Ecclesiology
The Mystery of the Church
Lesson XIII
I:
The Word “Mystery” is found in the following Writings of Paul
Ephesians 1:9 the mystery of His will
Ephesians
3:3,4 the mystery of Christ
Ephesians
3:9 see the fellowship of mystery
…hid in God
Ephesians
5:32 the great mystery…I speak of
Christ and the Church
Ephesians
6:19 the mystery of the gospel
Colossians
1:26 the mystery … manifest
Colossians
1:27 the
mystery among the Gentiles: Christ in you the hope of glory
Colossians
2:2 the mystery of God, and the Father,
and of Christ
1
Corinthians 15:51 behold I show you a
mystery
Romans
11:25 the mystery of
1 Timothy
2
Thessalonians 2:7 the mystery of iniquity
II
What is the meaning of the word ‘mystery’ as used by Paul?
“Always
in the New Testament, a truth undiscernable except by Divine Revelation.”
“Let
us pray not to make a Bible mystery, a ‘mystery’.”
“It
is a revealing not a concealing.”
“It
is expounding not confounding.”
All
of our last lesson about spiritual blessings, calling, predestination, adoption
and so on, would and could never have been known had they not been revealed by
God.
III
That there would be saved Gentiles and saved Jews was never a mystery.
But that both would be one body was a mystery. And
it was a mystery hid in God (Colossians 1:26-27).
Colossians
1:26-27.
(26)
[Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now
is made manifest to his saints:
(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:
In
Ephesians 5, marriage is used as an illustration of this mystery.
In
marriage two people, perhaps from different countries, different backgrounds,
different up-bringings come together in a union. They two become one. So the Church is made up of two different
peoples, Jews and Gentiles.
IV
To the Jews, Gentiles were but dogs.
That
is no longer so. In the Church both live
on equal ground. Jews with dogs! The dog
is brought to the same level. The Jews, for
over 2000 years, were known as God’s chosen people. Paul teaches that in Christ, the Jew is
united with the Gentile on equal terms and ground. No longer is the Jew on a higher level than a
saved Gentile. It was God who had placed
the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile.
Ephesians
2:14
(14)
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition [between us];
And
it was God who had broken down that wall that of the two He might make one new man.
Ephesians 2:15
(15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
[even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in
himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;
V
Ephesians 2:11-12
Ephesians
2:11-12
(11)
Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh
made by hands;
(12)
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world:
We
read of these saved Gentiles at Ephesus:
“… remember … in time past ye were Gentiles
in the flesh who are called the Uncircumcision by that which is called the
Circumcision in the flesh made by hands (that is by the Jews) , That at that
time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world.”
While
visiting a doctor’s office, I picked up a National Geographic Magazine (I think
it was dated 2002) and by a picture of a Muslim funeral were the words:
“hopeless
mourning”.
That
is still the condition of lost Gentiles: “without hope in the world”.
VI
Ephesians 2:13, 14, 16
Ephesians
2:13
(13)
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ.
But
now. Look at the words, “But now.” What has taken place?
Gentiles,
who were afar off have been made night by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians
2:14
(14)
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition [between us];
He
hath broken down the wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile at the
cross. There Christ died, not for Jews,
not for Gentiles, but for common sinners.
Having reduced all to be but sinners (Romans 3:23) of the twain (the
two) he is now making one new man in which there is no
conflict between Jew and Gentile, but peace.
This
making of the two into one was a wholly new revelation, and this new man is
identified as the Church, a body with many new things not had by
Ephesians
2:16
(16)
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity thereby:
Ephesians 2:16 speaks of one body and,
as we shall discover, connected with new
things.
VII We plan to show the Contrast between Israel
and the Church.
But
before we do we have questions to ask.
1)
If the Church is only a New Testament Israel, why are all these new doctrines
now revealed to the Church that had not been revealed to Israel in the Old Testament?
Or
to re-word that: Why were all these new
things in the New Testament, definitely never given or spoken of in the Old Testament?
2)
If the Church is but an extension and continuation of the Old Testament people
of Israel, why is there a new day for
the Church separated and distinct from the Old Testament Sabbath?
3)
Why is there a new way of life for
the Church, no longer under the law of Moses, but the new law of love? Why did Paul write Romans 6:14?
Romans
6:14
(14)
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but
under grace.
4)
Why the Lord’s supper with its distinctive message, different from any feast in
Israel?
5)
Why the new hope of the Rapture separate and distinct from the Old Testament
aspects of Messiah’s Second Coming?
The
mysteries listed earlier in this paper were not committed to the Old Testament
Prophets, but as we have noted were revealed and made known to Paul.
Ephesians
3:2
(2)
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to
you-ward:
The
Church was not an after-thought with God.
He did not start with Plan A and move to Plan B. As we have already seen, the Church was in
God’s plan before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians
1:4
(4)
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
VIII Ephesians 3:1-10
Ephesians
3:1-10
(1)
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
(2)
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to
you-ward:
(3)
How that by revelation he made known unto 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)
(5)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
(6)
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of
his promise in Christ by the gospel:
(7)
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given
unto me by the effectual working of his power.
(8)
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
(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,
Paul
claims that the Divine mystery of the Church was revealed to him, received by
him by Divine revelation.
Ephesians 3:5 this mystery was not made known to past generations.
Ephesians 3:6 the mystery was in this fact, that Jew and Gentile would become
fellow-heirs, that is, equals. In other
words, the mystery was not that the Church would exist but that it has been
made up of both Jews and Gentiles on equal ground: a new body where all are priests unto God. Not one above the other.
To
illustrate we have often asked: “Which kernel is most important in a loaf of
bread?
All
have been crushed to flour to make one new loaf.
In
this body, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in
Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:28
Ephesians 3:7-8 Paul claims that he was chosen to make this known.
IX Colossians 1:26-27
Colossians
1:26-27
(26)
[Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now
is made manifest to his saints:
(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:
Somewhere
I read that those who teach replacement theology never mention this Scripture.
The
mystery of the Church had been hidden from ages and generations. Old Testament saints knew nothing about the
Church for the simple reason, they could not know about it.
Ephesians
3:6
This
verse is so important we read it again.
(6)
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of
his promise in Christ by the gospel:
The
mystery is not that Gentiles are to be saved.
That fact is plainly taught in the Old Testament. The mystery is that Gentiles are to be
fellow-heirs, equal shareholders, with other saved Jews. The mystery is not that the Church exists but
that it is made up of both Jews and Gentiles as equals.
X
According to the Old Testament
In
the future, the Jews will again have a superior place to that of the Gentiles.
Isaiah
61:5-6
(5)
And strangers (i.e., Gentiles) shall stand and feed your (Jews) flocks. And the sons of the alien (Gentiles) shall be
your (Jews) plowmen and your (Jews) vinedressers.
(6)
But ye (Jews) shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you (Jews)
Ministers of our God; ye (Jews) shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in
their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
That
passage of Scripture certainly places the Jews above the Gentiles.
Isaiah 61:1-2 This is the Scripture Jesus quoted, in part, in the Synagogue at
Nazareth in Luke 4:16-21.
Isaiah
61:1-2
(1)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to
preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to [them that] are bound;
(2)
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our
God; to comfort all that mourn;
Luke
4:16-21
(16)
And he came to
(17)
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he
had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
(18)
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised,
(19)
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
(20)
And he closed the book, and he gave [it] again to the minister, and sat down.
And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
(21)
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your
ears.
Notice,
Jesus closed the book at the comma in verse 2, “To proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord”, and at that point, with all eyes upon him, He said, “This day is
this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
By doing so he was saying the remaining part of the prophecy was not
then being fulfilled.
The
day of vengeance is to be fulfilled at His Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
with his mighty angels, after which He will sit on the throne of His glory
(Matthew 25:31).
2
Thessalonians 1:7-8
(7)
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels
(8)
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Matthew
25:31
(31)
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him,
then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Then,
and not until then, he will comfort all that mourn in
Isaiah
61:2-3
(2)
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our
God; to comfort all that mourn;
(3)
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD,
that he might be glorified.
At
that time, the Jews of Zion will build their wastes and repair their
cities.
Isaiah
61:4
(4)
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many
generations.
And
as we have seen, the next verses, 5 and 6, show that the Gentile will not then
be equal with the Jews.
Isaiah
61:5-6
(5)
And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien
[shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.
(6)
But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the
Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their
glory shall ye boast yourselves.
In
the Old Testament promises and predictions of blessings for Gentiles are made
but never as equals with the Jews.
XI
So
Again we look at Ephesians 3:7-9
Ephesians
3:7-9
(7)
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given
unto me by the effectual working of his power.
(8)
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
(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:
Paul
claims that he had been given the ministry to make known the mystery of the Church,
not hidden in the Old Testament, but rather hidden in God.
Here
it is plainly stated in verse 9 “hid in God”, but now made manifest. Now revealed.
To
depart from the teaching of Paul has always created problems for the Church.
So
many evangelists, especially, preach their sermons from the so-called
‘gospels’.
The
gospel of grace, the gospel for this age, the gospel for the Church, has been
clearly and systematically set forth by Paul.
And we will do well to keep this always in mind.
XII
Quote from M. MacRitchie
“This
age differs from all which preceded it.
It differs from those which shall follow. In this age God is not calling
upon men to believe in His existence as a personal God. There is no need that He should do so. In every nightly sky His name is written in
every shining star. Each star is but a
letter in His name: each mountain peak of earth, each river, the sea, each blade
of grass, each growing fruit tree, the succession of day and night, the annual
seasons, the earth flying on its course to start afresh. Power and authority and order proclaim the
living, the eternal, self-existent, self-sufficient and ever-efficient God.
There is no need to invite men to believe in a Supreme Being. Only a fool in his heart says there is no
God.
Romans 1:20 – Paul declares that men
are without excuse because the might and majesty and power of God are clearly
seen in the creation.
Romans
1:20
(20)
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
God
is not calling on men to believe in the Holy Spirit. There is no need that he should do so. The operation of the work of the Spirit is
manifest every day in contrast to the spirit of lawlessness, wickedness, evil
of sin which would win its way were it not for the restraining presence of The
Holy Spirit. (He who now restrains will
restrain until He is taken out of the way.)
God
is not dealing today with men on the issue of sin. At Calvary He judged the natural man and this
world. Did God deal with man on the
issue of sin all would be driven from His presence and the glory of His power.
The
issue now is not man’s sin, but God’s love.
The great and all important question is not the sin question but the Son
question. What think ye of Christ? God is sending the Church out to ask that
question. The Church is commanded to go
everywhere and ask each one what he thinks of Christ.
God
is calling all men to believe in His Son.
He is not asking men to believe in His Son as a mere man. He is not calling men to believe in His Son
as a good man. God is calling men to
match themselves with Christ. He is
calling men to believe on His Son not as he walked on the earth, but as He died
on the cross. The cross was the object
of His birth. He was born to die. He is calling on men to believe in His Son
crucified, risen and glorified.
God
is not telling the Church to preach the earthly life of Jesus. Read the sermons and lectures of the Apostles
to the Churches. They are not taken up
with how He lived on earth. No! They are occupied with what Christ did when
He died on
Remember,
the Gospels tell us that Christ came and died, the Epistles tell us why
He came and why He died.
This
is the function of the Church. Preach
Christ crucified. The matter is not open
for discussion or dialogue. The gospel
does not present a time to debate. The
Christian Minister is an ambassador of Christ to preach the gospel. And when anyone believes, accepts and
receives, the result is immediate.
John
1:12-13
(12)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
[even] to them that believe on his name:
(13)
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.
The
Holy Spirit convicts of one sin—the sin of unbelief and rejection of the
Saviour.
He
that believeth on the Son hath life, he that believeth not has made God a liar.
God
Himself cannot save the unbeliever.”
(end quote)
Now
I understand much better the last words of my mother to me before she died: “Lorne, what are you doing to get the gospel
out?”
There
is nothing - we repeat - nothing more
important for the Church to do than that!