Sunday 4 April 2010

Proclaiming Christ for Maturity in Christ

Day By Day By Grace

Bob Hoekstra

April 4, 2010


Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom,
that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 1:28)

Spiritual maturity is one of the heavenly blessings that is ours "in
Christ Jesus." Our heavenly Father desires that all of His children
develop in this blessing of maturity: "that we may present every man
perfect [mature] in Christ Jesus." As God's people are being built up,
the goal is that "we all come...to a perfect [mature] man, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no
longer be children...but... may grow up in all things into Him who is
the head--Christ" (Ephesians 4:13-15). Jesus is our standard of
spiritual maturity. The Lord wants us to be maturing into the likeness
of the character of Christ.

For the saints to mature in Christ requires the proclamation of Christ.
"Him we preach... that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus." Truth about the Lord Jesus Christ is the message that matures
the people of God. "Him we preach." We need to know who the Lord is,
what He has done, and what He wants to do in our lives, that we might
trust in Him as our source for growth: "from whom all the body... grows
with the increase that is from God" (Colossians 2:19).

The Scriptures abound with many beautiful revelations of such truths
about Jesus. He is the Son of God, divine. "And I have seen and
testified that this is the Son of God" (John 1:34). He is the Son of
Man, Immanuel, God coming as man. "Foxes have holes and birds of the
air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His
head...Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they
shall call His name Immanuel...God with us" (Matthew 8:20; 1:23). He is
the Lamb of God. "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world!" (John 1:29).

This Jesus is our Mediator, bringing us the new covenant of grace. "And
for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 9:15).
He is our Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, supplying all we
need from start to finish. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning
and the End" (Revelation 22:13). He is our "all in all." "Christ is all
and in all" (Colossians 3:11).

Such truths about Jesus are the ultimate message to mature the saints.

Dear Lord Jesus, I long to mature in Your likeness. There is too much
about my life that is immature or carnal. I hunger to see who You are
and all that You want to do in and through me. Please reveal Yourself
to me through Your word, that I might know You better and be conformed
to Your image. This I pray in Your holy name, Amen.

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