Part 1 of 2 –
The Mystery
Made Known
The term “the body
of Christ” is one that is used only by the Apostle Paul. Paul
is “THE Apostle (sent one) to the
Gentiles” (Rom 11:13). Paul then also uses the word “mystery”
seventeen times in his thirteen epistles written to the predominantly
Gentile “the body of Christ.” The word “mystery” has a
specific meaning as seen in
Col
1:27 “… THE MYSTERY WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU the hope of
glory.” “The mystery” also refers to the entire body of unique
gospel truth that Paul received from Christ for the Gentile “body of
Christ.”
Grammatically,
when we see the definitive article, “the” placed
before the noun such as “the Apostle” and/or “the
mystery” it means this is a unique “Apostle” and a unique “mystery,”
having something special about them. And so they are unique in these
cases where Paul is “the one Apostle to the Gentiles”
given the unique message and body of truth that is for us today, under the
terms of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph
3:2) called “THE MYSTERY.”
The word “mystery,”
as used by Paul, is translated from the Greek word “musterion,”
meaning “a secret,” and by its context it carries with it the
idea of “a secret that only God can reveal.” Who else but God
could have a secret “since the world began” (see
below) and then reveal it to anyone. The ascended Christ in fact
did reveal this “new” truth to the Apostle Paul “for you
Gentiles” (Eph 3:3).
“Now
to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY (Paul’s)
GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
REVELATION of THE MYSTERY, which was KEPT SECRET SINCE THE
WORLD BEGAN” (Romans 16:25)
We are
thankful that this “mystery” has now been revealed to the members
of “the body of Christ” who will see and acknowledge the unique
calling and gospel message that the ascended Jesus Christ gave to Paul. Paul
“certifies” or guarantees us that his unique gospel came “by
the revelation” he received directly from the ascended celestial Lord,
and not from any man.
Galatians
1:11-12 But I (Paul) certify you, brethren,
that the gospel which was preached of me
(Paul) is not after man. 12 For
I neither received it of man, neither was I
taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians
3:3 that BY REVELATION THERE WAS MADE KNOWN TO ME
(Paul) THE MYSTERY, as I wrote before in brief.
This unique
gospel that Christ gave to the Apostle Paul had “BEEN HID
FROM AGES AND GENERATIONS,” until it was first given to Paul
for the Gentile body of Christ. Colossians 1:26 Even THE
MYSTERY WHICH HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, but now
is made manifest to his saints (believers).
Christ gave
this heretofore hidden “mystery” gospel message to Paul…
explicitly for the “Gentiles” (Eph 3:1-5), such as those at the
Church at Colosse and the others to whom he wrote.
Ephesians
3:1-3 For this cause I PAUL, the prisoner of Jesus
Christ FOR YOU GENTILES, 2 If
ye have heard of THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD which is given me to
you-ward: 3 How that BY
REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY;
(as I wrote afore in few words,
While
it’s true that the Lord sent Peter to the Gentile house of Cornelius for
an intended purpose (I cannot get into in this writing), it is also true
that Peter had a specific designated ministry to the Nation Israel. As we
read here below, Peter’s ministry was to “the circumcision”
(
Israel
), while Paul’s ministry was “contrary” to that of
Peter. The ascended Lord directed Paul’s ministry and gospel “the uncircumcision,”
to the Gentiles. Galatians 2:7 But CONTRARIWISE,
when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me (Paul), as the gospel of
the circumcision was unto Peter;
Paul was a Jew and “a
Pharisee” (Heb 3:5) called Saul of Tarsus, and he had Roman
citizenship. After his conversion, Paul then went by his Greek name, Paul,
as he proceeded with his Christ-given ministry to the Gentiles.
The
sad situation we see in the impoverished church at large today is that so
many have turned aside from the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul. Most often
they still preach a perverted message (see below) still having a
measure of “the law” that is not for believer’s today (Rom
6:14). Paul would call their gospel “another gospel” that is “not”
the gospel for today.
Galatians
1:6-7 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto ANOTHER GOSPEL: 7
Which is NOT another; but there be some that
trouble you, and would PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Thus, many today either
do not know, believe, or accept Paul’s ministry and gospel to be uniquely
for the Gentiles, and thus they miss out on the full impact of “Christ
according to the revelation of the mystery.” Seeing
“Christ according to the revelation of the mystery” is
something much more than reading about Jesus of Nazareth’s earthly
ministry to “the lost sheep of the house of
Israel
.” (Matt 15:24).
Since “the
mystery” was hid and “kept secret” until it was revealed to
Paul some several years after the cross, it had not been made known
to the twelve Apostles who had walked with Jesus of Nazareth in His earthly
ministry that was exclusively “to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel
” (Matt 10:5-6)
Matthew
15:24 But he answered and said, I AM NOT SENT BUT UNTO
THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF
ISRAEL
.
Matthew 10:5-6 These TWELVE Jesus sent forth, and
commanded them, saying, GO NOT INTO THE WAY OF THE
GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But GO RATHER TO THE LOST
SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.
Not being of “the Twelve”
apostles, Paul and his grace apostles and prophets, meaning spokesman,
(e.g., Barnabas, Silas, Titus, 2Cor 8:16-17) preached the new Pauline
“gospel of the grace of God.” They preached Pauline truths in order
to build the churches of “the body of Christ” that Paul founded
in his several missionary journeys.
Thankfully, since Paul
received this new “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) for
us today, it is no longer hid, except to those whose minds are “blinded,”
and by those who handle “the word of God deceitfully.”
2
Corinthians 4:1-4 Therefore seeing we (Paul and his sent ones)
have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not
walking in craftiness, nor HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY;
but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's
conscience in the sight of God. 3 But
if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, should shine unto them.
My prayer is that
the pure “gospel of the grace of God” that Paul received from the
ascended Lord for the Gentles today would be preached in this age with
clarity and in purity. Sadly, “the god of this world,” Satan, has
influenced much of the Christian churches, its Bible schools, and its
seminaries, such that Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God” is
most often mixed with the “gospel of the kingdom” that
Jesus intended for the nation
Israel
. Worse yet, they often emasculate the gospel of “the grace of
God” by mixing Paul’s gospel with “the commandments and
doctrines of men,” (
Col
2:22), the doctrines of religious denominations and organizations.
