Christ in us, the Hope of Glory By Babatunde Olugboji
Colossians 1:27 presents a profound message: “God has chosen to reveal among the Gentiles the magnificent riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” To begin, it is important to note that the apostle Paul is addressing followers of Christ – the “you” he refers to. In the preceding verse (Colossians 1:26), he identifies them as “the Lord’s people.” 
The term “Gentiles” refers to individuals who are not of Jewish descent. In the context of the New Testament, a “mystery” signifies something that was concealed in earlier times but has now been disclosed by God. The previously hidden mystery, now comprehended, is that Christ residing within us represents the hope of our future glory.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come upon specific individuals to empower them for their tasks, but would subsequently depart. In contrast, New Testament believers experience a different reality, as the Spirit dwells within us permanently. This enduring presence of the Holy Spirit, granted to New Testament believers, was a “mystery” to the saints of the Old Testament. Following Jesus’ ascension to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to reside within us, never to depart (John 14:16–17; 16:7). Jesus assured his disciples, “On that day you will understand that I am in my Father . . . and I am in you” (John 14:20).
The Holy Spirit marks us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). In essence, the presence of the Spirit in our hearts assures us of our ultimate salvation. Although we exist in this world, we do not belong to it (John 17:16). God will persist in His work within us until He has completed the process of perfecting us (see Philippians 1:6). This assurance of future perfection is encapsulated in the phrase “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The J. B. Phillips translation of Colossians 1:27 articulates it as follows: “The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.” The hope of glory signifies the realization of God’s promise to restore us and all of creation (see Romans 8:19–21 and 1 Peter 5:10).
This hope is not merely a fanciful desire, but rather the confident, expectant, and joyful understanding that we are being transformed by God and will ultimately behold Christ face to face, having been shaped into His likeness (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2). The hope of glory encompasses our resurrection: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). 
It also includes a heavenly inheritance: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The Spirit of Christ residing within us serves as the “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14).
The presence of Christ within us embodies the hope of glory, and this reality is replete with “glorious riches.” Our once lifeless, obscured spirits are revitalized. Christ dwells in our hearts, and we are assured that there exists life beyond this earthly realm – a life that will be unimaginably glorious.
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