Jesus was a mystery

JESUS WAS A MYSTERY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Colossians4:3 3And pray for us, too, that God may
open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim
the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
MostRelevantVerses
Ephesians 3:4
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By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the
mystery of Christ,
Colossians 1:27
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to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Romans 16:25
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Now to Him who is able to establishyou according to my gospeland the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which
has been kept secretforlong ages past,
1 Corinthians 2:7

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but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God
predestined before the ages to our glory;
Ephesians 1:9
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He made knownto us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention
which He purposed in Him
Colossians 2:2
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that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit togetherin love, and
attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assuranceof
understanding, resulting in a true knowledge ofGod's mystery, that is, Christ
Himself,
Colossians 4:3
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praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for
the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have
also been imprisoned;
1 Timothy 3:16
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By common confession, greatis the mystery of godliness:He who was revealed
in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seenby angels, Proclaimedamong
the nations, Believedon in the world, Takenup in glory.
What Is the Mystery of Christ?

Biblical Authority Devotional:Consistencyof Scripture's Message, Part9
by Jeremy Ham on August 9, 2010
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The Apostle Paul explained the “mystery” of Christ.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body,
and partakers ofthe promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians
3:6, ESV)
Today’s big question: what is the mystery of Christ?
Paul refers to the mystery of Christ in Ephesians 3:4–5 that “has now been
revealedby the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.” The first thing to
note is that this was never a mystery to God, since He knows all things (1 John
3:20). The Lord planned Christ’s redemptive work “before the foundation of
the world” (Ephesians 1:4), and has now “made known to us the mystery of
His will, according to His good pleasure” (Ephesians 1:9). But what changed
from the Old Testamentto the New Testament, and why is there a mystery in
the first place?
One of the keythings that “changed” wasthat God’s plan of salvation
through Christ was fulfilled. There were hints of God’s plan in Genesis 3:15,
which took place in the Garden of Eden immediately after the Fall.
Throughout the Old Testament, particularly through the prophet Isaiah, God
revealedsome of His plan, but it was primarily through the Jews.
What God did in the Old Testamentwas really a picture of what was to come
through Jesus Christ. God showedthe Jews that they could not keepthe law,
and they had to keepmaking sacrificesto covertheir sins. Then in the gospels,
the ultimate sacrifice (JesusChrist) came to covertheir sins once and for all.
What many Israelites obviouslydid not realize is that God’s plan was not just
for the Jewishpeople, but for everyone, both Jew and Gentile, who receives
Jesus Christ as their Savior. God’s plan throughout Scripture has always been

the same, and since the Fall, that plan has been in motion. God reveals to us
only what we can handle and understand; He is all-knowing, and we have not
even begun to fully comprehend the mind of God (Isaiah55:8–9). Now that
Christ’s work on the Cross has been completed, and the mystery has been
revealedto us through Paul (Ephesians 3:8–9), it is time to boldly proclaim
the gospelto everyone—bothJew and Gentile (Romans 10:14–17).
The Mystery of Christ
“When you read this, you canperceive my insight into the mystery of Christ”
(Eph. 3:4).
- Ephesians 3:4
At some point during or after his conversionon the road to Damascus, Paul
was given a mystery to proclaim to the world, a body of contentthat was
delivered with new clarity to the apostle by the Lord Jesus Himself. This
mystery was not some kind of secretknowledgethat only an elite few can
bear; rather, it was given to Paul in order that he might deliver it to all
Christians (Eph. 3:1–3). This mystery, the apostle explains, is “the mystery of
Christ” (v. 4).
Paul goes onin the following verses to define the mystery for his readers, but
for now let us considerwhat it means that the apostle understands his mystery
as the mystery of Christ or the mystery involving Jesus. Puritancommentator
Matthew Henry is helpful here. He writes that “it is called the mystery of
Christ because itwas revealedby him, and because it relates so very much to
him.” Galatians 1:11–12 showsthatit was the revelationof Jesus Christthat
put this mystery into Paul’s stewardship. Therefore, ourSavior revealedit to
His apostle by the Holy Spirit. Yet the mystery not only was given by Christ
but is also about Christ. Essentially, the mystery is equivalent to the gospel,
that goodnews of salvation, declaring that men and women canbe forgiven of
their sins and made full citizens of the kingdom of Godwhen they repent and
trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation. Throughout the New Testament, we

see the gospeldescribedas “the gospelof Jesus Christ” or “the gospelof our
Lord Jesus” — the goodnews of who He is and what He has done for His
people (Mark 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:8).
Given the definition of the term mystery as something that was once veiled but
is now plainly revealed, to callthe gospela mystery emphasizes the newness of
the messagethatcame when the Son of God became incarnate two thousand
years ago. It is not as if the gospelwas wholly unknown to the old covenant
saints, for they were set right with the Father in the same way that we are —
through faith alone (Gen. 15:6). Yet the knowledge the old covenantsaints
had of the gospelwas faint in comparisonto the glorious revelationdelivered
by Jesus through His new covenantapostles and prophets. What they saw
only in part we now see more fully, and we are assuredthat God’s people
include the electof all nations (Eph. 3:6).
Coram Deo
The way of salvationhas been the same throughout all ages, but we cannot
underestimate the greatprivilege we have to live under the new covenant. We
have God’s completed revelation to His people, and can therefore understand
Him and His ways better than those covenantmembers who lived before
Jesus. Let us be thankful for the days in which we live and continually praise
God for appointing us to be on the earth at this time.
Passages forFurther Study
Jeremiah31:31–40
1 Timothy 3:14–16
Hebrews 8
Revelation10:1–7
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/mystery-christ/

Understanding the Mystery of Christ
By Mark DeYmaz, CP Contributor
The Christian Postpublished an article online on Friday, September13, 2013,
written by Dan Delzell, entitled, "Do You Understand the Mystery of Christ?"
In part, the article stated:
"Ah, the mystery of Christ. That is exactlywhat God revealedto Saul, who
went on to become the apostle Paul. …What happens to the person who
repents of his sin and believes this good news? 'Yet to all who receivedHim, to
those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of
God.'" (John 1:12) That is the mystery of the new birth. And that is the
mystery of Christ" (emphasis mine).
The problem is, that is not the mystery of Christ as discussedin this article,
I'll explain to you why. In order to do so, however, it is first necessaryto share
a brief word about the localchurch to which Paul was writing, the church at
Ephesus.
The fact is the localchurch at Ephesus was made up of both Jewishand
Gentile converts, and thus was multi-ethnic (Acts 19:8–17;20:21). Indeed,
biblical evidence does not support the notion of a homogeneous churchat
Ephesus. With this in mind, the theme of Paul's letter to the Ephesians can be
statedas follows:the unity of the church for the sake ofthe Gospel.1
Following his comments concerning an individual believer's unity with the
Father through faith in Jesus Christ (chapter 1), and concerning the unity of
Jews and Gentiles - the two groups now "one new man and body" - (chapter
2), Paul intends next to pray for the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:1, 14–19).
However, in Ephesians 3:2–13, he momentarily interrupts himself to remind
the congregationofhis apostolic mission. Here, then, is a parenthetical
statementin which he defines his calling and declares that "by revelation
there was made known to me the mystery . . . of Christ" (Ephesians 3:3–4

NASB). Here, too, he mentions a previous letter to the church in which he had
also addressedhis "insight into the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:4 NASB).
According to Paul, understanding of this mystery had not been granted to
past generations but had only "now been revealedby the Spirit to God's holy
apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 3:5).
A common error (as in the article cited above) is to assume that the mystery
Paul is speaking of is the mystery of the Gospel - the goodnews message of
Christ's life, death, resurrection, and atonementfor sin, by which, through
faith, men and women might be saved(Ephesians 2:8). Yet this is not the case.
For in Ephesians 3:6, Paul makes it clearthat the mystery of Christ is
something altogetherdifferent:
"To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the
body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel"
(Ephesians 3:6 NASB).
The New International Version translates the verse this way:
"This mystery is that through the Gospelthe Gentiles are heirs togetherwith
Israel, members togetherof one body, and sharers togetherin the promise in
Christ Jesus."
This verse represents the very apex of the book from which all else that is
written derives its context and meaning. In fact, it represents the very
substance of Paul's life and ministry. Here Paul is describing himself not
simply as a minister of the Gospelbut also a minister of the mystery of Christ.
Notice, too, that he calls himself a minister of this gospel(Ephesians 3:7), that
is, of the goodnews concerning unity of Jewishand Gentile believers in the
church. Such understanding is further supported by his words near the end of
the letter, at which time he asks the Ephesians to "pray also for me . . . so that
I will fearlesslymake knownthe mystery of the gospelfor which I am an
ambassadorin chains" (Eph. 6:19–20, emphasis mine).
Therefore, as Paulwrites this letter from prison, he states that he is in chains
not simply for proclaiming the Gospelbut also for proclaiming the mystery of
Christ (Col. 4:2–4), the mystery of my gospel(Romans 16:25);namely, "that

the Gentiles are fellow heirs (togetherwith the Jews). . . and fellow partakers
of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel" (Ephesians 3:6 NASB). In
other words, Paul is in prison not for generally preaching salvation, but for
specificallypreaching Gentile inclusion in an otherwise all ethnically Jewish
kingdom of God and localchurch.
Such understanding of Paul's unique role in the proclamation of the mystery
of Christ canbe also observedin his letter to the Romans. His final words
againmake clear what is most prominent in his mind concerning the mystery
of Christ:
"Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospeland the proclamation
of Jesus Christ, according to the revelationof the mystery hidden for long
ages past, but now revealedand made known through the prophetic writings
by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey
him - to the only wise God be glory foreverthrough Jesus Christ! Amen"
(Romans 16:25–27, NIV, emphasis mine).
To present the word of God yet fail to teach the mystery of Christ is, in Paul's
mind, to fail to teachthe localchurch God's word "in its fullness." Stated
another way, Gentile inclusion is inextricably linked to the gospelof Paul; and
not simply where eternallife is concerned, but also where the localchurch on
earth is concerned. In fact, over and over throughout the book of Romans
(written to another multi-ethnic church) Paul pairs these two concerns. For
him they are two sides of the same coin, as is readily observedin Romans
1:16; 3:21, 22, 29-30;10:9, 11-13;Romans 15:15, 16; and Romans 16:25, 26.
In Colossians1:24–27, also,Pauldevelops the conceptof his unique calling as
the one chosento both proclaim and explain the mystery of Christ. According
to this passage, he is the servantof Christ and of his body, commissioned"to
present the word of God to you in its fullness the mystery that has been kept
hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosedto the saints"
(Colossians1:25–26, NIV).
It is for such reasons thatPaul goes on in Ephesians 3:7-to explain that he was
callednot only to proclaim the mystery of Christ among the Gentiles but also
"to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery . . . in order that

the manifold wisdom of God might now be made knownthrough the church"
(emphasis
mine). In other words, Paul had not only been granted insight into the
mystery of Christ but also insight into how (and why, Ephesians 4:4-6) the
mystery is to be lived out practically by diverse believers waking as one in the
localchurch. And this he does from Ephesians 4:1 through Ephesians 6:20.
By now it should be clearthat failure to understand the centraltheme of
Paul's life and ministry results in an impoverished understanding of the
passagein question, the mystery of Christ and, as well, the very nature of the
localchurch. And since Paul's passionis for the mystery of Christ to be
understood and lived out in the context of the localchurch it should be our
passion, as well.
Any attempt to render Paul's teaching concerning the mystery of Christ as
solelyredemptive in nature or, as it pertains to the localchurch, in a purely
homogenous light, is to stray no small distance from his self-describedcalling,
ministry, and passion. Indeed it is to stand in direct opposition to Paul's clear
teaching regarding the localchurch. Paul expects the localchurch to be a
place in which diverse believers walk, work, and worship God togetheras one
in order to present a credible witness of His love for all people. In fact, it's the
very messageofsalvationalone through faith in Jesus Christ, the Gospel,
itself, that even makes sucha church possible … on earth as it is in heaven.
The Mystery Of Christ
Ephesians 3:4,5
The mystery of Christ begins with
Gen. 1:1 where He is the Creatorof the heavens and the earth. In the third
chapter He is the promised seedand the one who would utterly crush the head
of the serpent. And as we go through the Word of God, we see the mystery

unfolded step by step. Finally we see Him as King of kings and Lord of lords
in Rev. 19:16.
In this brief glance, we have not included the epistles of Paul written after
Acts 28:28, nor the gospelof John which belongs to the same period. In John
we begin to see some things not before revealed. By Him came grace and
truth. He had a glory as of the only Begotten. True spiritual worship was also
introduced, leaving behind temple, priest, and ritual.
But it is in the prison epistles of Paul that we find the highest revelationof the
glories of Christ. And it takes these revelations to complete the mystery of
Christ. Or we might say, that it takes the dispensation of the mystery to
complete the mystery of Christ. Let us examine it.
In 1:22,23 we find the words, Church which is His body, the fullness of Him.
Bodies had been known before, but none which could be said to be the fullness
of Him. This is the church of the dispensationof the mystery, something that
had been hid in God from ages andgenerations.
This church is the fullness of Him who is the Filler, One who fills up all the
members with all spiritual gifts and graces. He has ascendedfar above all the
heavens in order that He might fill all things. The Father setHim at His own
right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and
might, and dominion, and every name that is named. This ascensionfarabove
all things was essentialso that He could fill all things.
When John made note of the fact of the glory of Christ, he also mentioned
that of this fullness all had received, that is, believers. But in the church of the
mystery, we have a higher plane: It is the fullness of the Christ. And we learn
more of the fullness of Christ from Paul. In Him dwells all the fullness of the
godheadbodily and the church is filled to the full in Him who is the Head of
all principality and power. It is on resurrectionground that this fullness
dwells in Him bodily. That is how it dwells.
Now it was necessarythat there be a bodily manifestation of God who had
never been seenby the eye of man. So the only BegottenSondeclared Godas
Father. That was the office of the Word. A word declares ortells something.

This manifestation was in the nature of a mediator ship, a link betweenthe
invisible God and man. Christ is the express image of the invisible God. He
who has seenHim has seenthe Father. And today we read of the Son and His
glories, and see the Father.
The church members are said to be complete or filled to the full in Him. And
He is Head, not only of the church, but of principality and power. This
headship is revealed as the mystery of God's will.
So the church which is the body of Christ is the fullness of the unseen Christ.
It was createdas one new man. It is an objectof His care in ages to come.
https://believer.com/the-mystery-of-christ
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Lesson5 from the BaptistWayPress Connect360 unit “The Fullness of
Christ” focuses onColossians 1:24-29.
What comes to mind when you hear that something is a mystery? Typically,
we think of a mystery as something that’s hard to understand or a puzzle that
remains unsolved. If you have 500 puzzle pieces with no photo to refer to, you
have a mystery—and you are clueless aboutwhat the assembledpuzzle will
reveal. It’s no mystery that it’s a jigsaw puzzle, but the completed picture
remains an enigma.

In this lesson, we will explore a Bible mystery, the meaning of which was
hidden for ages. However, the use of the word “mystery” in the New
Testamentdescribes something that once was undisclosed, but now is
understood because the answerhas been revealed. Christ’s redemptive work
assembledthe puzzle pieces for us, so we can now see the whole picture. As we
begin, we must realize that, in Christ, we have the explanation of a previous
mystery, and the solutions to many formerly unansweredquestions.
‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’
The real powerof this mystery is found in the phrase in Colossians1:26,
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The world changedon Pentecostwhen
Jesus came to live within every believer through the Holy Spirit. Salvationno
longercame from following rules, but from being inhabited by Jesus (cf. 1
John 5:11–12). Christis the perfection of God, along with his righteousness,
wisdom, power, love, glory, beauty, peace, comfort, forgiveness andpatience.
Jesus and all God’s resourcesnow live within us.
When Moses wantedto see God’s glory, God told him that he would let “all
my goodnesspass before you” (Exodus 33:18–19). The hope of everbeing
goodand ever being comfortable in the presence ofthe total holiness of God,
is Christ—the holiness of God—living inside us. Christ in you is the hope of
glory—that which used to be hidden is now freely available to anyone who will
turn to Jesus and surrender one’s life to him. That is the best truth in the
world!
Compiled by Stan Granberry, marketing coordinatorfor BaptistWayPress.
Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth
RevelationOf The Mystery
So what is the “Revelationofthe Mystery” “the Mystery of Christ” and all
this Mystery stuff that the Apostle Paul puts so much emphasis on in his
letters and that the organizedchurch puts so little emphasis upon? And what

is all this Dispensationalstuff with these Bible choppers and followers of
Paul? I thought we are to follow Christ?
Let’s see if we can unravel a few of these questions and accusations. First, the
Mystery information that was given to Paul by revelation, from Christ, is
unique to Paul. Before Paul, it was not given to any of the other Apostles nor
did they understand it until it was explained to them by Paul. It was not,
therefore, a part of the doctrines or message taughtby the Twelve, which is
why, at the JerusalemCouncil, Paul tells us in Galatians 2:7, that it was
understood that the gospelOF the circumcisionwas committed unto Peter
and the gospelOF the uncircumcision was committed unto himself and
furthermore he saidthat “they” added nothing to him but that he added to
them.
It is also quite clear, from scripture, that Paul’s Gospelwas not the Gospelof
the Kingdom that had been taught to the other Apostles during the earthly
ministry of Jesus which, as Petertells us, WAS KNOWN since the foundation
of the world because it had been prophesied. The Gospelof the Kingdom was
the “goodnews” thatthe kingdom was at hand and furthermore, it was still at
hand even after Christ’s ascensionwhichis why the Apostles continued to
preach it and also beganto preach the Gospelof God, which was that Jesus,
whom they had crucified, was in fact, the promised Messiah. Notice thatnone
of the Gospels that the Apostles were preaching containedanything pertaining
to people being savedby believing that Christ had died for their sins. This,
“gospel ofGod” is what Paul came to understand and believe but it is not the
same gospelthat was later given to him, by revelation, that is calledthe
“GospelofChrist”. It is also instructive to notice that the Gospelofthe
Kingdom ceasedto be preached after the stoning of Stephen. Paul never
preachedit because Israel’s programhad been temporarily shut down when
Israel’s leadershipblasphemed the Holy Spirit at Stephen’s stoning and had
finally rejectedChrist as their Messiahand so the Kingdom was no longer “at
hand”. That the Apostles learned this is evident since they only preached the
Gospelof God later on, as well as what they learned from Paul. These facts
are completelyoverlookedby the organized, so-called, church throughout
most of its history, both Roman Catholic and Protestant.

If Paul’s Gospelof Christ is the same there certainly would have been no need
for the ascendedLord to come back and by revelation, teach Paul something
that had alreadybeen previously revealedto the other Apostles. Surely God
would simply have told Paul to go to the other Apostles and learn from them.
But this is not the case becausewhatwe see is that Godwas starting
something completelynew with Paul, as he is put in charge of the
Dispensationof the grace of God and called to be the Apostle of the Gentiles
and to show All men what is the revelation of the mystery which was KEPT
SECRET since the foundation of the world and was NOT made known until it
was revealedto Paul.
So what does the Bible say about the “Mystery” information given to Paul?
Romans 16:25 “Now to him that is of powerto stablish you according to my
gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secretsince the world began, 26 But now is made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see whatis the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who createdall
things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and
powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternalpurpose which he purposed in
Christ Jesus ourLord:
Notice in the above verses that the “revelationof the mystery” was kept secret
since the world beganand this information was not previously revealed. How
do we know that it was not previously revealed? The phrase, “But now” in the
very next verse of both the Ephesians and the Romans quotes lets the reader
know very clearly that this is the case. Itcouldn’t be any clearer.
And again, we see below Paul says that it was, by revelation, that Christ
revealedthe mystery or secretto him.

Ephesians 3:3 How that by revelation he made knownunto me the mystery;
(as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand
my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Paul also differentiates betweenhis gospeland the gospelofthe Twelve when
he establishes ownershipcalling it “my gospel”. This preaching, he says, of
Jesus Christ, is according to the revelationof the mystery. It is not according
to that which was prophesied but rather, according to this mystery which God
kept hid in himself.
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from
generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Here we see the “but now” phrase again in the Colossians reference. So it is
very clearby these verses and others, that the mystery was hidden since the
world began and that it was revealedby revelationto Paul and that this gospel
and the mystery information was unique to Paul and his ministry.
Now some would argue that this mystery was also revealedto the other
Apostles and that Paul was just the principal agentto whom these particular
truths were revealed but considerwhat Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy
1:16:
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christmight
shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on him to life everlasting.
Here we see Paulsays that “in me first” and that he is the “pattern” to
everyone who believes that comes afterhim. So if Paul was first and only those
who come after him follow this pattern, ergo those who came before must
have followedsome other pattern. Perhaps they were following that which
was according to prophecy and according to Christs’ earthly ministry;
according to those things which HAD been known since the beginning of the
world… not a mystery which, is exactlywhat Peterpreaches in Act 2.
Paul was the first to experience this unprecedented mercy because Paulwas a
blasphemer having blasphemed the Holy Spirit for which there was no
remedy. Under God’s program with Israelthere was no hope for Paul and

since it was by the light of Israel’s rising, according to prophecy, that the
Gentiles were to have come to the knowledge ofGod and now Israelis fallen,
then there would have been no hope for anyone. But that is when God shows
this unprecedented mercy to Paul offering it first to him and then revealing to
him that now all, jew and gentile alike, have the opportunity for salvation
whereby, anyone who simply takes Godat his word (faith) concerning what
His Son’s death upon the cross had accomplished, having been the payment
for the sins of the world, they will be saved. The moment someone believes in
the GospelofChrist, they are then identified with Christ by being baptized by
the Holy Spirit into his body and become one with him; insomuch as what
belongs to Christ now also belongs to the believer; Christs’ righteousness
being put on the accountof the believer totally unearned. This is why “The
Faith” is not a religion. Religionrequires that you do something to earn
salvationso if your belief systemrequires works forsalvation then you are
doomed because whatdoes man have to offer the infinite, eternal God that
would be acceptable?Nothing!Only the righteousness ofChrist himself is
acceptable. Man’s righteousnessis as “filthy rags”. If we could satisfy God’s
judgment then why did Christ come and die? Either Christs’ payment for sin
satisfiedGod’s justice or it didn’t. God’s word says it did:
2Co 5:21 Forhe hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousnessofGod in him.
Eph 2:8, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: 9, Not of works, lestany man should boast.
When Paul says that the mystery information had not been made known in
other ages and generations this would include those who came before Paul,
including the other Apostles. Because, in fact, they were a part of another
dispensationor administration of God even though they were Paul’s
contemporaries.
The twelve were part of God’s program with Israeland Jesus had told them
that they would sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes in the
coming kingdom. Israelwas God’s elect;God had chosenIsrael to be his
representative and his people for the redemption of the earthly realm. They

would be a nation of priests and it would be through Israel’s RISE that the
nations would come to God. But we see in Romans, Israelwas, in part, blinded
and God, therefore, concluded them all in unbelief so that he could have
mercy upon all. So rather than the nations being blessedand coming to God
through Israel’s RISE, as had been prophesied, Paul tells us that, it is now by
their FALL that a specialprogram of grace, wherebyGentiles could come to
God completely apart from Israeland that now there is neither Jew nor
Greek but now God’s Elect (chosenconduit or representatives)are those who
are savedby believing the Gospelof Christ, apart from Israel. And it is to this
body that the messageofreconciliationis given to show all men what is “the
revelation of the mystery.” Believers of the dispensation of the grace of God
are not promised an earthly kingdom but rather, according to Paul, our
conversationor literally our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20 Forour
conversationis in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ:
You see, Satanhas corrupted both the earthly and heavenly realms and God
is therefore using men, created a little lowerthan the angels, in his plan to
redeem that which was corrupted by sin.
Paul’s Gospeland Ministry
I assure you that the scriptures make it very clearthat the dispensationof the
grace ofGod, as Paul calls it in Ephesians 3:2, was particular to Paul as he
says “I magnify mine office” and that none other of the Apostles even refers to
such a dispensation. In fact, we read in Galatians 2 that Paul had to go to
Jerusalemto explain THAT gospelwhich he preached among the Gentiles.
Haven’t you ever askedyourselfwhy it would be necessaryfor Paul to do
that? Were they just wanting to make sure he wasn’tpreaching the wrong
thing or that he had gone astray? No, it is very clearby the language usedthat
Paul’s gospelwas not the same as the “gospelofthe circumcision” but that he
had the gospelof the uncircumcision. Both sides agreedto this and made a
cleardistinction betweenthe two. If there were no difference there would have
been no reasonfor this agreement.

There are a number of things that Paul’s gospelof Christ reveals that were
not knownuntil it was revealedby Paul having receivedit from the risen,
ascendedChrist. What Christ’s death, burial and resurrectionaccomplished
is another part of what was not knownbefore Paul learned it. That Christ’s
work upon the cross had reconciledthe world to Godwas not known and for
goodreason. If Satan had knownthis would be the result I believe he would
have workedto stop the crucifixion, don’t you? Instead, he was an unwitting
actordoing his part in God’s secretplan.
If you study it out you will no doubt discoveras I and others have that, the
clearteaching of the Bible is that God has temporarily put his program with
Israelon hold at the stoning of Stephen when Israel’s leadershiprefused to
repent and acknowledgetheir Messiahand admit their failure to keepthe
contractthey made with God. And remember the parable of the fig tree when
Christ saidhe had found no fruit during his 3 years of ministry but he would
give Peterone more year to minister and see if Israel produced any fruit. The
stoning of Stephen is the end of that one-yearextension. And it is surely no
coincidence that this is when Paul comes upon the scene. Paullater writes that
it is by Israel’s fall that God concluded them all in unbelief and can now have
mercy upon all. As I statedabove, Paul was, in fact, the first to receive this
mercy which previously was unavailable to anyone especiallysomeone who
was a blasphemer, as Paul indicates that he was. Paul was the first and he was
the pattern. 1Ti 1:16 (quoted above)
Our Instructions
The doctrine which we are to follow comes from the Pauline Epistles, not from
the Hebrew Epistles nor from the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are to follow Paul, as he tells us, as he followedChrist, not according to his
earthly ministry but rather according to the revelation of the mystery that
was given to Paul after Christ’s ascension.
This is not some new idea that just popped into someone’s headand is
spreading with cult-like fervor (actually it’s more akin to pushing a rope) but
it is truth that has been obfuscatedby centuries of ignoring the words on the
pages of the Bible; not “rightly dividing the word of truth” and letting the

traditions of men and the biases of previous generations bend our perception
of what the Bible actually teaches.
It is no different than what occurredduring the Reformation when some
beganto discoverthe truth of salvationby grace through faith and not of
works. Had this truth always been there? Of course, but through the deceitof
men and sleightof hand, this truth had been hidden. The truth that the
Dispensationof grace was givento Paul and that he is the singular Apostle of
the “dispensationofthe grace ofGod” and of this one “new man” which is
made of twain in Christ, as opposed to the TWELVE Apostles who were
promised to sit on twelve thrones, ruling the twelve tribes, is clearly taught.
In fact, I challenge anyone to show me where any of the four Gospels or the
Hebrew Epistles (letters written to Hebrews) ever refers to “the body of
Christ”. You can’t because it’s not there because it is part of the secretGod
had been keeping, as Paul says, since the foundation of the world. All
believers, all those who have taken God at his word are members of one body.
That out of two God would make one new man was never knownand it was
not knownthat Gentiles would everbe able to come to salvation apart from
coming through Israel. Now God is working out this dispensation of his grace
that he gave to Paul. When he is finished with this administration he will
resume and complete his work with Israel which, has been temporarily shut
down according to the parable of the fig tree in which a one-yearextension
was granted to Israelto repent as Christ explained to the disciples. Israel
rejectedher Messiah, blaspheming the Holy Spirit, at the stoning of Stephen.
Again, remember, this is when Paul comes on the scene!Of course, it was no
coincidence that when God shut down his program with IsraelHe was
preparing a brand new Apostle to whom he would share a secretabout all
that his Son’s cross-work hadaccomplished.
Pay Attention and Be On Your Guard.
2 Corinthians 11: 13 For such are false apostles, deceitfulworkers,
transforming themselves into the apostles ofChrist.14 And no marvel; for
Satanhimself is transformed into an angelof light. 15 Therefore it is no great

thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.
As we can see in the above verses, it’s not the Devil with horns and a pitchfork
that we have to be on guard for but rather it’s the teachers and the preachers;
it’s the man or woman standing behind the pulpit spreading the “goodnews”;
the ministers of righteousness – that’s the Satanic program. It has always been
Satan’s plan to “rise above the MostHigh” so he is in the business of imitating
the works ofGod is he not? He desires to take God’s place. So spreading a
gospelthat sounds really close to the truth would be an ideal wayto mislead
many would it not? Of course, it would and I am certain it has been a very
effective tactic when we see all the division and the lack of understanding of
the word of truth that started in Paul’s time and has continued to this day.
When Paul’s admonition to “rightly divide the word of truth” is followedand
we get our doctrine from our Apostle, the apostle ofthe Gentiles and the one
to whom was given a dispensationof the Grace ofGod, it’s amazing how well
everything fits togetherso beautifully. But when we start cramming things
togetherthat don’t belong togetherwe have to make excuses andcreate
fanciful, high minded theologicalfairy-tales to explain things that just– don’t–
quite– fit.
When I came to understand that the Bible says what it means and means what
it says to whom it says it, it was amazing how the contradictions (that I used to
claim were not contradictions)that I used to explain away…Welllow and
behold!!! I was able to leave them be, once I started rightly dividing and they
actually made sense in their proper context.
Still Not Convinced?
I’ve determined that I cannotconvince anyone of anything and most will find
whateverconvenient excuse they canto justify not doing their due diligence
like, “Well if the Pauline dispensationalposition is correcthow come I’ve
never heard of it or how come almost no churches teach it?” Well, like I
said… excuses.

I had been a Baptistmy entire life. My dad was a preacherand an Evangelist.
I taught Sunday School;led the music and sang specials. I read books and
listened to all the so-calledgreats but when someone pointed out things that
were in black and white, right there in the pages of scripture that I had never
seenbefore, even though I had read them many times, I was dumbfounded. I
could do one of two things. I could make excuses andgo find an expert who
would offer a lame but acceptable explanationor I could admit that I had
been blinded by tradition and the slight of men. I chose and so will you.
By way of analogyChrist said in Matthew 7:13:
¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate:for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadethunto life, and few there
be that find it.
So why do we think the majority has it right? I believe the principle is that
there are very few that get it right and many that getit wrong, so if you are
going with the crowdit may be a goodreasonto suspectthat you may be on
the “broadway” I know I was. And if you think that mainstream Christianity,
so-called, has been getting it mostly right for the last 2000 years, maybe you’d
better considerthe words of Christ above. And consideralso what Paul said
about his situation at the end of his ministry when he says that all had
forsakenhim. Don’t be fooled, the majority were getting it wrong then and
nothing has changed. Like my dad used to say“I’d rather be right than
popular”.
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see whatis the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who createdall
things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and
powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternalpurpose which he purposed in
Christ Jesus ourLord:
https://mysteryofchrist.net/

The Mystery Of Christ In You The Hope Of Glory Series
Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Apr 14, 2014
(rate this sermon)
| 17,043 views
Scripture: Colossians 1:27
Denomination: Baptist
Summary: The Mystery of Christ in you is crucial to understanding the
difference betweenjust having a religion and truly being saved. Mystery #1
God manifest in the flesh makes it possible for us to experience this life
changing mystery of Christ in us!
1 2 3 4
Next
THE MYSTERYOF CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY (Col. 1:27; I
Cor. 2:7-14; 4:1-2)
In the N.T. a "mystery" is some glorious eternalspiritual truth that had not
been revealedin the O.T. but is now revealedin the N.T. (Col. 1:26).
Faithfully teaching these mysteries is key to establishing new Christians in the
faith (Rom. 16:25-26). Theyare very important truths for the church that are
revealedby the Holy Spirit & canonly be understood by the illumination of
the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:10; Eph. 1:17-19).

The mystery of "Christ in you the Hope of glory" (Col. 1:26-29;3:11) is the
salvationtruth we are studying now. Not Christ “with” you but Christ "in"
you! A deep understanding of this greatmystery will totally transform us as it
frees us from religious bondage to walk in intimate fellowship with almighty
God!
GOD CREATED MANKIND AS A TRI-UNITY WITH A BODY, SOUL,
AND SPIRIT. Genesis 1:26-27 revealsthe creationof the soul. Genesis 2:7
reveals how Godformed the physical body. Man is both created& formed
(Isa. 43:7). God "breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life and man
became a living soul." Jesus himself tells us it is the spirit that giveth life
(John 6:63; Eccl. 12:7). Thus we observe man has a body, soul and spirit (I
Thess. 5:23;Heb. 4:12)
Jesus died on the cross to save us from the penalty of all our sins (1 Thess. 5:9-
10; I Tim. 1:15; Titus 2:14; I John 1:7). Knowing the 1stMystery of godliness
is essentialto fully experience this salvationfrom the penalty of our sins. Jesus
died on the cross to save us from the power of sin (Romans 6:1-14). The
omnipotent powerof the indwelling Christ saves us from the limited power of
indwelling sin. Knowing this 2nd Mystery of Christ “in you” is essentialto
fully experience salvationfrom the powerof sin in us. Jesus died on the cross
to ultimately save us from the presence ofsin (ICor. 15:51-57;Rom 8:18-23;
Rev. 21:1-8). Knowing the Mystery of the Rapture (IThess. 4:13-18)empowers
us to live in the joyful anticipation of being eternally delivered from the
presence ofsin.
GOD'S PURPOSE IN CREATING MAN WITH A BODY, SOUL AND
SPIRIT WAS SO THAT WE COULD BECOME A LIVING TEMPLE OF
THE TRINITARIAN GOD. (Eph. 2:21-22)
The Holy Spirit lives in us (I Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Rom. 8:9, 11). "Know ye not
that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you."The LORD
Jesus Christ lives in us. (Col. 1:27; 3:11; Gal. 2:20). "Examine yourselves,
whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own
selves, how that Jesus Christis in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor.
13:5). God the Father lives in us. (Eph. 3:16-19;4:6).

This omnipotent sovereignChrist literally lives “IN ME”
Through the Indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9-10).
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“Christ in you, is the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
This mystery is realized & experiencedthrough the indwelling Holy Spirit:
"…the father shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you
forever; even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it
seethhim not, neither knowethhim: but ye know him, for he dwelleth with
you & shall be in you." “At that day ye shall know that I am in my father &
ye in me, and I in you" (John 14:16-20).
Why only “in that day” shall you know? (The day Holy Spirit comes to live in
you?)Becausethese truths can only be grasped & understood through the
ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit (I Cor.2:7, 10-13).
The reality of this Mystery is the greatinfallible test of true faith: “Examine
yourselves, whetherye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not
your own selves, how that Jesus Christis in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2
Cor. 13:5). Here is a spiritual testwe must not fail! We cannotbe savedunless
Jesus lives in us. Jesus cannotbe “in you” unless you have specificallyasked
Him to come in! “He that hath the Son hath life…” (I John 5:11-13)
Christ in us dwells in our heart: “Thathe would grant you, according to the
riches of his glory, to be strengthenedwith might by his Spirit in the inner
man; (17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith…(19) …that ye might
be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:16-17, 19). When Jesus comes
into our hearts He is able to cleanse ourhearts from all sin (Act 15:9; Heb
9:14; I Pet. 1:22).

Christ living in me makes my physical body the Temple of God! (I Cor. 6:19).
This is the Divine Eternal Purpose for the Human Body! “To be filled with all
the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:17, 19).
Illustration: The Temple
The true and greatestglory doesn’tcome from the building but from God
Himself filling the building with his glory!(Ex. 40:34-35;2 Chron. 5:14; 7:1-3;
Jn. 1:14). There are 4 Dwelling places of God are revealedin His Word: The
tabernacle. (Ex. 29:42-43);The Temple. (2 Chron. 5:14); Jesus. "Forin him
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily" (Col. 2:9; John 1:14; Col. 2:9;
2 Cor. 5:19); The Church (I Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Col. 1:27; Eph. 2:22):
Corporatelyas the body of Christ "the fulness of him that filleth all in
all"(Eph. 1:22-23;2:22; I Cor. 3:16): Individually as members of Christ's
body (I Cor. 6:19-20;Col. 1:27). "Thatye might be filled with all the fullness
of God" (Eph. 3:19).
Christ in you Begins a process oftransformation: “My little children, of whom
I travail in birth againuntil Christ be formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). Once Christ
comes to live in your heart you begin a lifelong growthprocess to become
more and more like Jesus. “Forwhomhe {God} did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (Romans 8:29; Rom.
6:13).
Christ in me empowers me to live righteously: “And if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because ofsin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”
(Rom 8:10). Christ in me gives me spiritual life. “He that is joined unto the
Lord is one spirit” (I Cor. 6:17). I now have to decide if I am going to nourish
my spirit, through spiritual disciplines, and thus become a self sacrificing
spiritual person; or am I going to feed the lusts of my flesh and become a very
carnalself absorbedperson.
Christ in me is the key to submitting to the LORD ship of Christ: “I am
crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). Christ in me establishes
my intimate relationship with God!

Christ in me is the key to victory overthe devil: "greateris he that is in you,
than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
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Christ in me Anchors my life in God’s love: “That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love…” (Eph 3:17).
Only Christ in me can fill me with all the fullness of God. God createdus with
some infinite capacities thatnothing on earth cancompletely satisfy. That is
why only as I allow Christ to live in and through me will I be complete as a
human being (Col. 2:9-10).
Other Scriptures on the Mystery of Christ in you: Col. 3:11; John 6:56; 14:17,
20, 23; 17:23;I John 5:12-13. What an incredible supernatural source of
strength, wisdom & drive (Gal. 2:8). (Phil. 4:13)
These Scriptures revealprofound life changing spiritual realities that totally
transform who I am as a human being! May God grant you to experience the
ever present powerof the Trinitarian God in your trinitarian being (Eph.
1:16-20). Being a faithful stewardof “the Mystery of Christ in you, the hope of
glory” is one of the main reasons a solid presentationof the Gospel, with an
invitation to repent of all sin and trust Christ alone for salvation, is followed
by a prayer inviting Jesus to come into your heart! (Eph. 3:17; Rev. 3:20).
“Who is this Christ that dwells in me?” This was the subject of the 1st
Mystery of God: that “Godwas manifest in the flesh” (ITim 3:16). Jesus is the
awesome,incomprehensible, sovereign, omnipotentCreator& Sustainerof
the Universe (Col. 1:15-19;2:3, 9). JESUS is the image of the invisible God
(1:15); JESUS is the firstborn of every creature;JESUS is the one true God
who createdall things (Col.1:16). Jesus createdall things in heaven; all things
that are in earth; all things that are invisible; all things that are visible. Jesus
createdevery throne, dominion, principality, and power. All things were
createdby Jesus & for Jesus. JESUS "is" before allthings (1:17); Jesus is the

great"I AM", the selfexistent eternal God who createdtime and thus is not
bound in time or by time. In JESUS all things consist(1:17): that means He
holds the whole universe & every atom in it together!JESUS is the head of the
Body, which is His Church (Col. 1:18). JESUS is the beginning (1:18). Jesus is
the alpha and the omega (Rev. 21:6). JESUS is the firstborn from the dead
(1:18). In all things JESUS has pre-eminence.
Does Jesus have pre-eminence in your life? In your career? In your studies?
In your family? In your dating? Your friendships?
I.) Experiencing the reality of Christ in me empowers me to achieve Unity of
the Faith with other believers (John 17:21-3)
II.) Experiencing the reality of Christ in me causes me to take more seriously
the importance and purpose of my human body.
We understand why we must avoid sexual immorality. "The body is not for
fornication but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body." "Know ye not that
your bodies are the members of Christ?" (I Cor. 6:13, 15, 19-20;I Thess. 4:3).
Have you dedicatedyourself to Godto stay sexually pure until marriage?
Why not pray a prayer of dedicationnow?
III.) Experiencing the reality of Christ in me explains why sometimes I
experience a civil warraging within me!
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)
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There are two persons inside me: Me and Jesus. There are two forces
struggling for control: the flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:17).

Have you been experiencing this civil war inside you since you became a
Christian? Do you better understand now how the working of God's spirit in
us and the working of the lusts and weaknesses ofthe flesh creates a constant
struggle to do what's right for God? This internal civil war is clearlyrevealed
in Rom. 7:18-25. Victory proclaimed 7:24-5
Understanding this mystery gives me an unshakable assurance ofsalvation. (I
John 5:11-13-read it). "He that hath the son hath life."
IV.) Experiencing the reality of Christ in me empowers me to have
victory over the power of sin in my life (Rom. 6:1-14;7:24-25)
V.) Experiencing the reality of Christ in me allows me to accessthe resources
which make me more than an over comeragainstall my spiritual enemies!
"Ye are of God, little children, & have overcome them: because greateris he
that is in you, than he that is in the world. (I John 4:4)
Becausein Christ, God Himself dwells in our hearts, the Kingdom of God is
within us! (Lk. 17:20-21).

simplybible.com
—A u s t r a l i a
HomeTopicsEphesus7EmsNext
You are viewing lesson5 in the series “Study of Ephesians” whichprovides 12
lessons going through the letter a few verses at a time. The translation and
comments are easyto understand.
Author: Ron Graham
The Mystery of Christ
—Ephesians 3:1-13
A verse by verse study of Ephesians 3:1-13, about the mystery revealedin the
gospelof Christ.

1 A Mystery is Revealed
Paul is given a revelation which he shares with the Ephesians, so that they
may have the same enlightenment that was granted him.
Ephesians 3, Verses 1-4
¶“1I Paul am the prisoner of Christ Jesus forthe sake ofyou Gentiles. 2You
heard about the stewardshipof God’s grace givento me for you, 3and how by
revelation the mystery was made known to me. I have already written to you
briefly about this. 4By reading my letters you will understand the mystery of
Christ as I do” (Ephesians 3:1-4).
Paul is a Genuine MessengerofChrist
Paul spent a lot of time in prisons because ofhis activities as a Christian
preacher. So he calls himself “the prisoner of Christ”. His willingness to suffer
deprivations shows the genuineness of his heart. But his message is also
genuine —having been given him as a revelationfrom God.
Paul, severaltimes in his writings, mentions that he had no input into his
message:God put it into him! It had been a mystery to Paul, but God
graciouslygave Paul complete understanding by revelation.
For example Paul says to the Galatians, ¶"Brethren, I make known to you
that the gospelI preachedis not according to man. I did not receive it from
man. I was not taught it by man. I receivedit by revelation of Jesus Christ"
(Galatians 1:11-12). Incidentally, Paul uses the word “man” here to denote
mere humans as opposedto the divine Sonof God.
How the World is Able to Undertstand
God did not give revelation to everyone, only to a few like Paul. The mystery
was "revealedby the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets" (Ephesians
3:5). Everyone else canunderstand the mystery by hearing those who were
given revelation.
Paul says, "Byrevelation the mystery was made known to me... By reading
my letters you will understand the mystery of Christ as I do" (Ephesians 3:3-

4). Many people today love to say, “God spoke to me and he told me...” It isn't
popular any more to say, "The scriptures tell us..."
2 The Three Marvels in the Mystery
Paul claims that the gospelhe preaches makes knownthe mystery as never
before. His gospelembraces the heathen nations and offers them full unity
and fellowshipwith God’s holy people.
¶“5This mystery was not made known to people in other generations as it has
now been revealedby the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6The
Gentile nations are now heirs jointly with Israel;members togetherof a
united body; and sharers togetherof God’s promise in Christ Jesus. All this
comes through the gospel. 7Ibecame a servant of this gospelby the gift of
God’s grace. Thatgrace was given me through God’s power at work”
(Ephesians 3:5-7).
The Mystery of Unity
The Gentiles, as Paul has already said, "were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealthof Israeland strangers from the covenants of
promise... Now therefore you are no longerstrangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God"
(Ephesians 2:12,19 NKJV).
In Paul’s understanding this was the greateye-opener. What Christ did
favoured Jews and Gentiles equally and "made both one, and broke down the
barrier between" (Ephesians 2:14).
So now Paul mentions three marvels. Gentiles are "heirs jointly with Israel;
members togetherof a united body; and sharers togetherof God’s promise in
Christ Jesus."(Ephesians 3:6).
First, looking to the future hope, Gentile believers are joint heirs with Jewish
believers.

Secondlooking to the present, Gentiles and Jews are united in one joint body,
one “church”.
Third, Looking to the past, Gentiles share equally with Jews in the promise
made to Abraham that "In your seedall nations of the earth shall be blessed"
(Genesis 22:18 cf Galatians 3:16).
3 Paul Reflects onHis Task
Paul is conscious ofthe burden laid on him to get the gospelout among the
nations
¶“8I am less than the leastof all God’s holy people, yet I was given this grace.
It's my task to preach to the Gentile nations the boundless riches of Christ. 9I
must enlighten everyone about sharing in the mystery. It was kept hidden
from the world —hidden in God, who createdall things by Jesus Christ”
(Ephesians 3:8-9).
Paul’s Humility
Paul was given the task of taking the gospelto the wider world. He was at the
forefront of this campaign. Paul is amazed at God’s grace in choosing him, of
all people, for this work.
When Paul calls himself “less than the least” he isn't referring to his ability or
his desire for the work. He is referring to his worthiness to be chosen. He had
been a chief activist in the persecutionof the Christian Way. Christ stopped
Paul dead in his tracks. Christappointed him to the opposite task, to be a
chief activist in spreading Christ’s messageto all nations. Paul marvelled at
this grace.
Paul’s Commitment
Paul could see the terrible darkness in the world. Humanity stumbled in
ignorance, spiritually destitute. Paul had been given a greatlight and
“boundless riches” to share. He was totally dedicatedto that end.

Paul’s Power
Paul was granted the power to achieve his commission. It was not himself that
accomplishedit, but God working in him and giving him the revelation, the
answerto the mystery, the answerthe whole world needed. It was now in
Paul’s power to help everyone share in the mystery of Christ.
4 God’s Plan is Being Fulfilled
Paul was always conscious that he was carrying out God’s Plan. God
purposed to make his wisdom known. And of course God’s wisdom would be
a mystery unless he made it known.
¶“10Godintended that now all the many sides of his wisdom should be made
known. This mystery is made knownto the rulers and authorities in the
highest realms. It is made knownthrough the people God has calledout.
11This fits God’s purpose for the world, accomplishedin Christ Jesus our
Lord. 12We may boldly come to God in Christ. We are confident in his faith.
13So I ask you not to get discouragedbecauseofthe distress I endure for you.
My trials are your glory” (Ephesians 3:10-14-3).
Wisdom, Purpose, Confidence
God’s “wisdom” was glimpsed by the prophets of old. But now through Jesus
Christ the veil of mystery is removed and the good messageis revealed. The
wisdom of God for salvationis fully known!
God’s “purpose” is achievedthrough Jesus Christ. Without him, there would
not even have been any mystery in which to find hope. HoweverJesus tasks all
those he calls into his one body of holy people. He gives them all the great
commission, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... teaching
them..." (Matthew 28:18-20).
Our “confidence” is in Christ, not in ourselves. We come boldly to God “in
Christ” We are confident “in his faith”. It is now an open secretthat life is not
about believing in yourself. It's about believing in Jesus Christ.

Do and Don't
Do listen to the wisdom of God revealedin the goodmessage ofJesus Christ.
Don't lean on your ownunderstanding.
Do follow God’s purpose to make you an heir of his boundless heavenly
riches. Don't think your purpose in life is to be yourself.
Do be confident in Christ and in his faith. Don't be confident in yourself.
Notes:— (1) A similar passage onthe mystery of Christ may be found at
Colossians 1:24-29. (2)The word “gospel ”usedin this lessonmeans the “good
message” preachedby Jesus and the apostles he sent out into the world.
JOHN MACARTHUR
For tonight, we’re going to look at Colossians chapter1, and we’ll kind of
abbreviate it a little bit, so that we can still coverthe same ground, and get
you out in plenty of time for you to leave here and go home do nothing for a
couple of hours. Colossians chapter – I just want to keepyour perspective,
that’s all. Colossianschapter1, verse 24 to 29 is really what we’re studying at
this particular point. And I think if there’s any one thing that continually
comes through to me in the ministry that God has called me to or in the
ministry that God has calledany of us to, it is that there is never any effective
presentationof divine truth without a struggle, never.
You’re constantlydealing with objects that want to make it difficult. If it isn’t
the factthat people are deaf and they cannothear, and you have to train
people and work until you are able to communicate in that way, it is that
you’re dealing with false doctrine, that you’re dealing with heresy, that you’re
dealing with sinfulness. Or maybe it’s that you’re on the mission field and
you’re dealing with a language barrier, or you’re struggling againstyour own

ignorance. But always it seems, always itseems, to presentGod’s truth there
is going to be a struggle.
The adversaryalways makes it difficult. And it is no less true as we look at the
book of Colossiansthat Paul is in a struggle here. Even as he writes this letter
to the Christians in the city of Colossae,he is writing from prison. The
struggle in his own life has brought him to the place where he has been put in
prison in Rome, because ofhis message,becauseofhis preaching, because of
his proclamationof the truth of Jesus Christ.
In addition to that, while he was a prisoner of Rome, a dear man of God by
the name of Epaphras visits him. Epaphras is undoubtedly the founding
pastor of the church in Colossae,and Epaphras tells him, “Paul, something
tragic is occurring in our city. Our people are being exposedto terrible false
truth. There are teachers that have come to Colossae,and they are saying that
Jesus is not God. And they are saying that Jesus Christ cannot save a man,
that Jesus Christ is unable to bring a man to God. He is neither God, nor the
Savior. And they are teaching legalism, ritual. They are teaching mysticism.
They are teaching asceticism. Theyare teaching all kinds of strange things,
including the worship of angels.” And all of this heresy, Epaphras tells Paul, is
attacking the church, the young church in Colossae.
And so Paul sits down and responds to Epaphras, writes this letter, and puts it
back in the hand of Epaphras, and says, “Take itto your people. It is the
Word of God to them.” And so in the book of ColossiansPaulis clearing out
heresy, heresy regarding the personof Jesus Christand His total powerto
save. And that becomes the greatheart of this letter, and that becomes the
major theme in the first two chapters; and in the last two chapters, the
behavior of the believers that should come in response to an understanding of
who Christ is and what He has accomplishedin salvation.
Now it is important that the apostle Paul, in sending this letter along, give the
ColossianChristians some reasonto believe him. It’s one thing to say
something; it’s something else to have people acceptwhatyou sayas the truth.
And Paul, in writing to the Colossians, wantedthem to believe and to hear
and obey what he said. But since he was not the founding pastor of the church

in Colossae as he had been in many other churches, and they perhaps did not
know him that well – maybe some of them did not know him at all – it was
important that somewhere in this letter he state his right to speak, andbe
heard, and be believed, and be obeyed. And that he does in 1:24 to 29. Now in
these particular verses, Paulis saying, “Because ofwho I am, and what God
has calledme to do, I speak the wayI speak with the anticipation that you
shall hear and obey me.” Especiallyimportant.
Now in discussing his ministry and his identity as a minister of God, I told you
last week that he gives eight generalfeatures of his ministry. He says, “If you
want to know why I’m writing the wayI’m writing, if you want to know that
God has calledme and how He has called me and what He has calledme to
do, if you want to know the gambit of my ministry and why I am dealing with
you as I am, here it is.” Now last week we discussedthe first four. Paul gives
us eight features of the ministry. Now let’s begin by reviewing the first four
rather rapidly.
Number one, I gave you the source ofthe ministry, the source of the ministry.
Notice verse 23, right at the end: “I, Paul, am made a minister.” So the source
is outside the man. “I didn’t make myself a minister, I was made a minister.”
Verse 25: “Of which I am made a minister, according to the responsibility, as
it were, given to me by God. God made me a minister.”
The source of any ministry, beloved, is God. It is God who calls us. It is God
who grants us His Spirit. It is God who directs us into the ministry He wants
for us. It is God who by His Spirit gives us the gifts of the Spirit in order that
we might minister them – and we’ll getinto that in a week or two from our 1
Corinthians 12 study that we’ll be moving into. It is Godwho equips us
physiologically. It is God who gives us capacities andabilities, humanly
speaking, to function in areas that He designs for us. It is Godwho calls us to
a ministry. Therefore, any ministry that I have, any gifts that I have, any
abilities that I have are a stewardshipcommitted to me by God to be returned
to Him in faithfulness.
We do not callourselves into the ministry. I didn’t choose to be a minister;
and you know I’ve sharedmy testimony with you on that. God just threw me

out of the car and sent me skidding along the highway 110 yards, and said,
“Kid, you’re in the ministry.” And I said, “That’s fine with me.” And that was
it; God put me in the ministry.
It came to the place in my life when I was finished with my college days, and I
had opportunity at that time for the privilege of trying out with the Los
Angeles Angels, or with the opportunity – at that time they were in Los
Angeles, now they’re in Anaheim – the opportunity to try out with a couple of
pro football teams, and there wasn’t even a decisionat that point in my life. It
was clear-cut. And I remember saying to the coach, “Look, I appreciate all
these things, but I’m not interested at all. God has calledme to the ministry.”
And that’s why I’m here. And God did enough things in my life to confirm
that to me without question, without question. God calledme into the
ministry.
Now that’s how it is in the ministry. That’s how it ought to be. It ought to have
that tremendous sense ofcommitment that “God has put His hand on my
life.” And when God has put His hand on your life, and you feel a knowledge
of His Spirit working in a certaindimension, and you sense the gifts of the
Spirit God has given you, you realize that you have been given a trust which
you are to pay back to God. You have been given a dispensation of God; and
that means a responsibility, a stewardship, a divine calling to fulfill.
And I’ll tell you, sometimes people sayto me, “Where would you like to
retire?” And I always say, “Retire? Fromwhat? Retire from teaching the
Bible? Retire from telling people about Christ? What would I do? I’d be a
guilty wreck. I’d rather be dead than retire.” This is a dispensationof God
that has been given to me.
When Paul got to the end, he said, “Lord, I’m done. I don’t want to retire, I
want to be dead; because if it’s all over, I’d just as soonbe with you as hang
around some resort.”
Secondly, Paul not only talks about the source of the ministry – and we’re just
picking up the pieces oflast week – but he talks about the spirit of the
ministry. Verse 24: “The spirit of the ministry who now rejoice.” The spirit of

the ministry is joy. This was always Paul’s attitude. Paul always had the
attitude of joy, and I told you why. Joy is a product of humility.
Now remember that: joy is a product of humility. If I really believe that I
don’t deserve anything, anything I get makes me happy. And Paul says, “Hey,
I was a blasphemer, I was a Christian killer; I was this, I was that. I was the
chief of sinners, I was all of these things, but God counted me faithful. He put
me in the ministry; He blessedme. He gave me this and this and this, and
everything I’ve gotis undeserved. What else can I be but happy? What else
could I be but joyous? What else could I be but thankful?”
And you know something? I think in studying the Scripture you will find that
wheneverGod calls His greatestservants, wheneverGodpicked out His
choice people, He always made them face their total unworthiness, so that
anything they had they would realize as a cause for joy, because it was a gift of
God’s grace.
For example, Moses atthe burning bush could only see his imperfections.
Remember that? He says, “Hey, what am I going to do? I stu-stu, I have a stu-
stu. I, uh, I have a” –he couldn’t talk. And God says to him, “Look, you’re
right. But I made your mouth, and I’m going to make it work.” And I know
that every time that Moses gotup and made a speechhe knew the source of it.
Whenever God calledHis choice servants He always made them face the
reality of their unworthiness and their uselessnessapartfrom Him.
Take, forexample – well, God said to Moses,“Go and I’ll be with you and
teachyou what you shall say.” Take forexample, Gideon, in Judges chapter 6.
Gideon at the threshing floor, he says, “Oh, my Lord.” He says, “Wherewithal
or how will I save Israel? You’re calling me to save Israel?” Gideonsays.
“Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh. In other words, I can’t even finance
an army. How am I going to pull it off? And I am the leastin my father’s
house. I’m the lowestguy in the house, and we’re always poor as a church
mouse. How am we going to finance a deal, and how am I going to getenough
credibility to lead it?” And God said, “Good, you’re just where I want you.
You know you’re useless.”

And so what does God say to him? I like it. He says, “Go, in this thy might.”
You’re might is in you’re humility. You remember what? God gothim an
army – you know what? – 300 people. You say, “How could an army of 300
people knock offanybody?” They didn’t even have to fight. They just gotin a
big circle, blew horns, broke pitchers, and they killed eachother – the other
army.
Isaiah. Isaiah went to the temple, in Isaiahchapter 6, and he saw the glory of
God, and he said, “I am a man of” – what? – “uncleanlips, and I dwell amidst
a people of unclean lips.” And an angelcame off the fire and took a coaland
touched his tongue, a symbol of purification, and all of a sudden he heard the
voice of God, and he said what? “Here am I Lord, send me.” You see, God
wanted to show him that he was nothing. And God wants everybody that He
ever calls into any ministry to make that initial recognitionthat he’s useless
apart from what God wants to do.
Peter, on the shore of Galilee. God had a lot of plans for Peter. And he on the
shore of Galilee saw the glory of the Lord and the miracle of the fish, and
when he saw Jesus displaythis divine creative power, he said, “Departfrom
me, for I am a” – what? – “sinful man, O Lord. Go away, Lord. I don’t even
deserve to be in Your presence.”And Jesus lookedathim and said, “That’s
good, Peter. From now on you will catchmen. You’re just the kind of personI
can use.”
You see, in all of God’s choice servants, Godhas to bring them to a sense of
unworthiness, a sense of sinfulness, a sense ofinadequacy, and a sense of
undeservedness, becausethat’s at the very heart of joy. And then everything
that happens is a cause for rejoicing. And Paul, like the rest, didn’t deserve
anything; but everything he got from God gave him cause forjoy.
And I’ll tell you, in the ministry, as long as you maintain a humility, you can
maintain a joy. But as soonas you getto thinking you’ve not getting what you
deserve, you’re a better guy than what you’re getting, you’re in a lot of
trouble. Then you get bitter, then you get to complaining, and you’ve lostthe
joy of the ministry.

I meet people who have lost the joy of the ministry, I do, Christians who are
tired of serving the Lord. You know why? Becausethey think they should
have better than they’ve got. And the truth of the matter is that we all deserve
nothing.
The third thing we studied last time: the suffering of the ministry. Notonly
the source ofit and the spirit of it – joy, but the suffering of it. He says in verse
24, “I rejoice in my suffering for you, and I fill up that which is behind of the
afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, whichis the church.” And
he says, “Look, the suffering of the ministry, it’s this: I’m going to have to
suffer, because the world isn’t through persecuting Christ. Since the world
can’t get to Christ because He isn’t around, they’re going to persecute me. But
that’s all right, because if I suffer getting the gospelto you, that’s good. I’m
willing to suffer,” Paul says. “I’m willing to die, for the work of the Lord.”
That’s what he wants.
I was reading an interesting story this week in an ancient edition of Harper’s
Magazine. You want to know how ancient? September1875. Interesting story.
It said this: There’s a story told of Pusa, the Chinese potter, that being
ordered to produce some greatwork for the emperor he tried long and hard
to make it, but in vain. Finally, in total despair, he threw himself into his
furnace on top of the pottery and burned to death. When the fire died down
and the pottery was discovered, it was found that his burning flesh had
marked the pottery so that it was consideredthe most beautiful porcelainever
known. That’s interesting.
What’s the application? In the ministry, it’s the same. It’s the self-sacrifice
that brings it the beauty, see. It’s the self-sacrificethat brings it the beauty.
It’s the self-sacrifice thatdistinguishes it from the commonplace.
The fourth thing – just reviewing – the fourth thing that we studied last time
that Paul lookedat in his ministry was the scope ofthe ministry, verse 25.
What is the scope atthe end of verse 25? “To fulfill” – what, what? – “the
Word of God.” What is the scope of the ministry? It’s just to do what God has
calledyou to do, to maximize your effort, to fulfill the Word of God.

“Godhas spokento me,” – Paul says – “and God has told me what to do, and
it is my responsibility to do it, to fulfill the Word of God.” What does that
mean? It means to fulfill the Word of God to me in my call. It means to
preach the Word of the gospel. It means to teach the whole counselof God. It
means to fulfill it all, to do what God wants me to do by proclaiming His
truth. That’s to fulfill the Word of God.
Paul says, “The scope ofmy ministry is simple: I’m just going to do what God
tells me to do. I’m just going to obey Him. I’m going to proclaim His word to
the unsaved. I’m going to teach His Word to the believers only in the way that
He wants me, and only in the place that He wants me to do it.” And Paul knew
what his calling was, because Godhad said to him, “You shall go to the
Gentiles, and be My apostle to the Gentiles.” And God designedwhere he was
to go, and he went there, and he obeyed God; and when he died, he said, “I
can tell you right now, I have fulfilled my ministry, I’ve finished my course.”
The greatdesire of the man of God, the great desire of the servant of God, the
greatdesire of anybody in any ministry is to fulfill God’s will by proclaiming
God’s Word in the place of God’s call. And Paul wouldn’t let anything stop
him. Absolutely nothing would stopthe apostle Paul from doing what he knew
God wanted him to do.
That’s the scope of the ministry: fulfill it. Don’t do a half-baked job; don’t do
a three-quarter job; don’t sloughit off. Do the whole job in the place that God
has calledyou to do it. And that, my people, takes tremendous commitment to
do it.
That brings us to the next four, and I want to share them with you tonight.
We’ve seenthe source of the ministry is God. The spirit of the ministry is joy.
Suffering of the ministry is on the behalf of Christ for the sake ofthe church.
The scope ofthe ministry is to fulfill the whole Word of God.
Fifth, the subject of the ministry. Now what is it that we are saying? What is it
that we are proclaiming? What is the subject? What is the message ofthe
ministry? Verse 26:“Even the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and
from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.”

What is the subject of the ministry? The mystery which has been hidden from
ages and generations. And, incidentally, ages means times, and generations
means people. So it’s been hidden from times and people, but is now given in
manifestation to the saints.
What is the message? The mystery. We are to teachpeople the mystery. You
say, “Now wait a minute. What is this mystery thing all about?” All right, let
me give you a little quick theologyof the term “mystery.” This is very
interesting.
First of all, God has always keptsome secrets.Did you know Godhas always
had some things that only He knows, and you never know them, no one ever
knows them but God? Deuteronomy29:29. It’s a greatverse, don’t ever forget
it. It’s the one I always use when I can’t answera question. Deuteronomy
29:29, “The secretthings belong to the Lord.” It’s a handy one. Oh, the secret
things belong to the Lord, see. So Godhas some secrets thatHe never tells
anybody; and that’s where our intelligence ends and God’s begins.
Secondly, God has some secrets thatHe reveals to specialpeople all through
history. Not everybody knows them, just specialpeople. You say, “Who are
they?” Psalm25:14, “The secretof the Lord is with them that hear Him.”
Proverbs 3:32, “His secretis with the righteous.”
Listen, there are some things that only God knows. There are some things He
reveals only to specialpeople. Who are the specialpeople? They are the
righteous. They are the ones who believe in God. They are the ones who
commit themselves to Him. They are the ones in whom the Holy Spirit dwells
in this age. Theyare the children of God.
Now, thirdly, there are some secrets whichGod hid from everybody in the
past, and He reveals to all the saints in the New Testament;those are the
mysteries. So if you see the word “mystery” in the Bible, what is it? It’s
something that was never revealed in the Old Testamentto anybody, but is
now revealedin the New Testamentto everybody: everybody who is a
Christian, everybody who is a saint.

Look at verse 26 now with that in mind: “Even the mystery” – that is the
things hidden from the Old Testamentsaints – “whichhave been hidden from
times and generations, but now are made manifest to His saints.” “Whatis it
then, John? What is it?” The mystery is the New Testament, the revelationof
Christ incarnate. The story of God becoming man, of God in human flesh;
that’s the mystery, sacredsecret. And that mystery is approachedmany ways.
There are other mysteries in the New Testament:the mystery of iniquity – did
you read about that? – the mystery of the rapture; the mystery of Babylon in
Revelation17 – some form of evil that had never been revealedearlier; the
mystery of the church – the church is not seenin the Old Testament;the
mystery of the bride in Ephesians chapter 5 – the Old Testamentnever saw a
new group as the new bride of the Messiahany other than the nation Israel;
the mystery of Israel’s unbelief – the Old Testamentnever saw a time when
Israeltotally abandoned God; the mystery of Godliness;the mystery of the
incarnation; the mysteries of the New Testament. That’s what Paul is saying.
What then is the subject of our ministry? It is the fullness of New Testament
revelation. You say, “Aren’t we to teachthe Old Testament?” Ofcourse we
are. That goes without saying. But the fullness of our message is all of the
mysteries of the New Testamentthat make the Old Testamentmeaningful.
Do you know that if somebody today believed every word of the Old
Testamentand rejectedthe New Testament, they’d be doomed to hell,
wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t they? That’s the point. What is our message?It is
the messagethatthe Old Testamentpromises have come true in the New
Testamentin Christ. This is mystery. This is that which was hidden and is
now revealed.
So he doesn’t use the word “mystery” in the sense of some secretteaching, or
some rite or ceremony hidden from the masses andrevealedto exclusive, elite
people; not some kind of thing like the Babylonian mystery religions; not a
mystical thing. The mystery is merely something in the past that was hidden
that is revealedin the New Testament. Whetherit’s the mystery of iniquity –
that is seeing iniquity in a massive form like it had never been seenin the past,

or the mystery of the church – something not seen, orthe mystery of God in
human flesh, it’s all the mystery that we are to teach.
Now notice verse 27:“To whom God would make known,” – this is to the
saints – “to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of
this mystery among the Gentiles, which is” – and here is the mystery – “Christ
in you, the hope of glory.” Now there are many different things that are called
a mystery in the New Testament. But the major one, the major one that Paul
points out here is Christ in you.
In the Old Testament, the Jews knew Messiahwas coming. Theywere told
that. What they never really fully knew was that the Messiahwouldnot only
come, but that He would live in the very bodies of His people. What they
didn’t know was that your body and my body would become the temple of the
living God. They didn’t know that. That was a mystery. And that’s the
messagewe have to announce to the world, that every man has a hope of
glory, glory manifest now, and a hope of future glory with God by virtue of
Christ in us.
He says – look at verse 27. He says, “Godwants the saints to know the riches
of the glory of the mystery.” I like the fact he uses those. He loves to talk about
riches. If you want to do an interesting Bible study sometime just look up all
the places where Paultalked about riches. You know, he thinks he’s so rich.
He really didn’t have anything. He ran around making tents to earn his living,
and yet he’s always talking about how rich he is. The riches. “The riches of
what?” “Of the glory of this mystery which is Christ.” “What do you mean?”
“I mean since I have Christ I am” – what? – “rich. I am rich.”
And, listen, here’s the fantastic thing that the Jews neversaw in the Old
Testament:the riches of the glory of this mystery among the – what? –
Gentiles. That’s us, folks. They may have understood the Messiahrelatedto
Israel; they never understood the relationship of an indwelling Messiahto the
Gentiles. This is the Church. This is Christ dwelling in us in His church. How
rich we are. How rich we have become. This becomes a theme in Paul’s heart
as he talks againand againand again about riches.

In Ephesians 1:18, “The eyes of your understanding should be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints.” Riches. In chapter 3 of Ephesians, verse 16,
“that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be
strengthenedwith might by His Spirit in the inner man.” We are rich. We are
rich, because as Gentiles, because as the church, Christ is in us.
And this is the message.This is the subjectof the ministry, to tell people,
“Hey, did you know that the living God wants to come and dwell in your life?”
What a fantastic reality. What a thrilling concept.
In Ephesians 3:4 Paul says, “Youmay understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ, which in other ages was notmade knownto the sons of
men, as it is now revealedunto His holy apostles andprophets by the Spirit,”
– what is the mystery? – “that the Gentiles that should be fellow heirs, and of
the same body, partakers of His promise by the gospel.” The mystery is that
Jew and Gentile are made fellow heirs to receive and possessGodwithin
them.
That’s our message – and this was burning in my heart yesterday. I was
thinking, “We’ve gotto announce to the world that God canlive in them.”
And I knew that the first group of people I was going to talk to was going to
get that message,becausewheneverI get something in me, that’s what comes
out of me. And I had an unusual privilege last night to meet with the Dodger
baseballteam just before the game after they’d had batting practice, and
talkedto them. Guess what I talkedto them about? “Did you know that the
living God wants to dwell in you?” That was my message.
What an exciting truth! And I said, “If you’re looking for a divine resource
for living, if you’re looking for a divine sympathy for failure, if you’re looking
for power, if you’re looking for understanding, if you’re looking for salvation,
if you’re looking for hope for the future, God wants to live in you. What else
could you ask?”
This is the message;this is the subject of the ministry. I mean we’re not
running around the world announcing, “Now allof you people, please try to
do better,” you know, like my old coachused to say, “Ship up or shape out.”

We’re not saying that. That’s right. That’s the wayhe always saidit:
backwards.
We’re not saying that. We’re not forcing on somebody some imposed ritual or
some self-styled alterationof life. We’re not saying, “Pleasecouldyou make
your New Year’s resolutionevery month?” We’re not saying that. That’s not
the message.
What we’re saying is, “Godwants to come and live in you.” That’s what we’re
saying. We are rich because Christ is in us. And that’s rich. That’s rich
beyond imagination. Becauseif you’ll look at Colossians2:3 it says, “in
whom,” – and that refers to Christ in verse 2 – “in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdomand knowledge.”Listento me: in Christ is all wisdom
and all knowledge. And Christ lives – where? – in me. What a resource. What
a resource.
In Romans, just a thought. In verse 23 of chapter 9 – is it? – “And that He
might make knownthe riches of His glory on the vessels ofmercy, which He’s
prepared unto glory.” God, by His mercy, made us rich now and forever. We
are rich.
Romans 11:33, he says it again: “O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and
knowledge ofGod.” He is so rich in knowledge, so richin wisdom, so rich in
mercy, so rich in grace, so rich in love, so rich in everything; and He deposited
it all in us. It’s an incredible reality when you stop to think about it.
I was talking to some of the guys: “Isn’t it amazing. They say you use one-
tenth of one percent of your brain.” Think about spiritually to have the living
God within you, and think about how some Christians live. They live like
paupers with all that resource.
Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:19 that we would be filled with all the fullness of
God, that all of that available resource and powerwould be used. That’s our
message. That’s the subject of the ministry, that the hope for man’s honor
now and the guarantee for man’s honor or glory in the future is the indwelling
Christ. He is powernow, and He is the guaranteerof future security with
Him.

In Ephesians 3:17 it says, “Christdwells in our hearts,” – the living God. I
mean I can’t even fathom that principle. The longerI think about it, the more
unbelievable it becomes.
Back in John chapter6 – and our Lord was talking in 6:56, I think: “He that
eats My flesh and drinks My blood” – now listen – “dwells in Me, and I in
him.” Jesus said, “If you will partake” – and He was talking about spiritual
partaking. “If you will partake in My death, if you will acceptMy death on
the cross foryou, and believe in My atoning blood, if you will acceptthe
sacrifice for sin that I make on the cross, then I will come and live in you.”
What a phenomenal reality. That’s our message, people. That’s whatthe
world needs to hear.
In John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can’t receive,
because it sees Him not, neither knows Him. But you know Him; for He dwells
with you, and shall be in you.” The Holy Spirit is going to come and be in you.
In John, same chapter, the twenty-third verse, John 14:23, he says, “If a man
loves Me, he will keepMy words; and My Father will love him, and We will
come to him and make our abode with him.” “If you will acceptMy cross,” –
in John 6 – “if you will love Me and obey Me in that act, then I will come and
live in you, and dwell in you.” Fantastic reality.
In Romans chapter 8, it tells us, “You are not in the flesh,” – verse 9, Romans
8:9 – “but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Now if
any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. And if Christ be in
you, the body is dead because ofsin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness.”“Ifyou’re a Christian,” – he says – “the Spirit of God is in
you, the Spirit of Christ is in you, and Christ is in you.” Three different ways
he says it. God lives in us. What an incomprehensible reality.
One other thought: 2 Corinthians 6:16. I can’t resistthis; love it. He says,
“You are the temple,” – 2 Corinthians 6:16 – “you are the temple of the living
God.” Now listen: “You are the temple of the living God; as God has said, ‘I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be
My people,’– emphasis on the personal pronouns – ‘I will dwell in them, I will
walk in them’” And so does Paul say, “I am crucified with Christ;

nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives” – where? – “in me.” Just
staggering. “That’s the subject of the ministry, and that is the hope of glory.”
“And what do you mean by the phrase ‘the hope of glory,’ Paul?” “I mean
that all the glory that could ever be will only be yours when Christ is” – what?
– “in you.” The only hope a man ever has for glory now, future, any time,
under any condition, is when Christ dwells in him. God wants to live in you;
that’s the message.
So we see the source of the ministry, the spirit of the ministry, the suffering of
the ministry, the scope ofthe ministry, subjectof the ministry. Verse 28, let’s
look:the style of the ministry. And this is simple: the style of the ministry.
Verse 28: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in
all wisdom.” Stop there.
The style of the ministry. “What is it, Paul? What’s the style? I mean how do
we do it? What’s the mode? What’s the method?” Here it is. He says,
“Preach.”kataggellō literally means “to proclaim.” It is the language of
mission. It refers to declaring a completedtruth, a completed happening. And
it is a generalterm for Paul’s proclaiming mission.
What is the style of our ministry? You say, “It’s just to sneak around, and
don’t say anything, and just live the life.” No. No. It’s to open your mouth. It’s
to proclaim. You’ve gotto live the life too, I’m not denying; but you’ve got to
open your mouth once in awhile.
You talk a lot about example, and example is important; but nobody’s going
to follow you into the kingdom unless sooneror later you open your mouth. So
the style of the ministry? Paul says, “We proclaim.” It isn’t formal preaching
necessarilyin this term, it is simply speaking the truth; and it has two
components:it has a negative – warning, it has a positive – teaching. It has an
end in mind: wisdom be imparted.
How do you impart wisdom? How do you proclaim wisdom? By negative –
warning; by positive – teaching. Warning and teaching. What does it mean to
warn? Admonish, noutheteō in the Greek. You know the word; we’ve
discussedit many times.

What is warning? Let me give you the biblical definite of the Greek word
here. It means “encouraging counselin view of sin and coming punishment.”
It’s just what you do with your kids: “Keepthat up, kid, and you’re in real
trouble.” That’s warning. It’s noutheteō. It is encouraging counselin view of
sin and impending punishment: admonishing.
We’ve discussedit from the standpoint of 2 Thessalonians 3:14 and 15. It’s to
be done gently, but it’s to be done firmly. We see it use in many, many New
Testamentpassages. EveryChristian has the responsibility. I’m telling you,
every Christian has the responsibility to admonish.
In Colossians3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” – in all of you
– “in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another.” That’s just a
responsibility all of us have, to warn eachother if there is sin.
In Romans chapter 15, verse 14: “I myself am also persuaded of you all,
brethren, that you are also full of goodness, filled with knowledge,able to
admonish one another.” We are to warn eachother. If there’s a sin in the life
of a believer, we’re to warn him lovingly, gently. We have that responsibility.
Every pastor has that responsibility. That’s my responsibility. He says in 1
Thessalonians 5:12:“We beseechyou, brethren, to know them who labor
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. We have to
warn you. We have to warn you about your sin, about false doctrine, about
the consequencesofdisobedience, about the consequencesofspiritual laziness,
about missing the will of God. We have to warn you as we would warn our
children, if we love them.”
The secondaspectonthe positive side is teaching, imparting positive doctrine.
Now we do both of these:we impart positive doctrine and we warn. We’re to
teachthe Word of God.
So what is the proclaiming that we do? It involves warning and teaching,
whether it’s to an unbeliever – what do you say to an unbeliever? “You know,
if you keepliving the way you live, and you keeprejecting God and Christ, I
want to warn you, my brother, of what’s going to happen.” And that’s

warning. And then you need to sayto that same unbeliever, “Let me teachyou
what you need to do.”
The same two things apply in the church. If you see a Christian sinning, you
warn, and then you instruct. So those two things are part and parcelof the
style of the ministry, which is to talk, to speak, to proclaim, to announce, to
declare a mission; and that mission has two parts, and that is to warn and to
teach. And notice what you’re to teach:all wisdom. Don’t leave anything out.
Wisdom means spiritual principles. On the basis of spiritual principles, we
warn men and we teachthem.
And this was the style with Paul. He always did this; and he usually connected
the two. He would usually teachsolid doctrine; and then on the basis of solid
doctrine, he’d warn them. He’d say, “Now that I’ve told you this truth, here’s
the wayyou’d better act.” So for the man of God his lifestyle is dictated.
You know what all are, people? You ready for this? We are all proclaimers;
that’s right. Some of us stand up here and proclaim this way, and talk to big
crowds of people. Some of us go out there where we are in small little groups
of friends and family, and we proclaim where we are. But we all proclaim. We
all are mouths for the Lord, to warn and to teach. Very vital.
Taking it to my own heart, I know what God’s calledme to do. He hasn’t
calledme to stand here and tell you my opinion. He hasn’t called me to tell
you who to vote for, what you ought to do to protest the current economic
situation, et cetera, etcetera. You know what He’s calledme to do? To
proclaim. That’s the style.
You say, “To proclaim what?” To proclaim the mystery of Christ in you, and
all that that means, all that that means for your life. And in doing that, to
warn you, and to teachyou.
Now what’s so beautiful about this? He says, “Whom we preach,” – now listen
– “warning” – whom? Who does it say? – “warning every man, teaching every
man in all wisdom, that we may present” – what? – “everyman.” Who are we
supposedto teachthen? Only the elect. No. It’s really pretty obvious, isn’t it?
Everybody. Everybody. Every man.

Listen, let’s get to be proclaimers. If everybody in this congregationjust went
out and said, “This is ‘Be a ProclaimerWeek.’I will open my mouth,” – not
just leaving little tracks on the table and scurrying away– “I will speak for
the Lord.” You know what would happen? Justthis group right here would
cause sucha stir around this valley, it’d be incredible. Let’s make it “I will
proclaim with my mouth week” this week. “And I will warn about negative
behavior, and I will teach positive truth.”
Now I could go on from here and talk about a lot of things – that’s what the
preacheralways says when he’s out of material, right? – because in my heart,
because in my heart, I would like to apply this to the pastor. But I’m going to
setthat aside and just leave it with the application to you. But, oh, does it have
application to the man in the pulpit: to teach everybody the Word of God, and
all of it, in all wisdom. We need to get all the Word of God; that’s why we
should have an answerfor every man who asks us, whatever the question
might be.
Well, let’s go to the seventh point, the sum of the ministry, the sum of the
ministry. When it’s all said and done, what does it add up to? What is the
goal, the objective, the sum of it all? Verse 28, the end of the verse. Well, let’s
read the whole verse:“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching
every man in all wisdom, that we may presentevery man” – here it is; what’s
the next word? – “perfect” – or mature – “in Christ.”
What’s the goalof the ministry? The maturity of the saints, isn’t it? Ephesians
chapter 4, “He gave to the church some apostles, andprophets, and
evangelists, andteaching shepherds, for the perfecting of the saints,” –
Ephesians 4:12 – “to bring people to maturity.” We want to build people up.
We want to bring people to maturity. This is what the Holy Spirit is trying to
do. Galatians 3:3, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you made perfectby the
flesh?” Listen, let the Spirit do His work, and He’ll make you perfect. That
indicates that that’s His ministry.
The end of the book of Hebrews in 13:21, he says, “The Lord Jesus make you
perfect in every goodwork to do His will, working in you that which is well-
pleasing in His sight.” That is the objective of the ministry, not just to bring

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