email

Christian Mystery

The word “mystery” is used in the bible to describe something hidden or previously unknown. Paul refers to the gospel of grace as something that had been kept hidden. There is much in the bible about the future of Israel that had been prophesied. Much of it has already come true. However, that salvation would be offered freely to all who trusted in Jesus because he paid the price for all the sin of the whole world was something that was not previously known.

One reason the sacrifice of Jesus was unknown was that if Satan had learned that Jesus would regain dominion over the earth (that Adam had lost), he would have never instigated his death.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. - 1 Corinthians 2:7-8

Jesus told Nicodemus that to enter the kingdom he would have to be “born again”. This referred to the prophecy by Ezekiel that those of Israel would be changed (Ezek 36:24-27). The gospel of grace given to Paul for the gentiles was a mystery (Eph 3:1-4). It was also a mystery that gentile salvation would also require a transformation (Col 1:27). Often called “regeneration”, this is when a person becomes a Christian he is placed into the body of Christ. It is this new life in and through Christ that allows us to regain the eternal life that was lost in the Garden of Eden.

While not a “mystery” in the biblical sense, many Christians are unaware of the continuing transformation expected of them after they become Christian (Rom 12:2, Gal 5:6, 2Cor 5:15, Phil 2:5, 1Tim 6:8-11, 2Tim 2:22). Many assume that if they do not steal, kill, or become alcoholic that they have met the full requirements for being a Christian. Christianity is not a matter of following a set of rules as it is more the daily application of principles. The Christian should be aided in his continuing transformation by the Holy Spirit that is all too often quenched (1Thess 5:19). The two ways we often quench the work of the Holy Spirit is to walk in the flesh and follow the course of the world.

In all fairness the individual Christian does not need to carry the entire blame for his spiritually impoverished state. Satan has worked for centuries to establish systems that are designed to keep people from becoming Christian in the first place and failing that, to divert Christians such that they remain ignorant and ineffective. This is why Christians often seem little different than anyone else, because what is available for them often remains a hidden “mystery”.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. - Romans 11:25

Another mystery to consider is that the gospel of grace for the gentiles is time limited. At some future point God will deal with the whole earth through a faithful remnant of Israel and they will be the nation of priests God had initially intended (Ex 19:6).

Information about Christianity and the Christian life.