The Historical Jesus and the Christ of Faith

Scripture Text: Colossians 2:6-7, 'The Historical Jesus and The Christ of Faith'

The bible reveals that the apostle Paul never personally met, nor ever encountered the historical Jesus of Nazareth. It clearly states however that on the road to Damascus to arrest and persecute the disciples and followers of the historical Jesus of Nazareth as Saul, he personally encountered and was transformed to Paul by the living Christ of Faith. Throughout his ministry, the apostle Paul stressed his awareness of the Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based mystery, which had been hidden from humankind down through the ages and generation. In Colossians 1:27 Paul describe this mystery in these words, "To whom God was pleased to make known to the Gentiles are the riches of this glorious mystery, which is Christ within you, the hope of [realizing the] glory".

In Colossians 1:4, Paul praised the Colossians believers as sincere disciples and followers of the historical Jesus of Nazareth. Apparently Paul and Epaphras recognized that these believers had lost their original enthusiasm and trust in the Christ of faith. They were now trusting entirely in the historic Jesus of Nazareth, the human personality, with absolute trust and confidence in Jesus' power, wisdom and goodness, instead of maintaining their primary focus on the indwelling Christ of faith. In today text the apostle Paul reminds these believers to renew their trust in the Christ of faith, within Jesus of Nazareth, within himself, within the believers who he intended to persecute in Damascus, within themselves and within all people [Acts 9:3-7].

In Colossians 1:8-12, Paul prayed that these and all sincere followers of the historical Jesus, would also come to know the fullness of their divine heritage which the historical Jesus revealed and he now realized through his personal  encounter with the Christ of faith, in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Paul discerned and taught the need for all believers to honor and follow the historical Jesus as Way-shower and Savior.  In today's text however he stresses the greater and vital importance of the believer's personal encounter with the Christ of Faith, as indwelling Spirit, the Word and Image of God, who became fully incarnate and fully manifested in Jesus of Nazareth as universal King of Kings, Master and Lord of Lords [Genesis 1:26-27, John 1:1-5].

Wouldn't it help to clarify the unnecessary confusion about Jesus of Nazareth [physical personality] and the Christ of Faith [Spirit], if theologians and leaders in all the world religions would just embrace Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, the Son of Man, who Christians now call 'The Christ', because he truly modeled, revealed, taught, and fully lived the Paschal Mystery? Doesn't the bible declare that through, faith, humility and obedience, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the universal Christ of Faith became fully incarnate and fully manifested in Jesus of Nazareth [Isaiah 61:1-4, Luke 4:15-21]? Doesn't Paul's ministry stress that all humankind can now live the Paschal Mystery, through faith, humility and obedience to the Christ of Faith, within each person and following the historic Jesus? Isn't the Christ of Faith [Spirit] humankind's only universal hope, for realizing and living the same glorified life with the Father, which the historical Jesus taught and lived here on our beloved planet earth [Colossians 1:26-29]?      

Lordship Of Jesus And The Living Christ

Scripture text: Colossians 1:18-19, 'Christ's headship of the church'

The apostle Paul proclaimed for himself the same Christ-centered, Spirit-based relationship and union with God, which Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah had experienced. This new birth and new life experience involved repentance, proper mental alignment and the incarnation of the living Christ. He declared that by Christ-centered faith, this new birth and new life is actually available and accessible to all people. Paul realized this because of his willingness to embrace and in faith, humility and obedient surrender to the living Christ, as Savior and Lord.

Paul discovered that his personal mind of the flesh, left-brain hemisphere dominance, was at emnity with the will of God for his life. He also discovered that his mind of the Spirit, right-brain hemisphere dominion was in alignment and harmony with God's will for his life [Romans 8:1-11].  Paul proclaimed the supremacy of Jesus of Nazareth as the unique and full human manifestation of God, revealing Himself to humankind in and through the living Christ. He also declared the supremacy of the eternal Spirit, the living Christ as the head of Jesus of Nazareth and the universal, spiritual head of the body of Christ.

To Jesus and Paul, the living Christ is mankind's universal, indwelling center of light, life, love, grace, truth, authority, identity, worship, security and meaning [John 17:15-23, Colossians 1:15-16]. The living Christ is mankind's spiritual indwelling and incarnate King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The living Christ is eternal Spirit, the Image of God, in the spiritual body of all people.  

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