The Mystery Explained

[Terral]

Greetings to All:

The Mystery in Scripture appears as a shining jewel that has many facets. When we look at the Mystery from varying perspectives, then we are looking at the same Mystery process, but through one particular face or side. Please allow me to present to you a new way at looking at the Mystery. By using one very simple diagram, I will show you how all the mysteries of the NT can be visualized.

Take a blank piece of paper and draw two circles; one to the left, and on to the right; but, make the two circles overlap in the center of the page so that the diagram has three equal parts. Inside the left half moon shaped orb, write the word ‘Spirit.’ Inside the right half moon orb, write the word “Water,” and inside the newly created central section, write the word “Blood.” What you are looking at are the Three Witnesses of 1John 5:8, and the “three are into the One.” Inside the Spirit Section, write the word “Creator: John 1:1.” In the Water Section, write the word “Creation: John 1:3”, and inside the central Blood (begotten) Section, write the word “Word/Son: John 1:2.”



Right here we are looking at ‘The Mystery.” Every time Paul talks about a ‘mystery,’ he is talking about something, someone or a group being baptized into something or Someone else to become a member of that body. Prophecy describes how all things are derived from the One. The mystery describes how those things (heavens and earth) are to be summed up. Once you become skilled at using this simple diagram, then even God’s deepest mysteries shall become very easy to understand. For example:



Place the Father in the Spirit position, and the Holy Spirit in the Water position, and the Son in the blood position. Here we see the Three Witnesses of the “Invisible God” that dwells beyond the veil of time and space. Let us first agree that the fingertip of God Almighty cannot fit inside this temporal Creation. As David says, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” 1Kings 8:27. Almighty God currently expresses Himself through His Three Witnesses of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus, it is written of Christ,

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Col. 1:15.

What does this mean, that Christ is “the image of the invisible God?” What does Christ say of the Father?

"I and the Father are one." John 10:30.

Now go back and look at your diagram, and let’s go three dimensional. The Father and the Son make up one perfect sphere. It is also true that the Son and the Holy Spirit make up one perfect sphere. If you turn your diagram over 90 degrees, so that the spirit part is on top, you are looking at the ‘image of a man,’ which is the image of the Almighty God (three into the One). And that is why Christ is the ‘image’ of the invisible God.

Consider that Creation is a fishbowl compared to the Almighty, and He is outside of this creation looking in. Also acknowledge that every single event that transpires inside this fishbowl happened before Him in the flash of a single moment. It is just like God Almighty had His picture taken by the ‘flash’ of this creation; beginning to very end. So, if we could see beyond the veil of time and space, and look upon His face, then all we would see throughout the entire lifetime of this creation would be “His stare.” The Almighty literally has no time to change His mind about anything. The miraculous part of understanding these things comes when we realize, that through His eternal power and divine nature, He is able to actually dwell within Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus, it is written,

“Now all {these} things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2Cor. 5:18+19.

Doesn’t that bring a tear to your eye; acknowledging that the Almighty was In Him, suffering for us too? And all the time He has the power to shake every atom of this creation, and to make all of this simply disappear. Our Creator is truly worthy of our worship and praise. Here are some examples on how to use this diagram to understand other things in Scripture:



Place heavens in the spirit position, and earth in the water position (Gen. 1:1), then heaven in the ‘begotten: (Gen. 1:8) central position. Now you can visualize why the ‘kingdom of heaven’ is so very important to the overall plan of God. The ultimate goal for each of these three witnesses is for the central ‘begotten’ aspect to enlarge, until The Three Are Again One (See Eccl. 1:9-11). That is what creation groans for in Romans 8:22.



Place Adam in the spirit position, Eve into the water position, and seed into the ‘begotten’ blood position. The family is a microcosm of the relationship that our Creator has with Creation through His Son. Place the Holy of Holies in the Spirit position, the Court in the water (laver or water) position and the Holy Place in the blood position. Clearly the laver of water belongs inside the Tabernacle of Moses (10x30 cubits). However, the laver of water has been moved outside into the court, because the Holy Spirit is now among men in the world.

Place your own spirit into the spirit position, and your body in the water position, and your soul in the central “blood/begotten” position (Gen. 2:7). The family and man himself have been created in the image of our Triune God. Even Bread works with this diagram: Oil/spirit, water/water, broken grain/blood. So Christ is the ‘bread of life,’ because all three witnesses were ‘in’ Him (Father: John 10:38 and Holy Spirit: Luke 4:1). Now, when you look at the diagram, it makes more sense to read,

“But if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." John 10:38.

Even the Word of God (Holy Scriptures) itself is depicted by this simple illustration of two spheres overlapping to become One. This truth is difficult to swallow for many; at first. The OT is the Spirit part (Prophecy Unclothed), the Hebrew Epistles of our NT represent the Water part (Prophecy Clothed), and the Pauline Epistles are the Blood part (Mystery). And thus: the three primary dispensations of Scripture (Israel: Moses: Mosaic Law / Gentiles: Paul: Grace Doctrine / Messianic Jews: Peter: Kingdom Doctrine).

Let us consider Paul’s words in Ephesians 3 concerning the Mystery. Yes, the Apostle Paul is describing ‘the mystery of the administration,’ but not ‘The Mystery.” Even the mystery of Christ is a microcosm of ‘the Mystery.’ Remember the Apostle Paul’s words to the Colossians,

“. . . that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and {attaining} to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, {resulting} in a true knowledge of God's mystery, {that is,} Christ {Himself}.” Col. 2:2.

God’s Mystery is Christ Himself, because of the relationship of the Creator (spirit), His Word/Son (blood; begotten) and Creation (water). After all, Christ is the “Word of God” from 1John 1:1+2. And that is why Paul uses this phrase as a qualifier to his words about the ‘mystery of the administration’ (Eph. 3:9).

“ . . . that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. Eph 3:4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.” Eph. 3:1-4.

So by referring to ‘this,’ (what he is talking about now) we can understand the bigger picture. Also, when Paul mentions, “as I wrote before in brief,” he is not talking about another letter. He pointing to words he wrote in this same letter, saying,

“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, {that is,} the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” Eph. 1:9+10.

So, from here Paul begins to paint a picture of the ‘administration’ through which God is going to sum up all things in Christ. Paul is talking about our mother; New Jerusalem. Gal. 4:26. That is the central administration building (if you will) of “Heaven.” Once again, pull out your trusty ‘three into the One’ diagram and plug in the right values.


Members from the heavens go into the spirit position (Type is Elijah on Mt. of Transfiguration; never saw death), and members from the earth (Jewish Bride; Kingdom Dispensation; 'before the throne' Rev. 7:15) go into the water position. Members from the body of Christ ('center of the throne' Rev. 7:17: "Lamb" includes all those baptized into His body on the cross: Eph. 1:13+14, Rom. 6:3+4, 1Cor. 12:13) go into the ‘begotten’ central blood aspect of the newly created administration through which all things shall be judged and reconciled/summed up in Christ.


Remember that our role in New Jerusalem is the judge the world (Earth: Water Part) and the angels (Heaven: Spirit Part). 1Cor. 6:2+3. Throughout eternity things of the heavens and earth shall be continuously summed up ‘in Christ,’ through this ‘administration’ of Eph. 3, and that central section shall continue to enlarge. In the end, the heavens and earth shall be totally engulfed by this central growing section, until “God is all in all.” 1Cor. 15:28.


While I see just one Mystery process, all of the smaller facets follow that exact pattern. So, for me, the Mystery is more of a reconciliation/summing up process, than one particular thing. The most important aspect to realize, again, is that all of the smaller micro-versions of ‘The Mystery’ are based upon the same Triune relationship that exists between the Creator, His Word and Creation.

God bless,

Terral

 

[Nazarite]

Terral,


This is quite a posting. Its a lot for me to absorb tonight but I must commend you. You have got me thinking on this one. I'll want to give it some more attention and study. I don't really have a response as is already obvious except HMMMM. I'll spend some time on this.

Eric

 

[Terral]

Terral,


This is quite a posting. Its a lot for me to absorb tonight but I must commend you. You have got me thinking on this one. I'll want to give it some more attention and study. I don't really have a response as is already obvious except HMMMM. I'll spend some time on this.

Eric

Hi Nazarite:

You represent quite the exception to the rule on this forum. Most folks have little interest in the topic of the Mystery from Scripture. My post on Homosexuality has already five pages of responses, and remains contantly at the top of the board in General Theology. That thread was started days after this one. Maybe this is the wrong place to be posting messages. Thank you for writing,

In Christ,

Terral

 

[Nazarite]

Here's a little bump to keep your thread up top. I won't be able to give this much thought until the hurricaine passes. Say a prayer for the Gulf Coast.

 

[JM]

One more bump.

 

[8TarHeel8]

This thread deserves a bump if for no other reason than to see if anybody reacts.

 

[JM]

Before we get to Ephesians, consider what Christ spoke of the kingdom, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.” Luke 10:8 and Matthew 13:11 The burden is on those who claim the mysteries of the kingdom were different then what was revealed to Paul, in Paul’s case it was relative to him and his experience. Remembering that no one can even SEE the kingdom of the God unless he is born again (John 3:3) and therefore the mystery would have been hid in God until God revealed it to him. Romans 16 The root of this idea is solidly found in God’s sovereignity where He chooses to reveal the nature of His reign to some and allowing them to take part.

Eph. 2:1-10 we find salvation by Grace through faith, this is a simple fact most of us agree upon.

In v. 11 Therefore remember that you [the believer] once [a time formerly past] gentiles in the flesh – who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands [this is the opposite to the circumcision of the heart by the Spirit (Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4) and is now applied to the gentiles (Rom. 2:28-29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11-13)]

v. 12 That at that time [time past see “But now” in v. 13; 5:8] you were without Christ [it seems the nation of Israel had Christ in times past] being aliens from the commwealth of Israel [ethic Israel with which God had a covenant] and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

v.13 But now IN Christ Jesus [because of our spiritual union with Christ] you were once far off [v.14 the middle wall of separation broken down] have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [Because Christ died for our sins we are brought near to the covenants of promise.]

As a dispensationalist I was taught to say, “You were once far away, now brought near, but remain totally distinct and separate from that which you are STILL far away from.” What? Really? Is that what the passage tells us?

v. 17 And HE [Christ] came and preached peace to you who were afar off [gentiles see Isa. 57:19] and to those who were near.[The Jewish nation.]

v. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, [from the covenants of promise as stated in v. 11 with the use of the word “aliens”] but fellow citizens with the saints [O.T. saints with no distinction being made] and members of the household of God, [one house hold]

Eph. 3 is about a mystery and this mystery was anticipated by the prophets one example being Isaiah 19:25 “Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.” The idea of the mystery was relative and not an absolute mystery as I formerly understood it. Paul wouldn’t have wrote Acts 26:22-23 “Therefore, having obtained help from God, until this day I stand, witnessing both to common people and great people, saying nothing EXCEPT the THINGS which both the prophets and Moses spoke of as being about to happen, that the Christ was to suffer, that as the first to rise from the dead, He was about to proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the GENTILES." Or how the Abrahamic covenant included gentiles in Romans 4. Eph. 3:6 calls the gentiles “fellowheirs”, not different heirs. We’re fellow heirs because it’s the same promise, it’s a ridiculous notion to think Paul called gentiles fellow heirs 2:12 of a totally distinct and separate promise. The Church was foreseen and isn’t a “parenthesis.” The O.T. prophets revealed plenty concerning the Church (see Psalms 72:11,17; 86:9; Isaiah. 2:2; 11:10; 42:6; 49:6; 54:3; 60:3; 61:9; 62:2; 66:12,18-19; Jeremiah 3:17; 4:2; 16:19; Daniel 7:13-14; Micah 5:8; Hag. 2:7; Zechariah 2:11; 8:22-23; Malachi 1:11; Matthew 8:11; Mark 11:17; Luke 2:32; Romans 15:8-12; Galatians 3:8). A friend of mine in the Presbyterian Church pointed this verse out to me and I ignored it, but now I implore you read and pray: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham[not a gospel, the same Gospel], saying that, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." Galatians 3:8

 

[eph3Nine]

Tsk Tsk Tsk....nope. Ya missed it. NOT the same gospel at all.

 

[biblebeliever123]

The verse tells you what the 'gospel' (good news) to Abraham was..

Galatians 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

(preached before THE GOSPEL UNTO ABRAHAM, saying, now watch here it comes.... IN THEE SHALL ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED).

The body of Christ has been brought nigh to God, to the shed blood, NOT ISRAEL. Israel as a nation is a fallen state and the people who are 'jewish' need to be saved exactly the same way any one else does. We are not grafted into a fallen nation...they have been brought down to a level with the gentiles and God is building ONE NEW MAN made up of all who believe the good news FOR US which is Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again for your justification.

 

[eph3Nine]

Under Israels program, the Kingdom gospel, all the nations of the world would be blessed thru BELIEVING Israel. Israel failed the world in that she wouldnt BELIEVE in the prophesied MESSIAH. Did this stop God from blessing the rest of the world? Could a stubborn and rebellious NATION thwart His plan to redeem ALL of mankind? NOPE...God had a SECRET!

Thats what the MYSTERY program is all about. Thats what Pauls letters and apostleship is ALL about. That is what Christianity is ALL about.