The Mystery that was hid in God

For the most part we have not fully comprehended the mystery that was hid in God, "even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints". (Colossians 1:26)

Paul started to give hints of this mystery in Galatians 4:19 "My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you".

But not until Ephesians did Paul start to share and teach the great mystery God had revealed to him. Up until that time he could only teach the “first principles of the oracles of God.” (Hebrews 5:11-12) "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. (12) For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food."

Only after Acts 28:28, when he left the Jews and the synagogues was he free to open up the mystery to the Gentiles. This mystery, God’s purpose in of all creation, all the examples that went on before, the temple, the nation of Israel, all their Kings, all the prophets, everything was for this end purpose, the Mystery. It was hidden in God for all times until it was first revealed to Paul. It had not been revealed to Abraham, Moses or King David. No prophet, leader or King of Israel knew this mystery. It was hidden for ages and generations in God. Consider the following scriptures:

(Ephesians 1:9) "making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him."

(Ephesians 3:3-5) "how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, (4) whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; (5) which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;"

(Ephesians 3:9-11) "and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things; (10) to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, (11) according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:"

(Ephesians 3:17,) "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (19) and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God."

(Colossians 1:25-27) "whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfill the word of God, (26) even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, (27) to whom God was pleased 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:"

(Colossians 3:3) "For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

The latter epistles of Paul and then also of Peter and John shows the growing knowledge of this mystery and the power of it that was not revealed in the Gospels or in the book of Acts. Even the Angels and powers in heavenly places did not know about the mystery, it was hidden in God. (Ephesians 3:10) to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God.

Colossians 1:27 sums up this vast and wonderful mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This Christ, this anointing, was perfect and fulfilled the whole law in Jesus. Now we do not have to “do” the works of the law, when Christ is manifested in us, we will also become the "fulfillment" of the law. God is building a body of Christ, the very nature of Christ in his people. If the very nature of God is in us, it will cause us to naturally do his will. Our life will show the fruit of his nature in what we do, as we grow in the knowledge of him.

(Ephesians 1:17-19) "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; (18) having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (19) and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might."

Without Christ being manifested in me, I might try to love my enemy as Jesus said to do. I will do that in all the ways I know how, I will try not to think bad thoughts about my enemy, not talk about them and even try to be nice to them. And do good to them as Jesus said to do. I will ask Jesus to give me strength to love my enemy. It might even work for a while; until they possibly do something that I feel is harmful to me. Then I have to “fight my flesh” and put it down again and try to continue to love them. But you see, God's purpose is not in strengthening me, for my righteousness is as filthy rages. He said when I am weak, he is strong. But, if I ask Christ to be manifested in me in this matter, I will ask God to put his love in my heart for my enemy. You see, when this happens, I will not have to try and do the “works” of loving my enemy, it will be God’s love for my enemy flowing out of me. All the fruit of that love will be shown naturally to my enemy.

As God reveals himself to us, as we grow in the knowledge of him, he will give us his attributes, his nature if we ask him. If we believe! In our own strength, we can only try to do to the works of the law, but we will never fulfill the law. Only Christ can fulfill the law and he wants to fulfill the law in us.

There is so much more to the mystery, the hope of Glory, that I haven’t even begun to dig into its depths. But as the Lord leads us by His Spirit of Truth and as He reveals more to us in the scriptures, the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened.

The following are the epistles of Paul that pertain especially to the mystery:

Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1&2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon

Also 1 & 2 Peter, and 1,2 & 3 John are in the light of the mystery. As Peter said: (2 Peter 3:15-16) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

I pray:

Ephesians:1:18-19: "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints (19) and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God."  (Colossians 1:26-27) "even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,(27) to whom God was pleased 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:"

Amen