Since the first sin of Adam, plunging the world into utter chaos, a mystery has existed. One shrouded in words of hope. Yet unrevealed as to its complexity. How did it remain so shrouded int he hearts of humanity? Especially since now we see its evidence so clearly from the beginning of Genesis and threaded throughout all Scripture. Yet do we all see it? Or is it only to those whom it has been revealed. At least, those eyes opened to see the truth. Hearts willing to trust with faith. And though the Old Testament Saints did not understand fully, they stood on faith. Believing in the Wisdom of God to fulfill all His promises. Even when they could not fully grasp how.
That Ancient Mystery now has been revealed. Even though Isaiah, Daniel and other prophets foretold of a weeping Messiah who would bare pay for our transgressions before a Holy God, no one imagined the truth.
After all, who could imagine that the God who spoke with Abraham clearly as he gazed upon the stars in heaven, would choose to come to earth. How was it that God sent His Beloved Son, part of the Triune Holy God, to be born as a human baby? From total majesty to being a helpless, defenseless baby with hunger pains? From all-powerful to fragile within moments. Even Satan who was well versed in scripture, was taken off guard. To him, this was his chance. An opportunity to overthrow God, somehow. Which brings us to Ephesians 3. However, before going on, we must return to chapter 2 to review briefly verses 11-21.
The Wisdom of God in bringing the Gentiles In
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Ephesians 2:11-12 ESV
The Jewish Nation (the circumcised) looked down upon the gentiles (the uncircumcised). This despite God always telling them to be the light to the world, bringing other nations to the knowledge of Him. Remember when God sent Jonah to warn and save the Ninevites. How angry and frustrated Jonah became! Yet, this scripture is read every year at Yom Kippur. The day of atonement. It was read even during Old Testament times as a reminder of God’s Divine Mercy and repentance. Yet, the hearts of the Pharisees and Sadducees remained always against even associating with the gentiles. Let alone bring them to salvation? They never imagined it. This despite God telling them to. And despite Rahab and Ruth being part of the lineage of David and the promised King. Even Abraham was called out of a pagan nation.
Yet, they were easily enticed to follow Pagan practices and ignore God’s commands. Thus proving themselves unworthy of His Grace as well.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. Ephesians 2: 13-16 ESV
The Wisdom of God: Jew and Gentile One Body in Christ
He did away with the Old Law. After all, it did not work to bring salvation. Salvation came by faith alone, not the working of human hands. Even back then. They lost sight of that truth. The Law was there to help us see the truth of our sin compared to a Righteous, Holy God. The Creator of the Universe could not be matched ever by our feeble efforts.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have 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 members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:17-22 ESV
We are all joined as one body in Jesus Christ. That is all who accept Him as Lord and Savior, repenting of their sins, and believing He is God’s Son who died in our place. Furthermore, He was resurrected from the dead as scripture tells us.
The Wisdom of God Concerning the Ancient Mystery
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of 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. 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. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:1-6 ESV
First note, Paul calls himself a prisoner of Christ Jesus. He who was a Pharisee of the Pharisees is not surrendered completely to the will of Jesus Christ. His position was to bring the gospel message to the Gentiles. This because the mystery hidden in plain sight was now fully revealed by the Spirit of God. Why was this all kept shrouded in mystery in the Old Testament?
we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written:
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the human heart, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” I Corinthians 2: NASB
Why was it hidden? Let me present two important observations here.
Satan would not have thought it a good idea for Christ to be crucified. Nor would he have enticed the crowds to proceed. Particularly, he would not have wanted the Pharisees to turn against Jesus. Somehow, he still thought he had a chance to gain all the world as his subjects, if only Jesus would die. After all, he was foolish enough to believe Jesus might sin when he tempted Jesus in the desert. What about the emotional torture of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane when His flesh agonized over what was coming? If Jesus dies, Satan at least thought, he had a chance of keeping Jesus trapped in death. Had he and his demons fully understood, they would not have wanted His death on the cross. And certainly, all the truth was shrouded in the eyes of the Pharisees and Sadducees who desired power and money.
Jesus was not the Messiah they wanted. They wanted to be the only ones. No gentiles. Save us here and now from Roman oppression. They wanted outward salvation and circumcision. Not a circumcision of the heart that would force them to bow before God. And never did they want to share their position with anyone.
The mystery although written in plain sight requires the working of the Holy Spirit opening the eyes of the blind to see the truth.
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2:10-16 NASB
The Wisdom of God Even Allowed Evil (Evil being the absence of God)
Who of you would have thought this plan was a good idea? Would you have even considered paying the price by your own death for someone’s crimes? Or even greater, to pour all your wrath and punishment on your beloved son for someone else’s sins? Furthermore, all because of love? All this? But why allow evil to begin with? Particularly if that meant you were going to pay the price in the end? Yet without choice, can love or devotion exist? Without choice, can one understand the attributes of God? Or feel the depth of His Love or Mercy?
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea,
“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” Romans 9: 22-26 ESV
Carefully consider this quote from Jonathan Edwards.
It is a proper and excellent thing for infinite glory to shine forth; and for the same reason, it is proper that the shining forth of God’s glory be complete; that is, that all parts of his glory should shine forth, that every beauty should be proportionably effulgent (=radiant), that the beholder may have a proper notion of God. It is not proper that one glory should be exceedingly manifested, and another not at all….
Thus, it is necessary, that God’s awful majesty, his authority and dreadful greatness, justice, and holiness, should be manifested. But this could not be, unless sin and punishment had been decreed; so that the shining forth of God’s glory would be very imperfect, both because these parts of divine glory would not shine forth as the others do, and also the glory of his goodness, love, and holiness would be faith without them; nay, they could scarcely shine forth at all.
If it were not right that God should decree and permit and punish sin, there could be no manifestation of God’s holiness in hatred of sin, or in showing any preference, in his providence, of godliness before it. There would be no manifestation of God’s grace or true goodness, if there was no sin to be pardoned, no misery to be saved from. How much happiness so ever he bestowed, his goodness would not be so much prized and admired, and the sense of it not so great….
So, evil is necessary,
in order to the highest happiness of the creature and the completeness of that communication of God, for which he made the world; because the creature’s happiness consists in the knowledge of God, and the sense of his love. And if the knowledge of him be imperfect, the happiness of the creature must be proportionably imperfect.Jonathan Edwards, “Concerning the Divine Decrees”, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1974), 528
The Wisdom of God Can Love Be Perfect without Free Will?
God created things which had free will. That means creatures can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata-of creatures that worked like machines-would hardly be worth creating.
The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each in an ecstasy of love delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free.
Of course, God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently, He thought it worth the risk. Perhaps we feel inclined to disagree with Him. But there is a difficulty about disagreeing with God. He is the source from which all your reasoning power comes: you could not be right, and He wrong any more than a stream can rise higher than its own source. When you are arguing against Him you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all: it is like cutting off the branch you are sitting on.
If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for free will—that is, for making a live world in which creatures can do real good or harm and something of real importance can happen, instead of a toy world which only moves when He pulls the strings—then we may take it is worth paying C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (New York: HarperCollins, 1952), 47-48
Wisdom of God—Unsearchable
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid?”
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 ESV
Wisdom of God—The Ancient Mystery Revealed to All Who Will Believe
Why was it a mystery? So, all could be accomplished so that you and I might have the chance to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. So that all God had planned could be completed with such joy and jubilation for all who would be His sons and daughters.
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their wrongdoing proves to be riches for the world, and their failure, riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Therefore, insofar as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection proves to be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are as well. Romans 11: 11-16 NASB
For this Reason, Paul bowed as a prisoner and servant of God
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Ephesians 3: 7-12 ESV
So, what does all this mean to us?
Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts Hebrews 3:7-8 nasb
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not beput to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13 NASB
And then we are to go out and tell others. After all we will know the mystery of eternal life. Why would we not share that!
How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” Romans 10:14-15 NASB
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. That is except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Please note: This Post only has quotes from the KJV Bible except where otherwise indicated
