Laboring to Perfect the Church
How wonderful is God! His scheme of grace embraces the world of men, but He can concentrate on individual souls as unworthy as ours. You… hath He reconciled. And He will never abandon His work until we arrive in His presence-chamber without spot or blemish or any such thing. But, of course, the putting forth of His power on our behalf is conditioned on our steadfast faith.
Paul drank deeply of the Master's cup. It seemed as if Jesus had trusted him with participation in the sorrows of Gethsemane and Calvary. And he was thus fitted for the stewardship of two great secrets, which it was his joy to unfold. In Ephesians 3:1-21 he says that he was commissioned to show the Gentiles that they might become fellow-heirs; but here, Colossians 1:27, that they might experience the indwelling of Christ. Those who are conscious of that indwelling know its riches of power and joy and victory. Their hope of glory is dimmed by no fear, because they have the Christ; in their hearts, and, therefore, heaven in their hearts, so it follows naturally that their hearts will one day be with Christ in heaven. Christ in us is the hope of glory. Note the individual interest which the true pastor takes in his flock, as shown in the repeated use of every man.