07 The Great Mystery Hid
The Great Mystery Hid Why was the great mystery kept such a deep secret and for so long a period of time? And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony [mystery, mustērion] of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I Corinthians 2:1, 2.
Why could Paul tell them only about Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Because the majority of believers could assimilate no more truth. They could not receive the mystery. This is a tremendous truth. The Church of the body is not alive in Jesus Christ’s crucifixion; we are alive because of His resurrection, and the new birth that became available on the day of Pentecost. Most people today do not spiritually go beyond Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The center or focal point of almost every church today is the cross. "Howbeit [however] we speak wisdom among them that are perfect" (Verse 6). The word "perfect" (teleioi) is the key. Among the Christian believers was a small handful of mature (teleioi) spiritually grown-up believers as opposed to babes in Christ or carnal Christians, and to those few, the teleioi, "initiated ones," Paul could speak the wisdom of God regarding the great mystery (mustērion) "even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (Verse 7). This was the great mystery, "which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (Verse 8). The prince of this world is Satan. Had he and his chief devil spirits known the great mystery they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." Satan would have preferred a living Jesus Christ rather than Christ Jesus living in every born-again believer. Every born-again believer has Christ in him and is capable of doing the works Christ did, plus leading believers into the new birth which Christ could not do while on earth for the new birth was not available until Pentecost. Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth was necessary in preparing the way for the new birth to be made available. In addition, God’s resurrection of Christ from the grave was required, plus Christ’s ministry for forty days after the resurrection, and the ten days after the ascension, to bring to pass the reality of the new birth and the great mystery (John 14:12). The great mustērion was "hid in God from before the foundations of the world" and did not become a reality in any believer’s life until the day of Pentecost because God did not want Satan to know His plan.
While Jesus Christ was personally present upon the earth He could be at only one place at one time. Since the day of Pentecost Christ is present wherever there is a born-again believer. The early Church was cognizant of this great reality and they did signs, miracles and wonders. Since the day of Pentecost the Church is the body, with Christ in each believer. The bride and Bridegroom are two, but Christ in you makes every believer a member of the one body.
Christ, who is in heaven, is the Head of the Church, the body. Christ’s people on earth are members of His body. The unity of this body is in the Head, Christ, who is in heaven. The born-again believers are "all members of that body," not on earth but in Christ, the head, who is in heaven. The unity and oneness of the body of the Church springs not from the "eye or hand" members but from the source, the Head, Christ Jesus. "But now hath God set the members...in the body [in Christ in heaven], as it hath pleased him [God]" (I Corinthians 12:18), not as it seems to have pleased men. The members of the body of Christ are those who have been born again by confessing with their mouth, not their sins, but the Saviour from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). This great salvation is in Christ Jesus the Saviour, in whom the members of the body were circumcised when He was circumcised; baptized when He was baptized; fulfilled all the law when He fulfilled it and said "it is finished"; died when He died; were buried when He was buried; rose again when He arose, ascended when He ascended and (as members of the body, the Church, the called out) are "seated in the heavenlies"; "complete in him": rejoicing in the truth that the members shall "never more come into condemnation"; having escaped the "wrath of God"; having "passed from death unto life," and are looking forward to that day when the earthly part of that body will be "received up into glory." The growth of this body, the Church, comes from the Head, Christ Jesus, who is in heaven. God exalted Jesus Christ by the resurrection from the dead and "gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:22, 23). The Head, Christ Jesus, is the one who fills all the members of His body with all that God gives in the new birth, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. As the head of the natural body is physiologically the source of guidance for the whole natural body, so the Head of the spiritual body is spiritually the source of guidance for the whole spiritual body which is the Church. The building up of the body of Christ unto a perfect man that all the members upon earth "may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by every sensation from the supply, according to a working corresponding to the measure of each individual part, brings about the growth of the body with a view to the building up of itself in love." (Literal translation – Ephesians 4:15, 16). This is the work of the gift ministries listed in Ephesians 4:11, where we read: And he [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. The specific purpose for which these ministries are given we note in verses 12 and 13: For the perfecting of the saints, for [with a view to] the work of the ministry, for [with a further view to] the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till [until] we all come in the unity [oneness] of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The outcome of the gift ministries being: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:14–16. The growth of the Church is God downward, not man upward. It is from heaven to earth and not a reaching up from earth to heaven (Colossians 2:19). The origin of the body, the Church, is God who hath given Christ to be Head over all things to this wondrous body. Christ, the Head, is the source of all guidance and operation of the body. The members of this body of Christ are to work in the body in the relationship that God has set, and not according to what men have set. Natural, earthly, carnal rules, regulations and ordinances do not enter into the growth of this body of Christ at all, for this body is totally spiritual, heavenly and eternal.
Paul’s instruction to Timothy, his "own son in the faith," regarding the continuation of the ministry in Ephesus after Paul has moved on to Macedonia, is filled with spiritual enlightenment regarding the teaching of the great mystery.
Paul informs Timothy to "charge some that they teach no other doctrine" (I Timothy 1:3). Timothy is to give orders that there is no other way of right believing than the truth of the great mystery. Furthermore, Timothy is not to allow them to "give heed to fables," that is, just talk, "I think this," or "I think that." Also Timothy is not to give heed to "endless genealogies," where one group like a family, would say, "We are much older than you – we know more," or "We have been conducting this family fellowship a long time; we may teach for right believing what we want to." Paul specifically instructs Timothy not to permit this to occur. All this talk and family philosophy will engender nothing but questions and doubts. This foolishness will not promote "godly edifying (oikonomia)" which is the "administration of God," the mystery, which is by "the faith of Jesus Christ." In I Timothy 1:11 the great mystery is referred to as "the glorious gospel of the blessed God," or more accurately as "the gospel of the glory of God." In I Timothy 3:9 the great secret is called "the mystery of the faith" which is to be held in a sound mind. No believer has a "sound mind" if he is unsound in his knowledge and understanding of the great mystery. From the new birth to, and including, the gathering together of the body of Christ is totally summarized in I Timothy 3:16. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
"Without controversy" means by the agreement of all, with one mind, regarding the "great mystery of godliness," the true faith, right believing.
"Godliness (eusebeia)" is the opposite of thrēskeia, religion. Religion deals with outward form; "godliness" deals with the real, the true, the genuine. The word translated "God" in the King James, according to the best texts and authorities, is the Greek word, ho, meaning which. A literal translation of I Timothy 3:16 is as follows: By the agreement of all, with one mind regarding the great mystery of the genuine and true faith, which was 1."manifested in the flesh" – brought to light in natural man by way of the new birth on the day of Pentecost, 2."justified in the spirit" – spiritually justified before God in the here and now. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Romans 8:30.
3."seen of angels" – manifested to spiritual powers, the believer’s greatness in Christ Jesus. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12.
4."preached unto the Gentiles (nations)" – witnessed not only to the Jews first, but to the Gentiles. "But ye shall receive power, after that Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8.
5. "believed on in the world" –
Some who hear the true Word of faith will respond to believe accordingly. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9.
6."received up into glory" – This is the "gathering together" unto Him. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him." II Thessalonians 2:1. This summary of the whole mystery given by Paul to Timothy is as revolutionary in our times as it was then. The growth of the Church is dependent upon rightly dividing the Word of truth as to that which is addressed to us the body of Christ.