Life lived worthy of His calling
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:24-27
The Apostle Paul has always been grateful that God called Him to share the message of salvation. He was profoundly indebted to God that the message was revealed so that Gentiles as well would hear the gospel. Jesus coming into this world gave His life, suffered, died on the cross and on the third day rose from the dead was the context of the gospel that Paul was proclaiming. He surrendered his life in Christ and having the knowledge that God lives in Him compelled him to live His life worthy of His calling. He wanted people to come to the realization that they too need to come to Christ. Unless they accept the message of salvation they are spiritually dead and will not experience freedom over sin. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away” (Colossians 2:13). Once they receive God’s plan of salvation and trust Jesus alone, they die in their sin and had been set free from the powers of the world (Colossians 2:20). Paul recognized that this message of salvation is foolishness to the world, yet for him it is what brings eternal life to those who believe. “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God” (Colossians 1:18). He was very much sure about his conviction that he can’t help to tell people of the message of salvation. For in it his life was transformed. Because of this radical change, he is constrained to live giving glory and honor to God because of the new life he received from Him. It would be a disgrace to take for granted what Christ did on the cross by not living the new life the way He wanted us to live by. When we accept His love, it will be ludicrous to disobey His will for our life. The way we live our life will be our expression of gratitude to the incomparable grace we received from Jesus, our Lord and Savior. “Above all, we must live as citizens of heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com