To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
What happened to you the moment you were saved? Each of us has a unique story to tell in response to this question. These stories are powerful and deeply moving. Today, however, I raise the question not to prompt personal testimonies, but to direct us to God's work in our lives. In other words, what would He say happened to us the moment we were saved?
God made you alive together with Christ. Paul explains in Ephesians 2:4, 5 and Colossians 2:11-14.
- He transferred you out of the kingdom of darkness and placed you into His kingdom: "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13, 14).
- He added you to His body, the church of Jesus Christ: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink" (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13). "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27).
- God declared you to be His child: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1).
- He sent His Spirit to live in you: "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father'" (Galatians 4:6). "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
As you can tell from these few verses, being saved is a big deal. It is much more than receiving a ticket for entry into heaven when you die, or even forgiveness of sins here and now. What happened to you and me at that moment of salvation is monumental.
The list above shows the magnitude of this great salvation you have received in Christ Jesus. You probably weren't aware of all that happened at the moment of your salvation. You simply responded to the message concerning Christ. When I became aware of what had happened to me, I gained a sense of purpose in life. For the first time, I felt like I was anchored, and I knew I belonged. Maybe you experienced peace or freedom, or felt that you had been cleansed and a mountain of guilt and shame was removed. Maybe you were overwhelmed by God's unconditional love and acceptance.
All these experiences are real and genuine because Christ came to live in you. You and I are different, new creatures according to the Bible. What happened to us is a story worth telling.
In Him,
Bob Christopher