The Hope in the Gospel

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love you have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, of which you heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel,” (Colossians 1:3-5).

When Paul and other disciples heard that the Colossians had faith in Jesus, they prayed for them. The Colossians loved the saints and had the hope of going to heaven which was preached to them through the Gospel.  Later on, he writes that they have been reconciled to God, and the sacrifice of Jesus will be able to present them holy, without blemish, fault or spot of sin and blameless if they continue in the faith and are not moved away from the hope that the Gospel gives us. (Colossians 1:23) This implies that there is a possibility of moving away from the hope of the Gospel, although there are some who believe once saved always saved.

I also believe that once saved always saved because I believe that those who move away from the Gospel actually never surrendered to Jesus. They have deceived themselves into believing they were saved. Perhaps their actions show the love for the brethren (as the Colossians did) and acted and spoke in a Christian way, but they were still their own boss and king of their lives. One cannot have the Holy Spirit living in them and continue to be the king of their own lives. There is only one King, one Lord and one God. When we come to Jesus, we are changed miraculously. We are born-again, from a slave of sin to a child of God with a new nature, in reality a new person. “So that if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17) There is a complete change in spirit which can now influence the soul (mind, will, emotions) to live righteously. In a person who doesn’t surrender to Jesus may be able to have outward changes which is brought about by sheer human effort, but it will not be sustainable in the difficult time, trying times and temptation. If that person didn’t completely surrender to Christ, they will fall away. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they were not all of us.” (1Johb 2:19) Those that seem to have fallen away, were never of us. When they leave, they reveal that they really were not of us.

Our Scripture of study says there’s a hope which is revealed in the Gospel. What is this hope. Right off the top of our heads, we think heaven. But it’s much more than that. Paul continues and explains it. “For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Colossians 1:27-28) “For to them” are those who continue in the faith, God has revealed what that hope is. Paul clearly tells us. It is something inconceivable and not of this world. It’s Christ in us through the Holy Spirit. This may be confusing to us. How can Christ be in us? We know the Holy Spirit is in us. (I Corinthians 6:19; Ezekiel 36:27; 2 Timothy 1:14) “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Corinthians 3:16) Yes, we know the Holy Spirit dwells in us. But Jesus...? We deduce this because we know that the Godhead is One. The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are continually in agreement and in communication. Where the Holy Spirit of God abides, the Father and Jesus are. It is God with us. It’s an incredible thing that our bodies are the temple of God. That is even more unbelievable because that doesn’t exist in our natural world. This is from another world; the world where God lives. He is able to live in man’s body and not just one man’s body, but in everyone who believes in Jesus and has received Him as Lord. This is God’s omnipresence. “Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence? If I go up into Heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the furthest parts of the sea; even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me.” (Psalms 139:7-11) God can be everywhere at all times. Only God can do that.

What is the proof that the Holy Spirit is living in us? In the spiritual realm, all can see the seal of the Holy Spirit. It’s a branding of sorts that tells the whole spiritual world that we belong to God.  It’s the Holy Spirit living in us. It’s the light of God which Jesus gives us. “Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) We cannot see it in this natural realm but is very visible in the spiritual realm. But returning to the original question, what is the evidence that we have the Holy Spirit?  First, we believe by faith. The Holy Spirit confirms His Presence in us through our spirit. We can fellowship with the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 13:14) There is a manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit which is the Holy Spirit working supernaturally in our character. “But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25) Some people get an anointing of gifts that come from the Holy Spirit. “For through the Spirit is given to one a word of wisdom; and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; and to another faith by the same Spirit; and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; and to another workings of powers, to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; and to another kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues. But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing separately to each one as He desires.” (1Corinthians 12:8-11) Our spirit confirms that we have the Holy Spirit. “We know that we know.” It’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t have the Holy Spirit.

Running down the points of the Scripture, we can see how if one is truly saved and has the Holy Spirit, there will be no leaving Jesus. It’s impossible because we have the Holy Spirit. God is in us. Jesus said, “My Father Who gave them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.” (John 10:29) Our human spirit confirms to us that we have the Holy Spirit through fellowship with the Holy Spirit and His work and change in us.

Let us pray:

Father God, I am in awe that You live in me, that my body is the house that You wanted to live in. You are always with me and will never leave me. I thank You that I can have fellowship with You and Jesus through the Holy Spirit. I thank You for Your Holy Spirit Who teaches me, Who leads me and Who works in me and through me. I know that I know He is in me. I know the change in my life is a testimony to His work in me because I have been born again of God. I am a new person, Your child. Help me to live righteously. Your standard is high. I know I can only reach it by the help of Your Holy Spirit. In the Name of Jesus, amen.