Some people find the apostle Paul difficult, thinking that he’s harsh or unfeeling. But if we try to find out more about the individual churches to whom he wrote, we might reshape our view of him. For instance, to one group of people who were lax in their faith –such as in his first letter to the Corinthians – he writes (paraphrased), ‘Shape up! I want you to know God’s truth as revealed in Christ and His sacrifice for you!’ 

Teachers and lecturers, especially when rooted in Christ, are often gracious as they teach, sharing their wisdom. They exude humility as they weave together the nuggets of understanding proffered by those who learn from them – those who in their youth might wear their arrogance as a shield. But true wisdom never puffs one up. 

Have you ever had a debt dismissed? One moment you’re expected to pay back a sum – large or small – and the next, you’re given a reprieve. Relief washes over you as you fill with gratitude. What felt like a burden weighing you down has been removed from your shoulders. 

Paul never forgets that people flourish in their faith in the triune God through His merciful action, for although we respond to the Lord’s loving invitation, He is the one who effects change. We can see this clearly in verses 6 and 7 by digging into the grammar. 

When we’ve been part of a church for a length of time, we often will have encountered conflict within it. We may hear heartrending stories of people deeply hurt by leaders who seemed to be on a power trip, or those betrayed by a close friend in church, or the disappointment and ache when the leadership group adopts a theological stance that is at odds with one’s own understanding. 

A church minister confided how sad he felt when people left the church, or didn’t seem to move forward in their faith. He wondered if for them, coming to church was just one of many ‘leisure opportunities’ in a weekend, which might get crowded out by a children’s birthday party, a brunch outing with friends or a sports match. 

Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ This is a favourite phrase in the Bible, for it hints at a mystery of which we’ll never fully plumb the depths. That is, our union with the triune God, through Christ dwelling within us (and elsewhere we see the Holy Spirit filling us, such as on Pentecost [Acts 2:4]). 

Once you were a murderer. Once a liar. Once a gossiper. But now… now you are no longer accused of wrongdoing; now you are without stain. Why? Because Christ has made things right for you with God. Once all of that stuff was the reality, but now – if you continue believing and hoping – now He sees you as holy. 

We reach Paul’s wonderful prose poem, looking at the first part today, which is a hymn about Jesus. We’ll probably never exhaust the ways of describing God’s Son. Paul says that Jesus is the ‘image of the invisible God’ (v15); this means that He fleshes out that which is unseen. 

We look at two short verses today that brim with meaning. In fact, Paul’s words summarise the gospel well – that Jesus rescues us from condemnation through the forgiveness of sins and the gift of new life. Let’s dig in and examine some of Paul’s phrases, such as that Jesus ‘rescued us from the dominion of darkness’ (v13). Here the light of God’s kingdom is implied by what we are saved from – a life of groping around in the dark while losing our way and perhaps smashing into brick walls.