throughout the ages. He tells us that the Old Testament prophets carefully studied the word trying to understand the suffering of Messiah and the glory that followed them. 

Notice Peter's words. The angels also desired to look into these wonderful deep, mysterious things of God. They were unable to know these things and they could not uncover the truth of God's mysteries. 

Thus, like the writer of Hebrews, Peter also proved that Jesus Christ is superior to angels in every respect. Why would one want to worship an angel when Jesus Christ, Jehovah in the flesh, is the fulness of the Godhead? 

Thoughts to Ponder...

In this post, we learned that the mysteries of God that were hid in Christ, are glorious and vast.

We learned that God can and does accomplish His will. No being can countermand what God has commanded. 

We learned that the focal point of all history is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. His life fulfills many ancient prophecies and His work as the second Adam was flawless.

We learned that the mysteries of God have been laid open for all believers to see and understand. His way is the best way to seek out and His paths are the best paths to walk on.

Jesus Christ is our exalted Creator, Sustainer of life, Savior, Redeemer, King, Master, Judge and God.

May the Lord direct our hearts to have a singular focus upon the things of God and the rich inheritance we have in Christ. 

May we seek to draw close to our precious Lord, seeking to love and serve Him with all our heart.

Bob