What
is the mystery and why does it matter?
We call ourselves a Mid-Acts, Pauline, right
division, dispensational assembly. What a mouthful! One of the things that we
talk about, that most other churches do not, is the revelation of the mystery.
Actually, one of the major responses of individuals that would question our
motive and practice of ministry seems to be, “What is so different about what
you are doing; why all of the fuss?” What in the world causes us to not
associate ourselves with other ministries?
The answer is to be presented in the remaining
portion of this article. My personal journey, along with SO MANY OTHERS, is a
simple, yet profound, statement. I started to see not merely the similarities
of passages and doctrines in my bible, but also the distinctions. I,
through much study, began to see that if I continued to mix-match clear
opposites into one lump, then I would be guilty of error. Instead of falling in
line with the majority of denominationalism, I began to seek out some of these
biblical “fallacies,” or “contradictions,” while holding to the stern doctrinal
conclusion that the bible has no errors. That’s a contradictory statement,
right? There is no such thing when we learn to rightly divide.
There are some comparisons that, if recognized, will
change an individual’s view of God’s word forever!
Let’s compare Acts 3:19-21 & Romans 16:25-26
Acts
3:19-21
“Repent
ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord: And he shall send
Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heavens must receive
until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the
mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
Peter is
telling the men of Israel present here that all the events they are seeing and
experiencing have been promised “since the world began.”
Romans
16:25-26a.
“Now
to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began, but is now made manifest, ”
Here, Paul is addressing a group of Romans, a mixed
crowd of Jews and Gentiles, saying that he also preaches Jesus Christ. Don’t
miss the distinction, though. Whereas Peter uses the phrase “since the word
began,” Paul clearly says he preaches Christ, “according to the revelation of
the mystery, which was kept secret
since the world began.” The distinction exists between two pillars of
difference.
- Made Known vs. Kept Secret
- According to the Prophets vs. According to the Revelation of the Mystery
Whatever Peter is talking about CANNOT be the same
as what Paul is talking about.
So what is Paul talking about? Using phrases like
“revelation of the mystery” and “kept secret” sets his message apart, but what
all does this fact imply? Also, if Paul states that his information has been
hidden, but is now revealed, it should be the goal of every bible student to
find out, in entirety, the body of information that was kept secret within that
mystery information.
Here is a working definition of what the mystery is:
The
mystery is God’s hidden purpose, to send free salvation and unsearchable
riches, to Gentiles by the preaching of the cross, forming the church in
Christ, that will reign in heavenly places.
To many, this does not seem to be way off. But there
is something to be said that may cause waves in many peoples’ theology. If this
is indeed the content of Paul’s mystery information, then this absolutely
cannot be the sum of Peter’s message. As a matter of fact, if this information
is indeed what was kept secret, then everything stated in that definition of
the mystery was hidden and lacking in Peter’s preaching at Pentecost in Acts 2,
where MOST church doctrine concludes the beginning of the church, the body of
Christ to be found. Remember, in Acts 3, Peter says that what he is saying “has
been made known, since the world began.”
We will now use scripture references to add clarity
and insight to the definition of the mystery.
God’s
Hidden Purpose:
1
Corinthians 2:7-8
“But
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom,
which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the
princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory.”
Paul, once again, says that what he is speaking was
“hidden.” He also explains the reason as to why it was hidden. He says that God
kept it a secret so that Christ would be crucified. If the princes of this
world would have known God’s plan, they would not have executed the crucifixion
of Jesus. If Christ would have not been crucified, then everyone today would
still be in their sins. We know this, because we know the Gospel of God’s Grace
to be that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, died on the cross so that he could
give us salvation freely by faith in his blood, apart from our own works, even
though we are sinners (see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
As a side note, you will never meet a saved person
who has simply trusted that gospel for their salvation, who will get offended
if you ask them about his or her salvation. He or she is trusting 100% in what
Christ has accomplished by way of the cross. You could ask those 100x a day if
they are saved, and guaranteed, he or she will gladly share their assurance in
the finished work of the cross. In comparison, you will most likely receive a
totally different response from someone who is trying to earn his or her own
way into God’s eternal presence. People who are saved glory in the cross and not
their works.
Back to the reason of the secrecy: if God would have
revealed this mystery truth, namely the salvation offered due to the cross, the
princes (Satan himself) would not have allowed the crucifixion to take place.
Satan would have never allowed, if in his power, God to offer such victory to
mankind. In essence, the biggest victory Satan ever momentarily experienced,
Jesus’ death that is, was actually ultimate/eternal defeat. This is the working
out of God’s wisdom.
It is important to note that over 80% of the bible
has “not to do” with this mystery information, but rather with the “made known”
information of the prophets. This means that most of the bible is not speaking
of our salvation; therefore, most of the bible is not addressed, nor applicable,
to the body of Christ. This thinking is offensive to most, but revolutionary to
the body of Christ, who “study to shew themselves approved unto God.”
Free
Salvation:
While we do know that man’s sin has ALWAYS been paid
for by the shedding of the blood of Christ, hence the reason for the
foreshadowing of the sacrificial ordinances, we also know that salvation and
payment for these sins has not always been “FREE.”
Romans
3:21-24
“But
now the righteousness of God with the law is manifested, being witnessed by
the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no
difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justifies
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ:”
Notice the first two words, “But now.” Paul is using a time element here. He was talking about
things in the past, “but now” he is going to explain the things that are now
different, due to the mystery. Before the revelation of this mystery
information, salvation was something to be futuristically obtained by following
the law’s ordinances and keeping the commandments. Notice that even in Peter’s
address from Acts 3, he instructs Israel to
repent so that, “your sins may be blotted out, WHEN.” Peter himself was preaching a futuristic salvation that was
to come, not to be presently obtained. Free justification and free salvation
are not products of the law or covenants, but instead stem only from God’s
un-prophesied mystery information. Before the mystery revealed, justification
and salvation were never free. This unconditional salvation was, and is,
offered due to this new information.
Unsearchable
Riches
Romans
8:32
“He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things?”
This being a rhetorical question, Paul paints a
picture of what God is NOW offering that, beforetime, was not even on the
radar. What all is now offered because of this free salvation?
Ephesians
1:3
“Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
People all over the world today, especially in
charismatic circles, are constantly praying for extra blessings. “God, give me
this, and God bless me with that.” Paul says in his opening statements to the
saints at Ephesus that we have already
obtained “all” spiritual blessings, due to our being in Christ.
1
Corinthians 2:9
“But
as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
This is Paul quoting Isaiah. This was known
information. Paul starts of the next sentence with the word “but.”
1
Corinthians 2:10
“But
God hath revealed them unto is by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God.”
It is interesting how Paul is always using
transitional and contrasting phrases and words such as, “but now” or “but let me
show you something more excellent.”
“I know that you have heard this, but…”
“I know that they teach this, but…”
Paul uses these phrases to clarify the differences
of what has been versus what is now, due to new information. It was written
that no eyes had seen, nor ears had heard, but
now God has made these unsearchable things known. You could not find them
in the scriptures, but something changed.
Ephesians
3:8
“Unto
me, who am less that the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”
Unsearchable? This means you could not seek them out
or find them before, but Paul says that he has been sent specifically to preach
these “unsearchable riches” of Christ among the Gentiles. Paul was essentially
saying, “You cannot find these truths anywhere else.”
So, it is not just free salvation, which is more
than could ever be fathomed or deserved, but there are also unsearchable riches
entailed in this mystery information. When we put our faith in Christ’s
finished work of the cross, we receive a position and “unsearchable” riches,
that before the point of the mystery revealed, were unknown and unavailable.
To
Gentiles
Before this specific time, the only people that God
operated with and through, were Israel only. God had made a special covenant
with this nation. If Gentiles wanted to come to God, they had to humble
themselves before Israel. There were conditions on both God’s part and Israel’s
part. So if Gentiles wanted any blessing from God, it was only available
through God’s covenant people.
The idea of God’s
Grace, Free Justification, Forgiveness of Sins, and Being Made Righteous Before
God, were all things to come for Israel, but these things FREELY offered to Jews and Gentiles alike was unheard of.
Remember, we are in search of very clear scripture
references that define the “mystery of Christ.”
Colossians
1:27
“To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
Notice the underlined words in the verse above.
- Riches: the unsearchable riches of Ephesians 3:8
- Mystery: salvation to Gentiles and Jews alike, aside from Israel’s covenant
- Gentiles: individuals, who before the mystery revealed, had no standing before God outside of reverence and submission to Israel.
A dispensational chart is a wonderful thing to have
when discerning the mystery information from the rest of scripture. A great
place to find a chart as mentioned above would be http://graceambassadors.com/interactive-chart
(Just click on the link to see the chart). This being said, when Paul uses the
word “but now,” he sharing new information in comparison to the operation of
God in the past up until the current dispensation, which is the dispensation of
grace; we are not under the law or apart of the new covenant, which also
belongs to Israel.
When Paul arrives on the scene in Acts 9, which by
the way is where the term “mid-Acts” comes from, something changes. Something
changed on the timeline in the middle of the book of Acts. When Paul came into
the picture, so does something that has never been revealed before. Without
Paul in view of scripture, nothing would have changed with God’s operation with
his plans for Israel. The very fact that a “13th Apostle” gets
called into the game is enough information for one to see that there was a
shift occurring.
Dispensation is a real bible word. An easy
illustration is to think of a Pez-dispenser or paper towel-dispenser. The
dispenser, dispenses or provides either candy or paper towels, based on which
object you are looking at. In our bible, God is the dispenser and what He
reveals is the dispensation of God. Paul claims that he is a minister,
according to the dispensation of God, which was given to Paul for the
Colossians to fill up, or to complete the Word of God. He then calls it the
mystery that had been hidden. Using the phrase, “but now,” he is showing that
something that has never happened before is now taking place. Once again, God
in the past never operated directly with Gentiles, but instead Israel. The
current dispensation we are in is portrayed as God operating with all men, not
with covenants or the law, but by his grace.
By
Preaching of the Cross
1
Corinthians 2:2
“For
I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified.”
Paul talks a lot about the mystery, and how it has
been hidden in time past, but is now revealed and he is dispensing it to the
Gentiles. In this verse he states that he was determined to not know anything
among the Corinthians, except for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The cross is
the crux of the Christian message. It is the foundation of the mystery. His
death in itself is not mystery information, but rather the purpose and
accomplishment of Christ’s death. Most people think that the Gospel of the
kingdom talked about and preached in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is the exact
same Gospel described by the Apostle Paul. This is an impossibility when Peter,
after Jesus speaks of his own death, completely shoot that idea down and
actually begins to argue with Christ on the matter. Is it any wonder why Peter
is called Satan, by Jesus; the disciples are also ignorant of the resurrection;
they did not believe he had resurrected, but believed someone had stolen his
body. They were trusting in Christ as their King and Messiah, not his death for
sins and resurrection for justification.
This goes to show the ignorance of the cross and its
purpose, as we have already stated as part of the mystery itself; the preaching
of the cross was information kept secret.
Galatians
6:14
“But
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
Paul boasts, not in his keeping of the law or of his
flesh, but in the death of Christ. He boasts of the cross. Peter and the other
apostles did not boast of the death of Christ during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
They were actually ignorant of his death to come and were boasting in their
kingship positions as promised by the Gospel of the Kingdom.
1
Corinthians 9:16-17
“For
though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid
upon me: yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this
thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the
gospel is committed unto me.”
Why Paul? Why is his position so important? It is
not because he was the 13th Apostle preaching the same message, nor
was it because he was a “great missionary, but rather his position is important
because it was through him that God made known the revelation of the mystery.
Without Paul, we would not have the Gospel of Grace, nor would we be a part of
the Body of Christ. This is the very reason as to why Paul came into the
picture at all.
Forming
the Church in Christ
Ephesians
3:1-3a., 5-
“For
this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have
heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery:
Which
in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed
unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be
fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by
the gospel.”
There are 3 distinct things that Gentiles receive,
due to the mystery information:
- Fellowheirs- no longer are Gentiles blessed by Israel, but are in the same position to receive blessings directly from God; namely, this would be salvation(see Ephesians 2:12-13).
- Same Body- Jews and Gentiles alike, via the Body of Christ, now have no distinct standing before God, but can both be accepted and redeemed because of the Gospel of God’s Grace(Bloodshed for sins and resurrection for Justification; see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 & Romans 4:25).
- Partakers of the Promise in Christ- Gentiles are now offered the salvation that can only come from the Son of God, but once again, this is not due to being in a covenant; the Body of Christ is a new creature(2 Corinthians 5:17 & Ephesians 2:15-16).
Ephesians
5:30-32
“For
we are member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall
a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and the
two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ
and the church.”
In the majority of times used, this section of
scripture is used primarily for the emphasis of verse 31, which implies the
necessity of husband and wife to understand their unity, but there is a bigger
picture to be viewed. Notice how Paul says, once again, “but.” He is alluding
to the unity that ever believer in the church now, spiritually, experiences in
Christ; we are the body and he is the head. Marriage is a God-designed picture
of the churches position in Christ. Though “the body of Christ” is a very
cliché word, used mostly as “church talk,” this phrase carries a lot of weight
and important doctrine. It also to be noted that unlike Israel’s past covenant
with God, or even the new covenant to come, the idea of being members of Christ
rather than kings and priests in a nation ruled by Christ was a completely new
concept; hence the phrase, “the dispensation of grace.”
Reign
in Heavenly Places
The concept
of reigning in heavenly places is distinctively a Pauline doctrine. Throughout
the old Testament, all the way up to Acts 2, Israel had the mindset that they
would rule and reign with the Messiah here on the earth. This is not a
coincidence; this is what all of scripture up until that point had made known.
This was information, “that had been made known … since the world began,” which
we know not to be the information found within the mystery. Heavenly places
became the focus, only after the revelation of the mystery.
Acts
1:6
“When
they were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this
time restore again the kingdom of Israel?”
Even after 40 days, post-resurrection, that Jesus
spent with his disciples, this was still the question on their mind. Nothing
had changed in their focus, because no new information had been given. Over 80%
of the bible has to do with God’s operation with his covenant people and
establishing an earthly kingdom that will last forever. To ask an Old Testament
individual if he or she would spend eternity in heaven or hell would seem to
them as an invalid question. In Genesis 1:1, God created two distinct realms of
administration. He created heaven and he created earth. Israel’s focus was
never on that heavenly realm, but instead hoped in a future resurrection to
rule and reign on the earth.
So where does this heavenly destination mindset come
from?
As we have already addressed, Paul of course. We know
that “since the world began,” God had only talked about his earthly plans;
Peter reiterates this very idea in Acts 3. But in mentioning Genesis 1:1, we
know that God also had plans for heavenly place, but had never revealed this to
man. Hence, this was God’s pre-ordained, pre-world creation, and predestinated
plan all along. A huge pit-fall in bible study is to take information that has
been revealed and then read that same knowledge back into a passage, where at
that time, the specific revealed information was unknown. This is where almost
all Christian groups trip.
God has plans for both the earth and the heavenly
realm in the future. There are positions both in heaven and earth that have a
need to be eternally filled. The Body of Christ is destined to rule in heavenly
places, whereas Israel’s future position is to maintain a position on the
earth. Covenant people are earthly bound, while grace believers are bound for
heavenly places.
Ephesians
2:5-6
“Even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
The Jews following the Mosaic Law would have laughed
at this statement; actually, they did. The Jews were set on killing Paul because
of the “heretical” things he was preaching, especially the topics that had to
do with the acceptance of the Gentiles. This new information was bypassing
Israel, which caused great trouble for Paul. Jesus Christ instructed Paul to
preach to Gentiles and gave him a set of new instructions and information that
was very different than anything ever spoken before.
Dispensational thought, as of 2014, is seen as
heresy in many circles. But if the truth be told, dispensational, or Mid Acts Dispensational bible study to be more exact, is the
ONLY correct way to “rightly divide the word of truth(see 2 Timothy 2:15).” We
must be diligent to preaching truth and staying true to the doctrine given to
the church, the body of Christ.
Ephesians
3:9
“And
to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the
beginning of the world hath been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ:”
So, what is the mystery?
The mystery is God’s hidden purpose, to send free salvation and unsearchable riches, to Gentiles by the preaching of the cross, forming the church in Christ, that will reign in heavenly places.
(The majority of the information shared here can be
accredited to Jeremy Johnsons of Grace Ambassadors; this is more or less a
commentary of the message he preached when he met with Grace Bible Fellowship
in October, 2014. I did this as an article form outline of that particular
message. This is to be used as a brief overview of the “mystery.”)
Thanks for reading,
Alan Jaynes
FOR MORE RESOURCES ON MID ACTS, PLEASE VISIT www.graceambassadors.com or www.thegracelifeplace.blogspot.com
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