“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:25-27 (NIV)
When I consider the Christian life, I fully believe that it is only by God’s grace that I am able to have a relationship with Him. It is only by Jesus’ death on the cross that my sins are forgiven. I know that my journey with God began solely on what He had done. And for most of the Christ-followers that I know, these truths are solidly implanted in their hearts and lives.
It’s all about God!
However, it seems after totally relying upon God to bring us into His family, there is a sense among many that we are the ones that must work to keep this relationship happening. While we do indeed play a part, it seems like we live life out of balance.
Following Christ. Living for Jesus. Striving to please God.
In his book “Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered”, James C. Wilhoit made the following statement which really challenged my perspective when it comes to being a follower of Christ.
“God does not demand of us the impossible; He does not demand of us that we imitate Christ in our own strength. He offers to us something infinitely better; He offers to form Christ in us by the power of his Holy Spirit. And when Christ is thus formed in us by the Holy Spirit’s power, all we have to do is let this indwelling Christ live out his own life in us, and then we shall be like Christ without struggle and effort of our own.” (page 210)
This is the mystery that Paul spoke of in the passage of Colossians referenced above. Christ in you. God living, not among us, but within us. His very presence with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. The forming of Christ in our lives.
So allow God to fully do His work in your life. Allow Christ to be formed in you. Allow the Holy Spirit free reign to make you into the person you were created to be.
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29 (NASB)