“To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,”
What are the Unfathomable Riches?
Word “Riches” appears 22x in New Testament … 14 specifically refer to the riches we have in Christ —Root word is the idea to “furnish” or “fill” or “accomplish”
Romans 2:4 – Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Romans 9:23 – And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
Romans 11:33 – Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
2 Corinthians 8:1–2 – Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality [generosity].
Ephesians 1:7-8 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight …
Ephesians 1:18 – I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints …
Ephesians 2:7 – … so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:16 – that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:27 – to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 2:1–3 – For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Timothy 6:17 – Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Hebrews 11:24–26 – By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
Revelation 5:11–12 – Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
Christ HIMSELF is the Content of the Riches
Scholar: “Christ himself constitutes the content of the riches of the gospel …”**
2 Corinthians 11:3 – But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
Colossians 2:2b-3 – … Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 1:27 – to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
2 Peter 1:3–4 – … seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Romans 11:36 – For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Ephesians 1:3-14
— Every blessing is found and fulfilled in Jesus!
Galatians 5:22–23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Jesus is …
He is love (1 John 4:18)
He is truth (John 14:6)
He is our life (John 6:53-54, 14:6, 15:1-5, Heb 13:20, 1 John 1:2, Rev 2:7)
He is our atonement (Rom 5:11)
He is our salvation (Matt 1:21, Rom 5:9, 1 John 4:14)
He is our propitiation (Rom 3:25)
He is our redemption (Matt 26:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 3:25, Rom 5:9, Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, Heb 9:7, 9:12, 9:22, 1 John 1:7, Rev 1:5, 5:9, 7:14)
He purges our conscience (Heb 9:14)
He is our peace (Eph 2:14, Col 1:20)
He is our reconciliation (Col 1:20)
He is our righteousness (Isaiah 61:10, Rom 3:22, 2 Cor 5:21, Phil 3:9)
He overcomes and destroys death and the devil (Heb 2:14, Rev 12:11)
He is our sanctification (1 Cor 1:30, Heb 10:29, 13:12)
He is our healer (Exodus 15:26, Isaiah 53:5, Jer 8:22, 1 Peter 2:24)
He is our boldness and courage (Heb 10:19)
He is our dwelling (Ps 23, 91:9-10, John 14:23, Eph 2:22)
He is our advocate (1 John 2:1)
He is our wisdom (Proverbs, 1 Cor 1:30, Eph 1:8, Col 2:3)
He is our triumph (2 Cor 2:14)
He is our holiness and purity (Eph 1:4, 1 John 3:3)
He is our blessing (Eph 1:3)
He is our inheritance (Eph 1:11)
He is our joy (Psalm 16:11)
He is our goal, aim, race, and prize (Phil 3:14)
He is our author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:1-2)
He is our perfection (Col 1:28)
He is our clothing (Isaiah 61:10, Eph 4:24)
He is our rock, our fortress, our shield, our protector, our high tower (Psalm 18:2, …)
He is our foundation and Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16, 1 Cor 3:11, Eph 2:21, 1 Peter 2:4-6)
He is our head and authority (Eph 1:22-23, Col 2:10)
He is our holy calling (Eph 4:1-3, 2 Tim 1:9)
He is our promise (2 Cor 1:20, 2 Peter 1:3-4)
He is our circumcision (Col 2:11)
He is our lover of our soul (John 3:16, Jer 31:3, John 15:13, Eph 5:25-27)
He is our altar, sacrifice, and our high priest (Mark 10:49, Eph 5:2, Heb 3:1, 5:6, 7:27, Heb 9-10, Heb 13:10, Rev 13:8)
He is the Upholder of all things (Her 1:3)
He is our Shepherd (John 10:11, Heb 13:20, 1 Peter 5:4)
He is our daily manna (John 6:33-35, Rev 2:17)
He is our light (John 1:9, 12:35, Rev 22:16)
He is our strength (Joel 3:12-16, Isaiah 25:4)
He is our forerunner and first fruits (Heb 6:20)
He is our mediator (1 Tim 2:5)
He is our intercessor (Heb 7:25)
He is our gift (John 3:16, 4:10, 2 Cor 9:15)
He is our leader, commander, ruler, and governor (Isaiah 55:4, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6)
He is our deliverer (Rom 11:26)
He is our judge (Acts 17:31, 2 Tim 4:8)
He is our portion, our maker, our bridegroom, our husband (Isaiah 54:4, Matt 9:15, Rev 21:9)
He is our well-beloved (Song of Song 1:13)
He is our hope (1 Tim 1:1)
He is our brother (Mark 3:35)
He is our helper (Heb 13:6)
He is our refiner (Mal 3:3)
He is our example (John 13:15, 1 Peter 2:21)
He is our teacher (John 3:2)
He is our keeper (John 17:12)
He is our restorer (Psalm 23:3)
He is our resting place (Jeremiah 50:6)
He is our King (Zech 14:4-9, Heb 7:2, Rev 15:3, 19:16)
He is our Christ, our Messiah (Daniel 9:25, Luke 2:11, Rom 5:21, Col 1:2, 2 These 2:16, Rev 1:5)
He is our Lord (Rev 17:14)
He is our all in all (Col 3:11)
He is our Jesus
Jesus is the essence of Christianity – “Christianity Is Christ”