This short phrase is the end of Paul's opening remarks to the Colossians after exalting Christ and stating His preeminence in all things... To me, and to Paul, this sums up the mystery and power of our Christian faith. Christ, the maker, redeemer, keeper, and reason of all creation, dwelling in us.
Simple, straight up, powerful... As Paul states over and over again, this message of Christ crucified and resurrected is the very power of God unto our salvation. So, why the dead life? Why the complacent church? And why the need for change? Twofold: First, Christ is not in much of the church and then secondly, the part of the Church He might be in, He is subdued by our slavery to the world.
The Gospel is an added on, tacked on, easy ordeal of a message. "Lets get these guys into the Church and then we'll teach them, disciple them, and train them right into being good Christians..." Brothers, this Gospel is everything. This mystery, Christ in us, should be the driving force... Christ Himself, in us, will do His will through us, if we simply will get done with ourselves. And this is what we must do if we are to turn to the power of Christ. I cannot say this enough, we must turn to God with all our hearts. Their are so many promises God gives to us if we will just turn with our whole hearts to God; let us stop deceiving ourselves and realize that no, we have never done this.
Often, I have thought of the human heart as the roots of a big oak tree which is our lives. A tree thoroughly and thickly rooted to the world. So many people, so, so, so, many people simply throw a fishing line up to Jesus from the top of these deeply rooted trees. "Here you go, I'll give my life to Jesus," while deceiving themselves with such wicked deceit; often thoroughly encouraged by those presenting to them the life of a Christian and the Gospel. Doing this, they are still desperately rooted to the world in their hearts... Altogether completely in love with the world.
This is not the spirit, the Gospel, and saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel of the Cross takes a huge axe right to the very roots, the biggest roots of our hearts. The roots that are firmly rooted to this world. The Spirit takes this axe by the Word of the Gospel and attacks the roots with an almost violent force, ripping, pulling, tearing up the heart until we are broken and hurt seeing our ugly, dirty, worm infested roots. When we see this, we have two choices, put a simple salve on our ripped out roots and continue to grow more roots, hardening our hearts. Or repent, turn to the Lord of All and He shall be your Root, the Root of Jacob. This, then, becomes your life force, for out of the heart all things flow. And when Christ is that heart, ruling, the root of our lives, He waters us, keeps us, and guides us. He calls and we hear His voice. We see with His eyes and we love with His heart. And as we grow in Christ, He continues to take those roots that are still rooted to the world and roots them into His blood.
This is the power of our faith. I pray that we do not fail to see this. Turn to Him, and He will give us the love for the needy that will stun the world. Turn to Him, and He will give us the power to save the lost. Turn to Him, and He will keep you holy. I pray that we never forget the true power of the Gospel of the Cross.
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