Be Ye Doers. . . Of The Word!

The Apostle Paul says in Colossians 1:25- 26a, "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, Even the MYSTERY which hath been hid from ages and from generations." What is this MYSTERY that Paul is referring to? Paul again refers to this MYSTERY in his parallel writing to the Ephesians. "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." (Ephesians 3:9) We find in this verse that the MYSTERY is hidden in God. Where is the best place to look to solve the MYSTERY? Would it not be God's word?

The Prophets Before Jesus

Perhaps the prophets can help us out with this perplexing MYSTERY. Maybe God gave the prophets a clue. We find these words is 1 Peter 1:10-11a, "Of which the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify. . ."

It appears that the prophets themselves were in a bit of a query as to the MYSTERY hid in God. If the prophets have not the answer then to whom can we go? What about someone other than the prophets. Could any man during Old Testament times solve this MYSTERY? Isaiah 64:4 has this to say about man's knowledge of the MYSTERY, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." If man cannot help us, we will turn to the spiritual realm for the answer.

The Angels

Surely these ministering spirits could "enlighten" us on this topic. But when we turn to 1 Peter 1:12b we find these words, "... which things the angels desire to look into." We have still gathered no clues as to what the MYSTERY, hid in God, is. If man and the angels cannot help us understand this MYSTERY, perhaps the demons may have secretly stole the answer from God.

The Demons

Before we examine 1 Corinthians 2:6-9, we must first understand that demons were sometimes referred to as "the princes of the world." — "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: 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:..." Here we find that even the demons with all their trickery could not understand the MYSTERY that was hid in God. Should it not seem odd to us that God could plan something so big, so amazing; something that could change the course of history, of mankind, of this world and the world to come and keep that secret, that MYSTERY all to Himself?

The Mystery Revealed

Brethren, it was God's intention from the beginning, from the very moment He conceived the MYSTERY, to eventually reveal it to mankind. This He has done with the aid of the Holy Spirit working through the Apostles and prophets. Ephesians 3:5 declares unto us the MYSTERY has been revealed. "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."

As I previously stated, the prophets before Jesus did not understand the MYSTERY but those after Jesus did understand it. We find these words in Romans 16:25-26, "Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the REVELATION of the MYSTERY, which was kept secret since the world began, But NOW is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."

In these verses we find that it is the Gospel — the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ — and the preaching of that Gospel that was the amazing MYSTERY hid in God from the foundation of the world.

Question: Why did God keep the Gospel such a MYSTERY? Why did He not just tell us, through His word, from the beginning that Christ would come and die a horrible death on the cross for our sins?

In the Old Testament, up until the death of Christ, Satan is known as the Prince of the air. Also we find these words in Ephesians 2:2, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:" It is evident that sinners follow Satan and demons who serve Satan. If God had made His intentions known from the beginning, the evil principalities and powers would not have encouraged the Jews to crucify Christ. "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 2:8)

Another interesting facet of this great MYSTERY is found in Colossians 2:14-15, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." It is humorous to the point of making us think deeply about this plan of God's, then burst out laughing when we come to the knowledge that God, through His prophets, prophesied about many aspects of Christ's death, burial and resurrection and the princes of this world (the demons) still encouraged the death of Christ.

Who, but an almighty God could come up with such a MYSTERY? A mystery of such caliber, such magnitude and wit that God could plan it out, have prophets prophesy many major events that could take place as the mystery unfolded, have the MYSTERY MAN Himself live on earth for over 33 years, He Himself prophesy and tell His disciples that He would die by crucifixion, fulfill all those many prophesies about Him and be brave enough to go through with such a horrible death (knowing that He [Christ] had more than twelve legions of angels at His disposal). No one but an almighty God could have even conceived such an idea, let alone carry it out to its conclusion.

It Is Still A Mystery

The sad fact of the matter is that to many people, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is still a MYSTERY. Colossians 1:26-28 should be both encouraging and frightening, "Even the mystery which hath been hid from the ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: 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: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."

The MYSTERY truly is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But how can someone be obedient to this MYSTERY; this death, burial and resurrection? Romans 6:3-5 reads, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His DEATH? 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. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection."

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