1
Christ is the mystery of God;
God is invisible, unshown,
His image man hath never seen,
But Christ the Son hath made Him known.
God is invisible, unshown,
His image man hath never seen,
But Christ the Son hath made Him known.
2
Christ is the very Word of God,
He is God's explanation true;
God's full embodiment is He
And God's own image brings to view.
He is God's explanation true;
God's full embodiment is He
And God's own image brings to view.
3
Image of God invisible,
Effulgence of God's glory fair;
God's fulness ever dwells in Him,
God's testimony He doth bear.
Effulgence of God's glory fair;
God's fulness ever dwells in Him,
God's testimony He doth bear.
4
The Church the myst'ry is of Christ,
For He is now to man unshown;
No man on earth may see Him now,
But thru the Church He is made known.
For He is now to man unshown;
No man on earth may see Him now,
But thru the Church He is made known.
5
The Church is Christ's expression full,
In her Christ dwelleth bodily;
She is His duplication true,
And man in her Himself may see.
In her Christ dwelleth bodily;
She is His duplication true,
And man in her Himself may see.
6
The Church the image has of Christ,
She is His increase and His spread;
Christ's very self is found in her
The Body, she, to Christ the Head.
She is His increase and His spread;
Christ's very self is found in her
The Body, she, to Christ the Head.
7
Thus, in the Son the Father is,
And now the Spirit is the Son;
The Spirit of the triune God
Is in the Church and with her one.
And now the Spirit is the Son;
The Spirit of the triune God
Is in the Church and with her one.
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Jakarta, Indonesia
Amin......
Lake Forest, CA, United States
This hymn helps us to focus on the central line of God's purpose, that is, Christ as the mystery of God and the church as the mystery of Christ (Col. 2:2; Eph. 3:4). We need to ask the Lord to show us this central vision of Paul's completing ministry. "Lord, keep us always in the central lane-the focus of Your economy."
Malaysia
Amen.
Columbus, North Dakota, U.S.A.
Yes, this hymn is truly beautiful. The words are truly wonderful because they convey the reality of what the church is today. This is a hymn to treasure and to memorize. I thank the previous brother for sharing this hymn with all of us.
Reading, United Kingdom
Sometimes, I just want to throw up my hands and say, "Its all too much! Too much theology! What is God? What is Christ? What is the Church? Nothing is practical!
I was feeling like that today when I came across this glorious hymn. The words are just mind-blowing. I cannot express what I saw in reading the words of this song. I saw God's economy in a totally new light, and I was so refreshed by the vision of it, however small it may be.
What we see here is that God is invisible and unknowable in Himself. Yet, in Christ we have the image of the invisible God, the effulgence of His glory, all God's fulness, God's testimony! Christ is God's explanation. Christ is God's embodiment. He is the very Word of God! To sum up: Christ is the mystery of God.
Now how does this relate to us? Well, we, the Church, are the mystery of Christ (who is the mystery of God!). Because now Christ is also invisible. Yet, He is known and seen in the Church! The Church is Christ's full expression, His dwelling-place, His duplication. The Church is in Christ's image. The Church is Christ's increase and spread. Wow!! Do we see the glorious link here? God is revealed in Christ who is revealed in us! I am once again just filled with awe at God's arrangement and can do nothing but thank and worship Him! There is no other way for me to conclude but by quoting the last verse:
"Thus, in the Son the Father is. And now the Spirit is the Son; The Spirit of the triune God Is in the Church and with her one."