Mystery

The Revelation of the Mystery

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Now to Him that is of power to stablish 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:  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Romans 16:25-27

These verses are a doxology to the Lord. Words of a hymn or praise to Him. What about the mystery? There is the revelation of the mystery, and that revelation is how the Gentiles can be saved by God, only partly, and mostly the whole counsel of God.

There is much in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is revealed to us through the knowing of Christ such as the Incarnation of God – God became flesh and dwelt among us, The Trinity – the Holy Triune God. God becoming Man that He might die for His enemies, then to be buried, then to prove it all He is raised from the grave, which proves that all that He said, and taught is truth (Romans 1:4). It also proves all the words of Moses, the prophets, and the wisdom books of the Old Testament.

I am thankful that He has revealed Himself to me through His Spirit, by the Old and New Testaments.

If you will call on the name of Jesus through faith, believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and He rose from the dead you will be saved (Romans10:9-10).

Great Is the Mystery of Godliness

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These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Timothy 3:14-16

Expressing Praise to The One Who Is Worthy

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“Now to Him that is of power to stablish 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: to God only wise, glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” Romans 16:25-27 (KJB)

As I read the apostle’s doxology to the epistle to the Roman Christians I thought of the Doxology our Church sang to open every Sunday morning worship service when I was a child.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

We ought to always praise and worship the Lord Most High.  He alone is worthy.

Christ in You

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SN110506

Christ In You

Colossians 1:24-29

In the past few years and months I have heard of sermons having to do with growing in your suffering, rejoicing in your suffering and such as that. Paul was writing from a place of suffering, and he was suffering for the cause of Christ and the cross. Can we or should we rejoice in suffering?

If we are to rejoice in suffering; how is that possible? It does seem that while Paul was suffering from imprisonment in a Roman prison he was rejoicing in Jesus our Lord and Savior. He has voiced words of approval of the people of Colossae, so we see he was not bitter. He did not complain. You hear nothing but contentment, and peace in his words.

Just how is it we can rejoice in suffering? Does this rejoicing include all suffering, such as sickness, financial hardship, family problems – marriage or having to do with children? It seems that we can rejoice in suffering, and in all forms of suffering.

There is a “Mystery” revealed in this passage of Scripture which gives us reason to believe that we can suffer and rejoice in the suffering as well. It is the mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

OUTLINE –

I. REJOICING IN THE SUFFERING OF AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST (v. 24). See MacArthur
II. CALLED TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD (vv. 25-26).
III. THE MYSTERY REVEALED AS ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ (v. 27).
IV. THE PREACHING, THE PRESENTATION, THE PERFECTION, AND THE POWER (vv. 28-29).

In verse 23 Paul states that he is a “Minister of Christ”, and in verse 24 “And now rejoice in my sufferings for you”. Paul was REJOICING IN THE SUFFERING OF AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST (v. 24). How can Paul do this? The word for “Rejoice” here means “to be full of cheer”. Cheerful and suffering just do not even seem to belong in the same sentence little lone the same life together.

What would the word “Cheerful” mean if we had no suffering? Would the word or the condition even exist? That goes with the words of a song of several years ago which says, “If I never had a problem, how could I know that God could solve them?”

Here are some thoughts from John MacArthur on why suffering is a cause for joy,

“First, suffering brings believers closer to Christ.” (Philippians 3:10). “Second, suffering assures the believer that he belongs to Christ.” (John 15:18; Matthew 10:24; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:14). “Third, suffering brings a future reward.” (Rom. 8:17-18; 2 Cor. 4:17). “Fourth, suffering can result in the salvation of others.” “Fifth, suffering frustrates Satan. He wants suffering to harm us, but God brings good out of it.” The above quotes by John MacArthur are from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Colossians/Philemon pg. 75.

In suffering for Christ, Paul was fulfilling the will of God and Jesus Christ in his life. For every child of God that suffers for the faith, Christ is glorified and exalted above all. Thus, suffering for Jesus fulfills the suffering of Christ for the Church. This has no redemptive purpose, but is due to redemption.

Paul saw his ministry to the church as being one CALLED TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD (vv. 25-26). There were many things that had been hidden in mystery (a secret hidden in the past, but now revealed) concerning grace, salvation, and the church. These things were not even seen in the law, but were there. Such things as having a “Heart of stone” and it becoming “Heart of flesh”;

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” Ezekiel 11:19.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 (KJV).

The only way this kind of change is possible in an individual’s life is through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God is fulfilled when these wonderful things have been made plain. They are now revealed, and open for all to see, hear, and receive. To some, whose eyes may be darkened to the light of the Gospel, it will remain a mystery, and only by the power of God will they ever see. That is the only way it ever came to be in the first place.

There is a glorious thing about all of this, and that is THE MYSTERY REVEALED AS ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ (v. 27). This is a wonderful, glorious thing. Our hearts should be full to overflowing to think, to know that Jesus Christ is in us. He is in us individually, and as a corporate body of believers when we are gathered together.

How can sinful people have the essence of holiness living within them? It is by the grace of God. How can we as the people of God – made so by grace – continue to live in our own power, and not rely on the One who lives, who abides within us?

The answer to the problem of the “Mystery” is “Christ in you”. You will not find that in the law, or in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself is “The Hope of Glory”. He is our hope of being with Him in glory ie., heaven. He is though, far more than just a hope. He is our salvation. He is our joy. He is our strength. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our Master. He is the One in whom we trust. He is Creator, and our creator. He is Sovereign. He is All-present. He is All-powerful. He is All-knowing. He is God. He lives in those who confess Him as their personal Lord and Savior, whose lives He has changed.

Jesus did say to us, “Abide in Me…” (John 15:4). To abide in Him is to have Him abiding in us. The two go together “Abide in Me, and I in you.” O, the things we must give unto Him to make His life and presence revealed to this lost and dying world. Wherever we go do others see “Christ in you, the hope of glory”, or do they just see the ordinary? May God help me to have others see Christ in me, the hope of glory for others.

THE PREACHING, THE PRESENTATION, THE PERFECTION, AND THE POWER (vv. 28-29). Why did Paul suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? Why did he rejoice in his suffering? He gives us the answer in these two verses.

He desired to present to Christ in that day a people who were complete in Christ. It is not a work to be left to the disciples own doing. The individual disciple of Christ is ultimately responsible for their own growth in Christ, but only after they have been taught the way; you might even say, after they have been taught to feed themselves.

All those who are in Christ will have presentations to make before Christ. The ones we have led to faith in Jesus will be there for that presentation. Do you desire that they be complete? That should be a strong burden for every Christian, ie., to see the newborn to faith in Christ grow from a babe to full grown adulthood.

The only way we can accomplish this, of course, is through the power of God – Christ in us, the hope of glory. We have no power, but His. We have no Word, but His. We have no spirit to accomplish this task, but His.

CONCLUSION –

I. THERE IS REJOICING WHEN WE SUFFER FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, AND IN HIS NAME.
II. AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO FULFILL THE WILL OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.
III. LET THE TRUTH OF ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ NO LONGER BE A MYSTERY.
IV. GROW IN LOVE AND BE BURDENED TO SEE OTHERS GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST; THAT YOU MIGHT PRESENT THEM COMPLETE BEFORE JESUS AT HIS COMING.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Full Force of Wrath

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“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 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.”  Revelation 10:5-7

These verses are further evidence that this angel is not the Lord Jesus.

The first thing that tells me it is not, is, that he “Sware to Him that liveth for ever and ever”. The risen glorified Jesus would have no need to do that. He is the “Fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). He is the One who lives “For ever and ever”.

The second reason is that, if it is Jesus He could sware by Himself (Heb. 6:13).

This is simply an angelic messenger of God’s ownership upon His creation. Afterall, all things are under His feet. He can send an angelic messenger if He so chooses.

The fact that the angel is standing on the sea and the earth seem to imply that time is up. This last phrase of verse six is indicative of that. “There will be no more delay” (NIV). “There shall be delay no longer” (NAS). “There should be delay no longer” (NKJV). The verse does not imply no more time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc.); unless it could be applied to repentance; and read, “No more time for man to repent”. The clear implication is that time is up. The full force of God’s wrath is come. Evil will be eternally put away.

Verse seven is a strong affirmation of the above. John speaks of the seventh trump. At the sound of the seventh trump, “The mystery of God should be finished”. What is this mystery? There is much said in the Bible about mystery. Some of these God reveals to His prophets and has revealed them.

1. The mystery of the Church (Eph. 5:32);
2. The mystery of iniquity (2 Thes. 2:7).

The above are only a sample of mysteries of the Bible. These two probably fit with what John is writing. With the sounding of the seventh trump; the final martyrs will be slain, the gospel ceases and judgment falls on the whole earth. The seventh trump also begins the “seven vials of wrath”. If you will remember the seven seals judgments only affected one fourth, then, the seven trumpets affect one third, but when we get to the seven vials it seems to affect the whole earth because there is no mention of the amount of earth or population affected.

The work of those who are His on earth is finished. The bondage of and control of sin on earth is finished as well. Only wrath remains. Mankind has no more time for repentance at the seventh trumpet. Because mankind has rejected God’s atonement for sin through faith in Jesus Christ, the iniquity of mankind and its judgment will be put on the God-haters. God provides the way through the cross of Jesus for man to come to Him and be saved. If we reject that way there is no other, and judgment is imminent.

God warns people through His servants He calls prophets or preachers. God reveals judgment to certain ones and as God’s servants, they warn people of judgment. This shows God’s abundant mercy (Amos 3:7). He owes man nothing, yet His mercy is astounding. One day, though, His mercy will cease. Woe be to those who heed not His warnings.

Mystery of the Seven Thunders

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“:And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.”  Revelation 10:1-4 (KJV)

Jesus is unveiled as the ruler of the sea and the earth, by a heavenly messenger, and His Word is the source of the message of assurance, forgiveness, and judgment. We must always remember the words of promise which we love are fulfilled, just as are the words of judgment fulfilled which we tend to dismiss or never mention.

In this tenth chapter we have another “Rest spot” (between chapters 7 and 14),between the sixth and seventh judgment. The seven seals are divided the first four from the final three and the last three seals divided two and one with an interlude between six and seven. The same is true of the seven trumpets. The first four are judgments upon the things of earth, sea, man, and the celestial creation. The next three are “Woes” pronounced upon wicked men with the first two woes in chapter nine, the interlude between 9:21 and 11:14. The seven vials mentioned later are divided the same with the shortest interlude being between the sixth and seventh vial. They will be discussed later in the study of the Revelation.

This, “Another mighty angel” has been described by some scholars and others as the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ. Since when does scripture call Jesus “Another…”. The thought of this being Jesus just does not fit. Those who equate this to Jesus look at the “Little book” and the slight description given of the angel and compare it to the book mentioned in chapter 5 which has the seven seals. The description does not fit chapter 1:13-16 description of Christ.

We must take Scripture for what it says here – “Another mighty angel…”. This is an angelic being of great rank. He is an angel of brilliant splendor possibly even surpassing the beauty of Lucifer’s original beauty. SEE Ezekiel 28:12.

The “Little book” in his hand is a book of great importance. It is with this book in his hand he sets his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth. This seems to imply ownership of all the earth. Remember the seventh trumpet is going to sound, and God is here declaring, that, although He is about to turn the earth over to Satan’s evil rule he (Satan) will still only be allowed to a certain distance and no further.

This angel shouted for some reason and sounded as a lion roaring. It appears to actually be a shout of victory; an assurance to the prophet and the reader that God is victorious.
“Seven Thunders” could be connected with the “lightnings and thunderings and voices” mentioned in 4:5.

Whatever these seven thunders spoke we have no clue. John understood what they said, and was about to write them down when he was commanded to “Seal them up and write them not”. There is a mystery here. A mystery which only the apostle John heard, and quite possibly so awesome that it could be beyond our understanding. But woe to those who are on earth when their voices are heard.

Trying to figure out this mystery of the seven thunders is nigh on to impossible since John was commanded to seal them up.  It is one of those cases where only God knows.  Let us leave it at that; knowing that He has given us His Son Jesus as the Redeemer of our sins.  Let us hear what God says concerning His Son, then we can know for sure of His love, mercy, and grace, and know that we have eternal life.

Day Two Hundred Eighty and Seven

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What do I want for Christmas?

I want to hear my King’s shout, and His trumpet call, for all His people to gather to Him; preparing for that day when He will come to judge the world and put an end to sin.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 (KJV)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Words for Christian Living 060713

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“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 nought: 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: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”  1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (KJV)

We know that none of us are perfect in the sense which we understand the word “Perfect”.  In the text above it has to do with being complete in Christ Jesus.  When it comes to salvation by grace through faith we are complete in Him.

No matter how hard we try we cannot open the eyes or ears of those who refuse to see, hear and understand that Jesus is the Christ Son of the Living God.  It is a work of God.  As Jesus told Peter in Matthew 16:17,

“…For flesh and blood hath not revealed  it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.”

Part of our “Perfection” is understanding that all of salvation is God’s doing.  By the Spirit of God; not by flesh and blood.  Our commission is to Preach the gospel…

-Tim A. Blankenship

Through the Bible in a Year 011313

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Mysterious Faith

Genesis 14 – 32

1.  Mystery of the Priest of the Most High God (14:17-24);

2.  God’s Promises fulfilled (15 – 21);
15:6;  16:15-16;  17:19;  18:16-33;  19:15-16;  20:1-2;  21:1-3, 12;

3.  Faith, Sacrifice, and a Bride (22 – 24);
22:1-6, 12-18;  23:1-2;  24:1-6, 34-36, 64-67;

4.  Faith, Lying, Deception, Scheming, Deceiving and Back to Faith (25 – 29);
25:5, 19-28;  26:25;  27:33-35;  28:10-15;  29:21-25;

5.  Rachel’s, Leah’s and Jacob’s Struggles; and Their Faith (30 – 32);
30:1-2, 22-24;  31:9;  32:1-2, 24-30

-Tim A. Blankenship