Ephesians 3:4-7 carries so much doctrinal weight for us, in this dispensation of grace! Pastor Steve always reminds us to make the main thing the main thing. Well, there is no greater main thing than the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory. This game changing truth that was hidden from the foundation of the world turned the world upside down when it was delivered to Paul by revelation from the Lord himself, providing salvation to the Gentiles directly through the finished work of Christ! Let us take a walk through the scriptures that reveal the mystery / secret known only to God throughout all the ages until the gospel was fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May the reading of these scriptures encourage you to see that we live in a time unlike any other time in history – past, present, or future! This is the dispensation of grace, in which God has provided salvation for who call upon him, believing on the finished work of Christ for salvation. Romans 16:25-27: 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. Ephesians 4:1-7: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery (secret); (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery (secret) of Christ) 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; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Colossians 1:21-29: And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery (secret) which hath been hid from 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: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. The mystery / secret revealed to Paul, who, in turn, shared the revelation with Peter, James, and John, and the other Jewish apostles in Acts 15 / Galatians 2 – that salvation for all mankind no longer goes through Moses and the Law and the nation of Israel, but through the finished work of Christ! Colossians 2:13-15: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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 shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Titus 2:11-14: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 3:4-7: But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. My friends, we have every reason to be filled with hope, not despair. Our citizenship is in heaven. We are heavenly beings trapped in an earthly existence. We are in this world, but we are not of this world, because the “mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory” is more real than today's news!
