Apostles and prophets are stewards of a revelation of the mystery of God that God destined for our glory before time began (1 Cor 2:7). The eternal purpose of God is to bring many sons and daughters to glory (Hebr.2:10). God wants a large family of sons and daughters conformed to the glorious image of his Son. Jesus Christ is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebr.1,3).

Apostles and prophets understand that those God predestined he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Rom.8:30). They work together by the Spirit to bring that glorious future into a present reality among the new covenant community. They proclaim Christ, God's mystery, to bring revelation to the people of God. They are consumed by this revelation of Christ and proclaim the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in us and among us, the hope of glory. Therefore apostles and prophets are never tired of admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom of God, so that they may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end they strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in them (Col.1:27-29).

This work of bringing the people of God to glory sometimes involves a lot of pain, disappointments and suffering. When you a united with the Father by the Holy Spirit you know that sometimes his father heart bleeds when his children disobey and hurts themselves and others as a result. The apostle Paul is saying that he again is in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in them. He loves them and wants them to grow into the glorious likeness of Christ and he is in great pain when they are not walking in the Spirit but in the flesh.

The apostles and prophets are carrying the father heart of God for the new covenant people. Their greatest joy is to see people come to maturity and grow up into him who is the head, that is the Christ. They want the covenant people to attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Therefore they admonish the believers to put of the old way of life and put on the new man, the new self, who is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. You are new creations, like like new creations. You are righteous, live righteous lives. You are holy, live holy! Become what you are in Christ. Step into the realities of the world to come NOW! This is the way apostles and prophets speak. In this way they are bringing the people of God into the glory they are destined to in Christ Jesus our Lord!