The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The last book of the Bible opens with the words: “The revelation of Jesus Christ,” and from these words it derives its title: “The Revelation.” In this book John deals largely with the return of Christ in glory to judge and reign on earth at His 2nd coming. 2 Thes. 1:7-8 tells us that one day “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heavenin flaming fire taking vengeance on them that… obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is what the book of the Revelation is basically about. Of course we as grace believers will have been Raptured to heaven before that terrible day, since Paul says of us:

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

The phrase “the revelation of Jesus Christ is also used in Paul’s epistles, as in Gal. 1:11-12 where Paul writes: “I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Paul here is speaking of a personal revelation of Christ.

Paul’s unique “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) is for all men who would believe. It was first revealed to Paul for us today, during this day of the “dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph 3:2). This then is not the same “revelation of Jesus Christ” of which John wrote. Paul refers not to “the revelation of Jesus Christ” in glory, but to “the revelation of Jesus Christ” in this day of grace, while the Lord delays the judgment that is to come in the Tribulation period.

Thus Paul refers not the Lord’s coming when He will be revealed to the world at His 2nd coming. Paul refers to the revelation of Christ, as the grace of God, to a lost and dying world… through Paul, who was the chief of sinners, but now saved by grace.

In Verses 15-16 of Gal. 1, the Apostle Paul writes of another, more personal, aspect of “the revelation of Jesus Christ”:

“…it pleased God… to Reveal His Son IN Me.”

What a revelation of grace to a sin-cursed world when God not only saved Saul by placed His Son IN Paul. Paul had been His bitter, blaspheming enemy as tells about it in I Tim. 1:13-16, where he says:

“[I] was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious… Howbeit, For This Cause I Obtained Mercy, That In Me (Paul) First Jesus Christ Might Show Forth All Longsuffering, For A Pattern To Them Which Should Hereafter Believe On Him To Life Everlasting.”

Paul is the “pattern” or prototype for us as Christians. Today every believer needs to have the ‘revelation of Christ in them,’ just as Paul had.

Here in Colossians 1:27 Paul writes of the indwelling Christ.

To whom God would make known (reveal) what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ IN You, the hope of glory:”

This is why Paul says: “…it pleased God… to Reveal His Son In Me.” By saving the chief of sinners (as Paul calls himself in I Tim. 1:15), God would show us that He is willing to save any sinner, “for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).