The Mystery

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY

The word mystery does not occur in scripture until we reach the New Testament. In all but two of the scriptures where it is found, reference is made to the Mystery of Christ. The word “mystery” means “a secret." It is a derivative of the Greek word 'muo" which means “to shut the mouth.” It is the hidden revelation of the work of the Father. This mystery of Christ remained hidden in God until the formation of the Church.

It is important to understand the knowledge in the mystery that was hid in God before the foundation of the world. By revelation, God has shown the mystery of Christ to his holy apostles, for this appointed time of reformation. The mystery of Christ holds the key to the Sons of God fulfilling their call to righteousness. When Paul wrote to the church, he implied that they needed to understand the knowledge he had received concerning the mystery. The mystery of Christ, the mystery of God and the mystery of Godliness are all the same. They can, and are used interchangeably throughout the scripture.

Ephesians 3:9-10

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all 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,

Revelation 10:7

7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

We are about to discuss a secret that was hid in God before the beginning of the world. John, the Revelator saw the mystery finished at the sounding of the seventh trumpet or last trump. The events initiated by the blowing of the seventh trumpet revealed in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Revelation culminate with the rapture of the Church. The apostle Paul also confirms the time of this event in his writings to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Paul has allowed us to conclude that this mystery of God is relative to the residency of the Sons of God on the earth. We know that the verses above describe the rapture of the Church. We are able to surmise, therefore that the mystery of God begins on the day of Pentecost and ends with the rapture of the Sons of God from the earth.

Let us discuss the secrets of our faith. Firstly, we are the partakers of a plan that God did not reveal to anyone, until the Day of Pentecost. It is a mystery, a secret that He didn’t even reveal to the angels until the time appointed. The text declares that none of the prophets of old were privy to the mystery; they were only given the promise of the coming Deliverer. But what exactly is the mystery? What is this thing that was hidden? The mystery itself needs to be explained in simple terms that are confirmed by scripture.

THE PLAN

In order to save the man, who was dead (alienated from God), he must be taken out of the flesh which had become a walking coffin and be placed in the Spirit of Christ (which is the only life that exists) so that the walking coffin could become a living temple of God.

THE METHOD

The preaching of the gospel, which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the method God uses to bring man into fellowship with the mystery of Christ. It is the plan and the method that makes the mystery. However, I think that most of the unbelief we experience is relative to the plan itself. Once you really look into the details of the plan, you will discover that the temple of God is the birthing of another Christ. This is what the Church at large does not believe. This mystery that was hid from ages and generations is now made manifest (made known, revealed) to the saints. Not only did the Spirit reveal it to us, but we were also made the mystery by the same Spirit.

Once again we ask, what is this mystery?

Colossians 1:27

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

It was the intent of the Father to save this fallen race of man by what is called baptism; the submersion of believers into the Spirit of Christ. It is the taking of the inner man out of the flesh and placing him in the Spirit. The Spirit of God remained in the body hiding the individual in Christ who is in God. Here we have the fallen sons of Adam whom God loves so much that He is not willing that they should perish. Their fall however, was not a surprise to Him because the plan for man’s salvation was already formulated before the fall itself. God had condemned man to die naturally and spiritually as the penalty for sin. So now salvation had to be for a people who were already under the captivity and dominion of sin and death.

Romans 7:5

5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

What does Paul mean by “when we were in the flesh?” Are we not in the same bodies as before we met the Lord? I think so. Then there has to be further explanation of this statement.

In Romans 7:5 Paul describes the state of an unregenerate man. To prove this point, as the 7th chapter of Romans is such a controversy in some schools of thought, you must read this passage in light of the following. This indicates a positional change: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you… (Romans 8:9).

At one point we were in the flesh. Our soul and spirit lived in the fleshy body without the presence or influence of God. But something happened to change our physical location. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Paul’s testimony of this positional change is even more compelling. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring (Acts 17:28).

The inference here is that our spiritual or inward parts were physically placed in the Holy Ghost. This is what Paul means when he declares that we are not in the flesh. The spirit of man has been placed in Christ. A most thorough description of this taking of the Adamic being out of the flesh is given to us in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

Romans 6:3-11

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is imperative that you believe that which is written. This is the operation of God. The living soul, which is the man himself, was already dead (alienated from God). The Father in His manifold wisdom and awesome power was able to extract the soul from the flesh, place it in the Holy Ghost and quicken the same body by the Spirit into a vessel of righteousness, created unto good works.

The baptism into Christ is a fulfillment of the Promise God made to Abraham. It was the Spirit that God promised him and his seed. Look at this closely.

Galatians 3:14

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The promise was the Spirit of God that was to be given to Jesus. As we can see from the verses above and below, the same Spirit was promised and given to us.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The church at large does not take these passages literally, or has not comprehended the meaning to the extent that it would allow it to respond as true Sons of God. Even when the truth is revealed, it is not always or readily believed. This is heartbreaking because those in the Body of Christ already have the proof of the revelation within because the Spirit of God within them bears witness of the truth. However, they do not accept it as fact because of their track record of failure in God. But as the scripture has proclaimed: For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged (Romans 3:3-4).

It is through Jesus Christ that this great unbelievable mystery would manifest. The Father spoke about this mystery in the Old Covenant - In the last days I will do a “new thing.” This meant He would do that which had never been done before, that which the human mind could not conceive and which could only be discerned by His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God

This handiwork of God is awesome to behold. The mystery of Christ in us is manifested to the world by the riches of His glory. These are the things the old patriarchs did not see.