My goal is that they will all be encouraged in their hearts and joined together in love. Then their understanding will be rich and complete, and they will know the mystery of God, which is Christ.
God has chosen to make known to them the glorious riches of that mystery among the Gentiles. And here’s what it is: Christ is in you, the hope of glory.
God is able to strengthen you through the good news, which is the message I preach about Jesus Christ. There was a mystery that had been kept hidden for a very long time.
In fact, I consider everything to be worthless compared with knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Knowing him is worth much more than anything else. Because of him I’ve lost everything, but I look at it all as garbage so that I can know Christ better.
If belonging to Christ helps you, if his love comforts you, if you share anything in common because of the Holy Spirit, if Christ has been gentle and loving toward you,
So let’s draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. Our hearts have been sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Without question, true godliness comes from this great mystery: Jesus came as a human being, and he was declared right with God by the Holy Spirit. He was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up in glory.
For this reason, we’ve been praying for you since the day we heard about you. We keep asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.
“My Father has given everything to me. No one knows the Son except the Father. No one knows the Father except the Son—and anyone the Son chooses to show the Father to.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you’ve hidden these things from wise and educated people and shown them to little children.
My brothers and sisters, make every effort to show that God has called you to be saved. If you do everything I’ve just said, you’ll never trip and fall.
And we urge you, brothers and sisters, to warn certain people who don’t want to work and who are being disruptive. Encourage those who have lost hope, help those who are weak, and be patient with everyone.
because our good news didn’t just come to you through our words. It came with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with great confidence. You know what we went through for your sake when we were with you.
Aren’t you showing disrespect for God’s great kindness, favor, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to turn you away from your sins?
These people aren’t connected anymore to the head, who is Christ. God makes the whole body grow as it’s guided by the head and held together by its tendons and ligaments.