|
Hoyte Nelson's Poems/ Reflections & Biblical Essays
|
| Home |
Essay The Mystery about the Church (highlighted for emphasis, NASV) “…that is, the mystery which
has been hidden from the past ages,
but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory” Colossians 1:26,27). “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. And if you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3: 28,29). ”For He Himself is our peace,
who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so
that in Himself He might make the two
into one new man, thus
establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in
one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And
He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and
peace to those who were near; for through Him we
both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of
God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole
building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together
into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2: 11-22). One of the greatest truths
found in the scriptures has to do with the “mystery” that was revealed to the Apostle Paul concerning the
unique makeup of the church; “to be
specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body,
and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”
(Ephesians 3:6). I will now list several
passages having to do with this mystery: “He
made known to us the mystery of His
will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” (Ephesians
1:9). “For this reason I, Paul, the
prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard
of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; that by
revelation there was made known to me the mystery,
as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can
understand my insight into the mystery
of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as
it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to
be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the
body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of
which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was
given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all
saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches
of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all
things…” (Ephesians 3:1-9). “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with
reference to Christ and the church.”
Ephesians 2:13-22 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both
one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so
making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that
were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone; In whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom
ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit”
(Ephesians 2:13-22). It is my purpose to show that
in the mystery, first revealed to the apostle Paul, where God is showing that
the Gentiles are now ONE with the Jews as the “Israel of God.” I beg you
patience as I share my understanding on this great subject. The following
scriptures will affirm this truth. As we read the above passages, it is clear that the Jew and
the Gentile is now one body in Christ. The “middle wall of partition” that
once separated the two peoples is forever gone. This is the mystery spoken by
the Apostle Paul: “to be specific,
that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow
partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). Now let us review the Apostle Paul’s conclusions concerning
to Israel’s future: “What if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to
make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction? (Speaking of Israel) And He
did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He
prepared beforehand for glory, even us,
whom He also called, not from among Jews
only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, “I will call
those who were not My people, ‘My
people,’ And her who was not beloved,
‘beloved.’ ” “And it shall be that in the place where it
was said to them, ‘you are not My
people, There they shall be called
sons of the living God.”
(Speaking of the Gentiles) Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though
the number of the sons of Israel be like
the sand of the sea, it
is the remnant that will be saved; for
the Lord will execute His word on the earth,
thoroughly and quickly.” And just
as Isaiah foretold, “Unless the Lord of
Sabaoth had left to us a posterity
(in Christ), We would have become like Sodom,
and would have resembled Gomorrah.” In this regard, Jesus said,
“I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at
the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the
sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11,12).) Continuing from Romans chapter 9: “What shall we say
then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness,
even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of
righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
Why? Because they did not pursue
it by faith, but as though it were by
works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written, “Behold,
I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense, And he who
believes in Him will not be disappointed”
(Romans 9:22-33). Now, before we return to the question about the
“mystery,” I ask this question: When the Holy Spirit was directing the
Apostle Paul to write these words, “And all Israel shall be saved,” about
whom was he speaking? If only a “remnant is to be saved” from the people
called “Israel;” then who was the Apostle speaking when he said, “and all
Israel be saved.” The answer is found in the context from of Romans 11: “For
I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery (Jew and Gentile
as one)—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial
hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
(into what? Into the church as ONE in Christ, This is the mystery hid in ages
past; “thus all Israel will be
saved…” (Romans 11:25,26). Remember that the wall of partition has forever
been abolished; therefore, “all Israel will be saved.” Again Paul wrote: “For
neither is circumcision anything, nor un-circumcision, but a new creation. And
those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be
upon them, and upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6: 15,16). Conclusion: The only hope for
any man or women today or tomorrow is in the gospel, (hid in the mystery now
revealed in Jesus Christ). There is no more Jew or Gentile as to the future, for
we have been made one in Christ. Let us not promise another gospel. “Today is
the day of salvation; now is the accepted time” (2 Corinthians 6:2). See: Website: >wwwgeocities.com/hnelson704<
“The Hope of Israel” (Website should be up-dated by
11/1/02: “The Restored Kingdom” under Abraham’s Children” These Essays
will add to one’s understanding of the above article). |