To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ....

Much is made of reaching across the aisle, making amends, setting matters at peace where once there was enmity, and rightly so. The enmity between God and man, as well as the apparent enmity between Jew and Gentile are all done away with, because Christ Jesus, who is God in human flesh, has made atonement for the sin of the world and is seated at the right hand of God, ready to come in glory to judge both the living and the dead.

The Apostle’s past, and well as the Gentile’s past, are just that: past. Abiding in Christ, both are mindful of the depths to which God has gone to reconcile all things. Both have the prophets and apostles who told before hand and bore eyewitness testimony to Christ’s life and love. Now it is a matter of being built up into Him while enduring tribulations in this life. This building up takes place not merely in platonic realms, but really and truly in body and soul.

The life and conduct of Christians, therefore, is one of peace and reconciliation with an eye not only to those within the Church but also those outside. It is not that we excuse or wink at sin, but deal with it through the unfathomable riches of Christ, which are not merely all things in heaven and on earth, but especially the fruits of His innocent suffering and death and his resurrection from the dead. These are preached and administered in the Church continually, as by faith the Church apprehends what is unseen while awaiting the Last Day.

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

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