No Longer A Mystery

In a previous chapter, the mystery of the church was discussed. As we have already seen, this mystery is not that God had a plan to save Gentiles, for that had been revealed in the Old Testament. Rather, the mystery of the church is that God had a plan and program to call out a body of believers from every tribe and nation. This body of believers, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, would be called the church. This work of saving all who will place their faith in Christ and adding them to the church began on the day of Pentecost and continues to this day. It is this mystery which is the subject of Colossians 1:26 above.
But in Colossians 1:27, Paul makes reference to another mystery of this church age. Yes, it is true that any and every individual, whether Jew or Gentile, who places their faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation becomes a member of the body of Christ. But not only is one placed into His body, here it is revealed that Christ becomes a part of the one who believes in Him. The truth stated here, “which is Christ in you”, is called the mystery of the indwelling Christ. Notice three things regarding this mystery.

A NEW CONNECTION

Here in Colossians 1:27, Paul defines “this mystery among the Gentiles” as “Christ in you”. This speaks of a new relationship, or a new connection, which is created the moment a person receives Christ as their personal Savior. In the New Testament, the Christian’s relationship to Him is often stated as “in Christ” or “in Him” (ex., Romans 8:1; 12:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But not only is the believer “in Christ”. According to Paul, Christ is in the believer. We may struggle to understand how both relationships can be true at the same time. But whether we fully understand it or not, we must accept the clear statement of scripture.
Perhaps the best explanation of this new relationship comes from the Lord Jesus Himself. In some of His final hours with His disciples in the upper room, Jesus tried to explain to them that He was about to return to His Father (John 14). When He left them however, He would not leave them alone. He promised to send the Holy Spirit who would come to dwell within them.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” - John 14:15 - 20

Notice in this passage that Jesus told His disciples, “he dwelleth with you”. That is, the Holy Spirit already influenced and directed each one of them. This was the relationship between those Old Testament believers and the Spirit of God. This can be seen in a number of places throughout the Old Testament where the Spirit “came upon” certain individuals (ex., Exodus 31:1 - 5; 35:30, 31; Judges 3:9, 10; 6:34; 15:14). In these cases, the Holy Spirit empowered or enabled these individuals for some specific task or service. Likewise, the Spirit was “with” the disciples of Christ by virtue of their faith in the Lord.
By contrast, Jesus told His disciples that the day was coming when the Spirit “shall be in you”. Jesus died on the cross, rose again on the third day, appeared to His followers after His resurrection, and then ascended back to heaven (Acts 1:1 - 4). Then, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to indwell all those who believed in Christ (Acts 2). This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to them here in John 14:17, the promise that the Spirit “shall be in you”.
In John 14:20, the phrase, “At that day” is a reference to the day of Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit came to indwell those who were gathered together. It was on “that day” that this new relationship between Christ and everyone who would believe in Him began. Jesus told His disciples that on “that day” they would realize that He is in the Father. But notice that they would also know, “ye in me, and I in you”. It is this “I in you” which speaks of the truth of the indwelling Christ.
Therefore, this passage teaches that Christ dwells within every believer in the Person of the Holy Spirit. This has been true of every believer since Pentecost, and it is still true today. This is the mystery of the indwelling Christ which Paul mentions in Colossians 1:27.

A NEW CONDITION

In addition to the assurance of one’s salvation, the indwelling Christ also makes it possible to live the Christian life in a way that pleases God. The Bible nowhere teaches the “sinless perfection” of one who is saved, as long as they are alive in this world. Perfection will come, but not until the Christian reaches heaven. As long as we live in these fleshly bodies, we are prone to failure, disobedience and sin. But, every child of God ought to strive to live in a way that pleases Him. And, it is the presence of Christ living in the child of God which makes this possible.