“…the word of the truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit…” Colossians 1:5,6
Why is it that the angels declared to the shepherds around Bethlehem, just after the birth of Christ, that the news that they were declaring was “good tidings (news) of great joy, which will be to all people?” It is because of the eternal, God-given truth in the Gospel, by which the Holy Spirit will work in power to save the souls of men, delivering them as Paul wrote: “…from the power of darkness and conveying us into the kingdom of the Son of His love in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13:14) There is power in the blood of Christ to completely forgive, and wash away sins, but there is power also in the saving, and transforming knowledge of the LIfe of Christ, communicated to us by the Spirit, by which the believer is to walk, and live.
When God conceived the message of the Gospel, that blessed, ordered gift of eternal truths of salvation revealed to men therein, He promised that with the knowledge of the truth, His power would become effectively operating in the souls of men. When the knowledge of sin and death would bring the helpless sinner to the point where he would cry out to God for mercy, God in His great goodness, would not only hear it, but would respond by answering that cry. HIs answer was His Son, who working according to the truth revealed in the Gospel, would come knocking at the door of the heart, seeking entrance into the life, so that He could wash, cleanse, and forgive it from all sin, but also, give to the life-less spirit of man the Holy Spirit of God, by whose power the convicted, and thirsting soul could be born again, not physically but spiritually, born to know God, and Jesus Christ whom He had sent. The Gospel message had thus, by the eternal truths of the love, justice, righteousness, and mercy of God, laid the foundation for man to come to God. The power of the Spirit of God was given by God to draw out the heart of man, convicting him of all that was a deception and lie, concerning man’s capacity to save himself, by some righteousness of his own. The Spirit of God would move wonderfully upon the heart, stirring up the heart to seek God, to find Him, and to know the power of Christ’s Saving life. The eternal truth of God and the power of the Son of God by the Spirit are God’s manifest provision to man, that he should be set free from the bondage of ignorance and the lie, but that he would be brought into living contact with the Saving Christ. The one who will truly come to Christ, by the grace of God, will not be turned away, but will certainly come to know the power of Christ’s saving life by the Spirit.
What are some of the great truths of this Gospel by which we are to live, and to communicate in turn to a lost and dying world? The first is the knowledge of who Christ is. We see in the letter of Paul to the Colossian believers that describes Him as being the “Son of the Father’s love.” He is also the One by whose shed blood on Calvary has redeemed the lost soul, making him His very own. Paul then goes on to reveal that this Christ is not only the Redeemer of men, but the Creator, the very Head of the church, His living body on earth. He is that One in whom “…all things consist,” “…in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily,” (Col. 2:9) It is then that Paul tells us the truth of not only our union with Christ, but that “…you are complete in Him.” The Father has provided all in Christ to be received, and lived, by faith.
Dear Father, Fill us with Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.