Galatians 1:15-16 “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood”
Have you ever thought what would happen if everything we do and think was made public? The very thought of it would be shameful for many people. The idea that everything about us might be an open book would probably change people’s perceptions about us. We wouldn’t be able to hide behind the image we try to present, people would know the real you.
To Reveal when used properly is to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up; to disclose, make bare.
Frankly, I think we would all be shocked at what we would see and hear. People would think twice about what they harbor in their hearts and their actions would seem hypocritical if they didn’t align their conduct with what they claim.
God is in the business of revelation. Since nothing before Him is hidden, our lives are like an open book before Him. Our lives can either be the revelation of Christ to the world or a revelation of sin. Do we seek to please God or do we bring Him shame?
The Spirit of God fills His people upon Salvation, He confirms to us His authority through divine revelation—the manifestation of God’s presence is then to be revealed to the world. Paul gave credit to God who revealed His Son to the world.
Galatians 1:11-12 “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”
When the gospel is presented to the world, what the world should see and hear is that which God revealed. We are fallible, Jesus is perfect. We are weak, Jesus is strong. We can muddle up the image of Holiness, Jesus perfects it through us. God is in the process of perfecting His people so that they might present Him perfect before the world and He gives us the message to deliver.
Matthew 5:48 “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Not only does God reveal His glory through us in our testimony but He will reveal His glory when we are presented before Him in Heaven. I love to encourage the downtrodden how walking in faith with Jesus is good now but there is much more goodness to come… knowing Jesus is a win-win situation!
Righteousness by Faith
It’s not until we see the perfection of God as He reveals His glory do we begin to fully appreciate how sinful we really are. The realization of God’s holiness can leave us defeated if all we have is our own strength to abide in. For those who think salvation is by works, the frustration of falling short must be very discouraging. Praise be to God, His people are brought into His grace freely and without reproach through what Jesus did alone.
Philippians 3:13-15 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”
As we walk in the company of Jesus, God leads us along the way. Jesus promised His disciples before He departed to never leave them or forsake them, we too can receive that promise today. Never is God’s goodness been made more evident than when a disciple recognizes their strength is found in Christ alone.
Philippians 3:9 “not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”
Godly knowledge is revealed in the heart of the believer. Righteousness is to walk in accordance with God’s divine or Moral law. Those that understand the process of walking in His presence and pleasing Him will understand that it is not by works this is accomplished….It is by obedience.
Ephesians 3:2-5 “if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:”
The knowledge of how Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law was evident to all who follow Him. What was once a mystery has now been made known through Christ who prophetically fulfilled the requirement of the law which was death.
The Messiah was destined to redeem His church from the beginning of Creation. All of history led up to that moment in time when Jesus redeemed His people on the cross, now all of Creation eagerly awaits His return once more.
Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
Those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb eagerly anticipate the moment of deliverance from this world of sin…I know I sure do. For those who anticipate His return, that day can’t come soon enough. When I hear about unbelievers coming to Christ, I’m reminded of why the Lord tarries…His Mercies are new every morning, Great is His faithfulness.
For those who refuse to accept His redeeming sacrifice–they must hold onto all they have left.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
The Lord is holding back the fullness of evil in this world. If you think it’s bad now, imagine when the righteous are removed. The Great Tribulation will be an experience that people will wish they didn’t know. The unshackling of evil will lead to over 2/3rds of earth’s inhabitants perishing.
If the Lord didn’t end the tribulation after seven years, no one on earth would survive. At the end of this great trial, the glorious return of Christ will usher in HIs 1000 year upon the earth, Satan will be thrown into the bottomless pit and the earth will experience a moment of peace. The millennium of peace on earth will be a period of rest while Satan experiences just the opposite.
At the end of a thousand years, Satan will be released a final time and will deceive many who remain on earth, the final battle will occur and evil will be completely vanquished. The Great White throne judgement will follow and all who rejected Christ and are judged according to their works. Death and Hades will then be thrown into the Lake of Fire and the Lord will make a new Heaven and Earth.
For believers, our lives will be brought before the fire of Christ’s righteousness and He will purify all of our works.
2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
To reveal God is the responsibility of believers the world over. We have been entrusted with the honor to shine the light of Christ into the darkness with the hope that the blind might see. Discipleship, evangelism, preaching, teaching, even apologetics can help remove the roadblocks for people to come to Christ–but it is the gospel that ultimately prevails.
As people of God who have been born of the Spirit, we have been given a mandate by our King—“go into all the world and preach the gospel”.
How are you doing in fulfilling this call? The gospel reveals the judgement of sin and the hope of salvation, God has given us the charge to deliver it.
Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him–even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.”
One day…the Lord will bring a final revelation of Himself to the world. In that day there will be no doubt as to who is King.
Do what it takes to present the gospel faithfully. As Paul once said, understand who your audience is and work within the confines of how they will listen. You are called to reveal Christ to the world—live faithfully and let the world see Christ in you.
U.T. 