In verse 27 Paul says that Christ in us is the hope of glory. Christ is the mystery which is full of glory now. This glory will be manifested to its fullest extent when Christ returns to glorify His saints (Rom. 8:30). Hence, it is a hope, the hope of glory. Christ Himself is also this hope of glory.
Today we may live in Christ, by Christ, and with Christ. We may live Him, grow Him, and produce Him. At the same time, He is our hope of glory. If we see the vision that the all-inclusive Christ who indwells us is our hope of glory, our living will be revolutionized. We shall say, “Lord, from now on I won’t care for anything other than You. I won’t care for doctrines, ordinances, regulations, or traditions. I don’t care for religion, philosophy, or the elements of the world. Lord, I care only for You as the embodiment of God and as the life-giving Spirit in my spirit. Because You are so real, living, and practical in my spirit, I can live by You and with You. Lord, my only desire is to experience You in this way.”
Eventually, the New Testament charges us to walk according to the mingled spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25; Rom. 8:4). We need to walk according to the Christ who is the very glory filled with riches. Oh, may we all see this vision! Once we have seen this vision, it will control every aspect of our daily walk.
If we see this vision, we shall also realize how much Christians today have been distracted to things other than Christ. They may pay their attention to good things, scriptural things, fundamental things, even spiritual things. Nevertheless, these things are not Christ Himself. It is crucial that we see the Christ who is the mystery hidden from eternity but now made manifest to the saints in the New Testament age. God has willed to make known among the nations the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in us as the hope of glory. This mystery is the key to our Christian life and also to the church life.
In verse 28 Paul says that he announced Christ. Here Paul does not say that he taught Christ or preached Christ, but that he announced Christ. As he announced Him, he was “warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom” in order to “present every man full-grown in Christ.” Paul’s ministry, whether in announcing Christ or in warning and teaching every man in all wisdom, was to minister Christ to others so that they could be perfect and complete by maturing with Christ unto full growth.
To become full-grown in Christ is a matter of life. Christ must be added into us. Then we need to grow in Christ and gradually gain more of the stature of Christ. Eventually, as Christ is wrought into us, we shall become full-grown in Christ.
The goal of Paul’s ministry was to present every man full-grown in Christ. Whenever I consider this phrase, “present every man full-grown,” as used in this verse, I sense how short I am. I am warned by the Spirit within me regarding my ministry. I am concerned about how many I shall be able to present full-grown in Christ. The burden of this responsibility weighs upon me greatly. Inwardly I am charged to announce Christ and to warn others and teach them regarding Christ so that I may present them full-grown in Christ.
Paul’s concept in 1:28 is completely different from that held by Christian ministers and pastors today. Paul’s concept concerning his ministry was that of dispensing Christ into others so that they may grow in Christ to maturity. He knew that Christ had to be added into the believers until they became full-grown in Christ. We need to have the same concept as Paul. As the elders care for the saints in the churches, they should seek to present all the dear ones full-grown in Christ.
In verse 29 Paul goes on to say, “For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power.” I believe that the words “for which” refer to the matter of presenting every man full-grown in Christ. For such a presentation Paul labored, struggled, fought, and wrestled. Paul’s struggling, however, was according to Christ’s operation within him. Hallelujah, the indwelling Christ is operating within us! This operating is His energizing. As He energizes us from within, we need to labor in cooperation with His operating.
The operation of Christ operates in power. The Greek word for power is the source of the English word dynamo. This power is no doubt the power of the resurrection life (Phil. 3:10), which operates within the apostle and all the believers (Eph. 1:19; 3:7, 20). By such an inward operating power of life Christ operates within us. This power is different from God’s creating power. God’s creating power is the source of the material things in our environment, whereas God’s resurrection power accomplishes the spiritual things for the church within our being. Paul labored, struggled, wrestled, and fought according to this resurrection power. By means of the operation in this power he carried out his ministry to present every saint full-grown in Christ.
May our eyes be opened to see that the goal of our work and ministry must be to minister Christ to others so that they may grow with the measure of Christ, who is the mystery of God’s economy.