When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3: 4-6 (RSV)
Paul, a prisoner for Christ, stated that he had insight into the mystery of Christ. This devotion looks at what that mystery is.
Nuggets
- Paul didn’t consider himself just a prisoner for Christ; he was also a prisoner for the Gentiles.
- The mystery is the doctrine of salvation.
- God and Jesus love the Gentiles just as much as They do the Jews.
Paul had a glimpse at the mystery of Christ. He wanted to share it with his readers. We are lucky that we can read of his insight, also. But first, Paul had to remind his readers why he was able to share his insight with them.
Let's Put It into Context
“For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles — assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly” (EPH. 3: 1-3 RSV).
Sometimes, it is mind boggling how Paul owned being a prisoner for Jesus. You know the conditions has to be bad and the food — if he got it — not much better.
Paul rocked it. Look how many times he mentioned it — seven times. He wasn’t trying to hide it.
But Paul didn’t consider himself just a prisoner for Christ. He was also a prisoner for the Gentiles. He took himself out of being this slick televangelist with a mansion to someone who was struggling and suffering just as they were. And for the same reason — Jesus was also Lord for the non-Jews.
Paul’s readers would have heard the particulars of his conversion. It isn’t every day that the Hollywood splash of a dead/resurrected Jesus shows up and stops someone in his tracks.
And to have that someone be the hated Saul — persecutor of the good guys. They didn’t need CNN and Fox News back then. That message was broadcast quickly!
What was revealed to Paul? “But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles — to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Ac. 26: 16-18 ESV emphasis added). Paul got his ministry directly from Jesus.
The Jews of the day shouldn’t have been surprised at the inclusion of the Gentiles. Jesus Himself said they would be invited. “And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt. 8: 11 NLT).
So, if it wasn’t Paul’s ministry that was the mystery, what was?
What’s the Mystery?
“When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 3: 4-5 RSV).
The mystery is the doctrine of salvation. Salvation means we are not only saved from our sins by redemption through Jesus, but we are also delivered from spiritual death.
Yes, the doctrine of salvation is hard to understand. That is one reason why God has given us His Holy Spirit to help instruct us and guide us to Him. He doesn’t want it to be too mysterious. God reveals Himself to us little by little through His Spirit.
Look at it this way. Think about how many years and through how many books of the Old Testament in which God revealed His Messiah to His people. Think about how God only showed a glimpse of Himself through the whole Bible.
Why? Why did God wait thousands of years before He sent Jesus to be our Redeemer?
Why? Why has God waited thousands of years before He sends Jesus back to call His children home?
Well, the second question is easier to answer than the first. God knows that, once it is over, it will be over. Our choices will be made for us. He is waiting for everyone that is going to choose Him to do so.
Why did He wait so long after Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden to send Jesus? I can only assume that it took that long time for us to get to the point to know that we needed a Savior.
It took years for it to get bad enough and stay that way long enough before the Israelites really started looking. “Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God, who heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Ex. 2: 23-24 GNT).
I think, when they began to cry in unison, God knew it was time to act and bring them out of Egypt.
When they began to cry in unison, God knew it was time to send His Messiah. We know the Israelites were looking for the Messiah — just not the one they got. The Israelites has to get to a point where they readily admitted that they were separated from God.
To read What Were the Israelites Expecting in a Messiah?, click on the button below.
Did that mean the Jews at that time were His “favorites”? No. He loves us all the same. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3: 28 NASB). He doesn’t see the differences in us.
To read
What Does “in Christ” Mean?
and
How Does Peace Help Us Tear Down Walls?,
click on the appropriate button below.
Back to Being Heirs
“that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph. 3: 6 RSV).
Okay, Paul didn’t tie up the unity theme in the last chapter. He is still pushing the point that the Gentiles are not second-class citizens. They are true members of the Family.
God and Jesus love the Gentiles just as much as They do the Jews. They are also heirs to the promise. They are going to get the same inheritance.
To read What Does It Mean to Be Children and Heirs?, click on the button below.
Making the Connections
Have you every thought of the 180º Paul must have done? He described himself as a “… a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee” (Phil. 3: 5 ESV). I am surprised he didn’t say a Pharisee of Pharisees.
In today’s lingo, Paul, as a Pharisee, would probably have been called a racist. And here Jesus said, “That is your mission field.” Paul?? And he didn’t talk back — he just went????
But Paul changed overnight. One day he was on the Damascus Road; the next day he was a totally different person.
Satan doesn’t like it when we are not only following God’s Will, but also when we are actively witnessing for Him. That is when the persecution ramps up — big time.
You see, when we aren’t being effective, Satan doesn’t have to worry about us. We aren’t a threat to him. He wants the mystery to remain a mystery.
Oooo, baby. We are when we are. When God is moving through us and getting results, Satan feels it and throws a hissy fit. That rains down persecution on us.
How Do We Apply This?
We’ve got to be ministers for Christ — regardless of what will be thrown at us. We have to accomplish the tasks for which God has made us. We’ve got to explain the mystery. People’s eternal lives depend on this.
God continues to reveal Himself to those who are seeking Him to solve the mystery. Does that mean He has revealed more of Himself to me than He did to Mom and Dad in their generation? I think so.
Maybe God just has to reveal Himself in different ways. But I know He continues to clear up the mystery. He reveals Himself to us as we seek Him through studying His Word, meditating on it, and praying to our Father.
We have been given God’s grace because we are to be stewards of it to pass God’s message on to others.
We have to pray to be changed as Paul was. We have to pray that God continue to reveal Himself to us in more in-depth ways.
We must pray for understanding in how to interact with those people who are different than us. We have to pray that the Spirit guide us to where we need to be.
Paul knew his calling. We do, too. “God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you” (Col. 1: 25 NLT). We are to tell His message to all who do not know.
Yes, we may struggle with finding out what exactly it is and how we are supposed to really do it. But God isn’t going to keep it hidden when we are intentionally seeking to do His Will.
Isn’t that comforting when we are persecuted because we are working for God’s kingdom? We have the grace of God sustaining us because He gave us this work to do.
God. There is a mystery around You. You want us to step out in faith, not in our knowledge of You. We are to grow in knowledge of You after we give You control of our lives. Help us to seek You and find You. Amen.
What do you think?
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