Monday, April 14, 2014

Paul spoke of God's glory this way: Colossians 1: 23a, 26-27  "If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and you aren't moved away from the hope of the gospel…Even the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but is now made known 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."

First, God was in the tabernacle, then the temple.  Now that the price for sin has been paid and the veil in the temple between the mercy seat and us has been torn from top to bottom, God is now with us.  His abode is our bodies.

The Jews had the tabernacle and then the temple.  The mystery of God, his glory among the rest of us (Gentiles)  is  the Spirit of God within us.  We are his temple.  Paul said:  1 Corinthians 3:16 "Don't you know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

Paul also gave a warning in the next verse. (17) "If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him:  for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

When God breathed his Spirit into Adam, Adam was filled with the Holy Spirit.  But Adam disobeyed God and was punished.  And all of us since then are void.  No Spirit.  But God had a plan to return his Spirit into us through Christ.  Christ paid the penalty for your sin.  For my sin.  He cleansed us and made us a fit habitation for God to live in.

1 Corinthians 15: 45, 47  "…it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul: the last Adam (Christ) was made a quickening spirit…The first man is of the earth, earthy;  the second man is the Lord from heaven."

God's plan is to dwell in us.  The choice is up to us.  We have free will.  But if we choose Christ, our hope is glory.  That is what Paul said:  Christ in you, the hope of glory.

That's glorious.




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