THE CONDITIONS OR MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL.
“Pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the Mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in bonds. -Paul to the Ephesians.
If a man believe that in the Age to Come “a kingdom and dominion,” such as the gospel exhibits, will exist upon the earth, and that men to whom it has been preached in ages previous to its establishment, will rise from the dead to possess it, or to be judged with due severity for refusing to believe what God has revealed concerning it-he will spontaneously inquire, “What must I do that I may inherit glory, honour, and eternal life in the kingdom of God?” This question is equivalent to saying “What must I do to be saved? -for, if a man possess these things in that kingdom, that is “inherit the kingdom, he is saved from sin, corruptibility, and death, in short from all evil from which he needs to be delivered. The answer to this question so transcendently important to all is exhibited in “the Mystery of the Gospel,” which may therefore be said to contain the conditions of salvation.
The gospel of the kingdom then hath a Mystery connected with it. By a mystery is meant a thing kept secret and hid from mankind until revealed. The gospel was preached to Abraham; but its Mystery was not preached until the day of Pentecost. The revelation made through Peter on that day was “the revelation of the Mystery which,” says Paul, “was kept secret since the world began”-Romans 16: 25. The apostolic preaching of Jesus Christ was the revelation of the mystery; the Old Testament exhibition of the truth was “the gospel of God promised afore by the prophets in the Holy Scriptures”-Romans 1: 1-2. The gospel is revealed there without mystery. The things of the kingdom and the sufferings and resurrection of its king are plainly revealed; but the use to be made of those sufferings in their precise and especial adaptation to the consciences of gospel believers in giving them the answer of a good conscience towards God, was “the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery”-it was not revealed. It was “the salvation of souls.” The initiative of that salvation which ends in the participation of the joy and glory of the Lord-“a salvation of which the prophets enquired and searched diligently, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them who have preached the gospel unto you * * which things the angels desire to look into”-1 Peter 1: 10-12. But the prophets and angels could not succeed in discovering the secret. It was impenetrable. With all the aids at their command they could not find it out; for it was “a mystery hidden from the ages and the generations,” and intended to be concealed until the time appointed for its manifestation to the saints by the preaching of the apostles-Colossians 1: 26.
But, though the Mystery of the Gospel ceased to be a secret after the day of Pentecost, it still continued to be called the Mystery. This we apprehend was to keep before the believer’s mind the remembrance of the nature of the things specially pertaining to Jesus, and to his conscience before God, which had been directly revealed to him through the apostles. As if one should say to another, “I will tell you a secret.” He tells it, and in referring to it at some future time, he says, “You remember the secret on account of which I have suffered greatly.” Here the thing would be called a secret although it ceased to be such as soon as told.
The Mystery is based upon a few fulfilled gospel predictions. It was foretold by the prophets, that the King of the Jews who should reign over them and all the nations for ever, “should pour out his soul unto death” as “an offering for sin,” as the result of his being wounded and bruised for the transgressions and iniquities of God’s people; that though numbered with transgressors in coming to his death, in the rich man’s sepulchre should be his tomb-Isaiah 53; and that he should wake early-Psalm 57: 3, 8-in the morning from the sleep of death without seeing corruption, to the enjoyment of life and pleasures for evermore-Psalm 16: 10-11. These testimonies predicted the death, burial, and resurrection of the King of the Jews, or the Christ, which is the same thing. In the fulness of time Jesus came; and, having established his right to the throne of David, died, was buried, and rose again. The things concentred in these facts being accomplished, this partial fulfilment leaves all the rest of the gospel still a matter of promise. This unfulfilled portion of the gospel is its hope; which, with the facts and mystery based upon them, is the subject matter of “the faith” which justifies.
“The Mystery of the seven stars, and the seven golden lamps. The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches; and the seven lamps are the seven churches.”
We quote this text to show the use of the word, mystery. It is evidently employed here for meaning; the hidden meaning of the seven stars is the messengers of the seven churches-the seven lamps mean or signify the seven churches. The mystery of the gospel is the meaning or signification of its accomplished facts as interpreted by Jehovah; and by his authority concentrated in an institution, through which the benefits of those facts may be imparted to those who believe the gospel of the kingdom, and its mystery.
The Mystery revealed through the apostles, though unknown to the prophets and angels, was then, as it is now, still an element of the gospel of the kingdom. It was there when preached to Abraham, but hidden; it is there yet, only revealed. The gospel of the kingdom is the major term; the Mystery, the lesser. The gospel of the kingdom contains the Mystery; but the Mystery does not contain the gospel of the kingdom. Hence, Jesus did not say, “Go into all the world, and preach the Mystery of the gospel; he that believes the Mystery and is baptised shall be saved;” but “Go and preach the gospel;” for he that believed this apostolically ministered would believe the gospel of the kingdom, its facts and mystery.
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God," said Jesus. To seek a certain thing first implies that there is something else to be sought afterwards; we may then enquire, "What next shall we seek?" To this the Great Teacher replies, “And God’s righteousness.” What is this? It is that “robe of righteousness” he hath provided for the covering of those who have sought the kingdom, and have found it—Isaiah 61: 10. It is God’s sin-covering—Psalm 32: 1-2—the robe made white in the blood of the Lamb—Revelation 7: 14; 19: 8: —the righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, through belief of Jesus Christ for all and upon all believing the gospel—Romans 3: 21-22; 1: 15-16. The righteousness of God is “the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” which he hath appointed for those who believe the gospel of the kingdom. He hath set him forth as a blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, through faith in which they may have remission of past sins, and be thus invested with the wedding garment—Matthew 22: 11-14. Those who are not covered with the robe of righteousness which God has constructed; or being cured do not “keep their garments,” that is, preserve their robes from defilement, are said in scripture to “walk naked”—Revelation 16: 15; 3: 17-18. Believers and unbelievers, who have not put on the robe of God’s righteousness are clothed in filthy rags of scarlet or crimson dye, and may say with Israel as at present circumstanced,
“We are all unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”
They are uncovered with the garments of salvation, and having no clothing but things of their own invention, are naked before God, and certain if they remain so to be put to shame at the coming of his King.
Jesus the Christ, or Anointed King of Israel, is the righteousness of those who, believing the gospel of the kingdom and its mystery, put him on—Galatians 3: 27; hence, in regard to them, he is styled “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”—Jeremiah 23: 6. When a believer puts him on he is said to be “in him,” and when in him, to be “constituted the righteousness of God in him”—2 Corinthians 5: 21. Seek then, in the first place, to understand the Word of the Kingdom—Matthew 13: 23, 13-15; and after accomplishing that, seek to be constituted the righteousness of God in its King; and all things shall be added to you. This is the order laid down by Jesus—an order which cannot be improved.
All the sufferings of the apostles inflicted by their own countrymen, were on account of the Mystery of the gospel. Israel, like the angels and prophets, were ignorant of this hidden element of their hope; and when it was demonstrated by the apostles they would not receive it. The Mystery was as much a part of the Hope of Israel as the kingdom. It was the Mystery of the Gospel; for before Christ came the gospel was all a matter of hope, so that the mystery was hidden in the hope of the nation as the greater includes the less. This identity of “the mystery of Christ” with the Hope of Israel is apparent from the reason assigned by the apostle for his loss of liberty. In writing to the Ephesians Paul says,
To the Colossians also he says,
And to the elders of the synagogue at Rome he said,
“For the Hope of Israel am I bound with this chain.” —Acts 28: 20.
Now the apostle was not an ambassador in chains for three different things, but for one thing, even for “the hope and resurrection of the dead.”
“I stand,” said he “and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake I am accused of the Jews”—Acts 26: 6-7; 23: 6.
This hope of the Twelve Tribes, or hope of Israel, proclaimed in the name of Jesus as king of the Jews, was the sole ground of the apostle’s tribulation. He suffered for nothing else; it is therefore clear that the mystery of the gospel, “the mysteries of the kingdom,” and the mystery of Christ, are but different forms of speech expressive of the same thing.
The mystery then is the meaning of the gospel facts concentrated into a focus of power, which is THE NAME OF JESUS, “than which there is none other under heaven given among men whereby they can be saved.” His name comprehends every thing that can be scripturally affirmed of him. It is a part of his name that he is that Son of David who was to be also Son of God, and King of the Jews on David’s throne for ever. This is tantamount to saying that Jesus is the Christ. This truth is the foundation corner stone—Ephesians 2: 20—of the mystery. It is also part of his name that “His blood cleanses from all sin” through his resurrection from the dead, those who believe the gospel; for—
“He was delivered for their offences, and raised again for their justification”—Romans 4: 25.
The believer of the gospel of the kingdom, then, who with an honest and good heart believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that a fountain was opened in his blood for sin and for uncleanliness—Zechariah 13: 1—when he suffered death upon the accursed tree; that he was buried; and that he rose again upon the third day according to the scriptures for the justification of the faithful unto eternal life—such an one believes the gospel in its hope, facts, and mystery, and is prepared to become “the righteousness of God” by putting on the Name of Jesus. A believer who is constituted the righteousness of God in Jesus is one to whom repentance and the remission of sins has been granted in his name. The institution of the name is the sin-cleansing mystery of the gospel of the kingdom. Such a thing had never been heard of before in Israel. They had heard of John’s baptism—“the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;” but of repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, this was a secret which prophet nor angel had ever heard till the Holy Spirit revealed it on Pentecost by the mouth of Peter—Acts 2: 38.
But how doth a sinner become the subject of repentance and the remission of sins in the name of Jesus—How doth he put on the name? There is but one way of accomplishing this indispensable and essential necessity, or condition of salvation. He must first become a believer of the hope, facts, and mystery of the gospel; for without faith, a faith that works by love and purifies the heart, it is impossible to please God—Hebrews 11: 6; Acts 15: 9; Galatians 5: 6: being thus prepared, he may then be immersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This act unites the believer of the true gospel to the Name; so that in being united his faith and childlike disposition are counted to him for repentance and remission of sins, and he becomes an heir of the kingdom and glory of God which are promised to him for ever. Thus, —
“He that believes the gospel and is baptised shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be condemned.”
In conclusion then, the great salvation exhibited in the gospel of the kingdom is national and individual. As a national salvation it delivers the nations from those that oppress them; suppresses vice, superstition, and crime; restrains evil; abolishes war; establishes justice and righteousness in the earth; and consummates a social regeneration of the world which shall be—
“Glory in the highest heavens to God, on earth peace, and good will among men.”
As an individual salvation it saves believers of the gospel-promises, facts, and mystery, from sin, sins, and the wages of sin, which is death. It saves them from sins which are past when they become the subject of repentance and remission in the name of Jesus; and it saves them from sin in the flesh, and the consequences of it, when they arise from the death-state to possess the kingdom of God. This is a great and wonderful deliverance—a salvation from all the ills of flesh, personal and relative. What possibility is there of escape if this be neglected? We know of none. The Bible reveals none; and a salvation-doctrine not inscribed in light upon its sacred page is unworthy of a wise man’s consideration.
We trust we have made this great subject plain to our correspondent’s mind, as well as to the minds of all our readers. He asks for “a few lines stating the facts of the gospel.” The gospel cannot be stated in this way. The facts are few, as we have seen; the promises great and many. The gospel is more a matter of promise and doctrine than a matter of fact. A man may believe all its facts, and still be very far from believing the gospel. Leave out the hope, and the mystery, and the gospel is destroyed. There is a statement of the gospel preached as “the Ancient Gospel,” which makes it to consist of “facts to be believed, commands to be obeyed, and promises to be enjoyed”—the facts, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; the commands, repent and be baptised; and the promises, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. This is the latest edition of error. The statement should be promises, facts, and doctrine to be believed, and obedience of faith to be rendered, for repentance and justification unto life in the kingdom of God. He that is the subject of this, and walks worthy of his high angelic destiny—Luke 20: 36—cannot fail of obtaining an illustrious position in the Age to Come.
EDITOR
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