Introduction: Christ in You Is the Foundation of Christianity
Text: Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
Christ in you is the very foundation of Christianity. This is not religion; it is the essence of the Christian faith. It is what gives Christianity its substance and power. Without this truth, Christianity becomes mere moral instruction or religious practice.
What distinguishes Christianity from every other religion in the world is this reality: God lives in man through Christ.
Christianity is not man striving to reach God; it is God coming to dwell in man.
We are not hoping for glory in the future—the glory already belongs to us.
Christ in you was once the hope of glory for the world, but for those who believe, it is now a present reality.
The Bible calls this truth a mystery—one that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to the saints.
The saints are not a special group of super-believers; they are simply those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is why those who are outside Christ still struggle to understand what Christianity truly is. To them, it appears foolish, because the things of the Spirit are spiritually discerned.
Sadly, this lack of understanding is not limited to unbelievers alone. Many who are born again still do not understand what Christ in you truly means. This has left countless believers living far below what God has already accomplished for them in Christ.
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However, I strongly trust God that as you read through this message, the eyes of your understanding will be opened to see this glorious reality.
What Does “Christ in You” Mean?
Many believers are quick to quote the scripture:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
—Romans 3:23
Yet, very few are aware of the restoration of that glory made possible through Jesus Christ.
It is high time believers understood this present truth and began to live daily in the reality of it.
Yes, all sinned—but not because everyone personally committed Adam’s sin. Rather, because the entire human race came from one man and one woman. When Adam fell, his sin affected all humanity. Through him, sin entered the world, and we all partook of its consequences.
The Christian Is Righteous
Condemnation came upon everyone born into this world, and death reigned through Adam.
The Bible says:
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one…”
—Romans 5:17
But the verse does not end there. It continues:
“…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
This scripture is powerful. Yet, without understanding it, believers cannot experience the life Jesus came to give.
Jesus did not only save us from sin; He also dealt with the consequences of sin—sickness and death.
Death reigned through Adam, but those who receive grace and the gift of righteousness are called to reign in life through Jesus Christ. This reigning is not reserved for heaven; it is meant for life here and now.
The Glory Has Been Given Back to Us
In John 17:22–23, our Lord Jesus prayed:
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
Many Christians have read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation yet have failed to take advantage of these words.
This is not religion. And there is no need to ask whether God answered this prayer. Jesus Himself said that when we pray and believe that God hears us, we will have what we ask.
There is no doubt that the Father answered the prayer Jesus prayed for us.
Christ in You: The Revealed Mystery
One of the most popular scriptures among Christians is found in Colossians 1:26–27. This scripture is also the anchor verse for this message:
“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
This mystery—Christ in you—was hidden for generations. Many ages passed before Jesus came into the world.
Jesus first hinted at this truth before His death while speaking about the Comforter in John 14:17:
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
At that time, the apostles did not understand this statement. But it was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to dwell in believers.
This mystery was revealed by the Holy Spirit—not only to the apostles but to everyone who believes their message.
And in the same way, this truth will be revealed to you as you open your heart and mind to God’s Word.
In the next part of this series, we will go deeper into this truth and examine how Christ in you means the glory has been fully restored, and what that restoration truly means for your life as a believer.
God richly bless you for reading.
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