Paul starts, naming himself a prisoner of Christ. Many people believe that Paul was in prison when he wrote this, and they might be right, but that is not what I am focusing on entirely. If I were to focus on him actually being in prison, I would commend his viewpoint. I am not a prisoner of kings, princes, governors, emperors, or any other power of man, instead I am a prisoner of Christ.
To put it in my words, I am a prisoner of Christ. Christ loves me so much, that I am a prisoner to Him. Free from sin, slave to Him.
God through His grace gave Paul knowledge of Christ' mystery, the mystery of Christ, is a mystery. I know that does not help you any, but bear with me, I don't fully understand it either. I guess to explain it the best I can, is to retrace the first two chapters. Jesus came and died, so that we may have eternal life, chapter one tells us why He did it. Bringing us to Him, brings Him pleasure.
Chapter two tells us how, in more detail, He freed us from sins. He broke the barrier between God and man, and made peace... simply put.
To Paul was made known the mystery of Christ, my best guess of when is the Damascus road. It was made known to him, for the purpose that he would understand it and share it with the Gentiles. This mystery, is the same mystery that all of the Prophets wish that they had known. Who knows, maybe God told a few of them, that is not for me to declare. Though I will say that Isaiah did speak a lot of the Messiah, so he may have known something.
But otherwise, this Mystery, which is our bases of Faith, has been revealed to us, but was not revealed to generations before. How blessed are we!!
This revelation, was revealed to the Apostles, that we, the gentiles may know Christ. That we could be fellow heirs with not only God's chosen people, but with Christ Himself!
Paul finishes by saying that he was made a minister. And that is perfect for how I plan to end this.
As I was writing some of this, I was talking to a guy, about something that he was worried about. He was worried about the people in his school, and how their actions now could seriously harm them later in life. So I asked him; "What are you going to do about it?" And his simple answer, was to pray. Which is right, prayer is always the right thing to turn to.
But I asked him if he had reached out to them and tried to witness, he said no, because they didn't know him.
I encouraged him, by telling him, that if they don't know HIM they will die. And that it is up to him, because he is a minister of Christ, as a part of the body of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says that "We are ambassador's for Christ..."
We all need to be actively witnessing, because this world is dying and doomed. I'll admit, I don't witness like I should, but that is not an excuse. We all must try and bring Christ to everyone we meet.
Thanks for reading,
John Mark,
To put it in my words, I am a prisoner of Christ. Christ loves me so much, that I am a prisoner to Him. Free from sin, slave to Him.
God through His grace gave Paul knowledge of Christ' mystery, the mystery of Christ, is a mystery. I know that does not help you any, but bear with me, I don't fully understand it either. I guess to explain it the best I can, is to retrace the first two chapters. Jesus came and died, so that we may have eternal life, chapter one tells us why He did it. Bringing us to Him, brings Him pleasure.
Chapter two tells us how, in more detail, He freed us from sins. He broke the barrier between God and man, and made peace... simply put.
To Paul was made known the mystery of Christ, my best guess of when is the Damascus road. It was made known to him, for the purpose that he would understand it and share it with the Gentiles. This mystery, is the same mystery that all of the Prophets wish that they had known. Who knows, maybe God told a few of them, that is not for me to declare. Though I will say that Isaiah did speak a lot of the Messiah, so he may have known something.
But otherwise, this Mystery, which is our bases of Faith, has been revealed to us, but was not revealed to generations before. How blessed are we!!
This revelation, was revealed to the Apostles, that we, the gentiles may know Christ. That we could be fellow heirs with not only God's chosen people, but with Christ Himself!
Paul finishes by saying that he was made a minister. And that is perfect for how I plan to end this.
As I was writing some of this, I was talking to a guy, about something that he was worried about. He was worried about the people in his school, and how their actions now could seriously harm them later in life. So I asked him; "What are you going to do about it?" And his simple answer, was to pray. Which is right, prayer is always the right thing to turn to.
But I asked him if he had reached out to them and tried to witness, he said no, because they didn't know him.
I encouraged him, by telling him, that if they don't know HIM they will die. And that it is up to him, because he is a minister of Christ, as a part of the body of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says that "We are ambassador's for Christ..."
We all need to be actively witnessing, because this world is dying and doomed. I'll admit, I don't witness like I should, but that is not an excuse. We all must try and bring Christ to everyone we meet.
Thanks for reading,
John Mark,
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