For the last two thoughts we’ve seen Paul’s writings repeat many prophecies that were spoken since the world began (Acts 3:21).
Now let’s think about what was kept secret .... but is now made known:
Rom 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,
26 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:
27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
What is the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery?
The mystery had to do with many points, as we will see.
Jesus is the mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5).
He is the mediator of a better covenant (Heb 8:6).
He is the mediator of the new testament (Heb 9:15) ....
of which we are able ministers (2 Cor 3:6).
He is the mediator of the new covenant (Heb 12:24) ....
Jesus is the mediator
Who made peace by His death
so that we have peace with God (Rom 5:1) ....
and in order to bring what sin had destroyed, back into a state of harmony and friendship with God:
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross,
by him to reconcile all things unto himself;
by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with .... Jesus, the mediator,
Who made peace between Israel and the Gentiles (Eph 2:11-17):
Col 1:22-22 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with ....
Paul spreading this good news .... of the gospel of Christ (the gospel of peace) .... to everybody:
Col 1:23 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;
Paul .... told the saints and the faithful in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:1) to stand, having the gospel of peace (also see Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;) .... just as those preachers before him did .... all along .... even back in the days of Isaiah (Isa 52:7) and Nahum (Nah 1:15) .... according to Paul .... AND .... according to PROPHECY (the prophetic writings):
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Obedience to the gospel .... is equated to belief of the gospel ....
according to Paul .... AND .... according to PROPHECY (the prophetic writings):
Rom 10:16-17 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
This good news of the gospel spread everywhere .... all over the world:
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Matt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Jesus sent His apostles to start in Jerusalem and branch out all over the place preaching His death and resurrection .... according to the scriptures:
Luke 24:46-47 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
But in ‘due time’ (1 Tim 2:6), Jesus told Paul to get out of Jerusalem, because although Israel had the first opportunity (Rom 1:16, Act 13:26), they didn’t believe (John 1:11, Acts 13:41-42):
Acts 22:18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with .... the church being identified as ‘the body of Christ’:
Col 1:24 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:
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with .... the stewardship that God committed to Paul .... to complete the scriptures:
Col 1:25 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;
The Greek word used is [apokrupto, or apokrypto] (as being buried in a ‘crypt’ or vault), meaning ‘concealed, kept secret, hidden from sight’. ‘Cryptic’ messages are ‘mysterious, puzzling, obscure, vague’.
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid (Greek [apokrypto] from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with .... God’s hidden wisdom .... of salvation for the world through the death of His Son:
1 Cor 2:6-8 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:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (also see Eph 1:4, 2 Tim 1:9, Titus 1:2, 1 Pet 1:18-21)
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (also see Prov 1:20-33)
Jesus, the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29), dwelt among men (John 1:14), but they did not even know Him (John 8:19), Who is wisdom (1 Cor 1:30):
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Jesus surprised the woman of Samaria (John 4:9) and His disciples (John 4:27) that He even talked to her .... (John 4:4-39). At first she did not know Him:
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
But after He talked with her awhile, she believed, and when she left Him, she told many of the Samaritians, who also believed on Messias, which is called Christ (John 4:25):
John 4:40-42 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
The preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery also had to do with .... the unheard of equality of the Gentiles with the Jews .... that God would also live in them:
Col 1:27 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: (also see 1 Cor 3:16-19, 2 Cor 6:16)
Paul worked harder than anybody (1 Cor 15:10) to get this message out to the masses:
Col 1:28-29 Whom we preach, warning every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom;
that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Paul took the gospel (the gospel of Christ) to nations who had no foundation .... no knowledge of Christ. Paul did this .... according to PROPHECY .... that Gentiles who had never heard of Christ, would see and understand:
Rom 15:19-21 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum,
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel,
not where Christ was named,
lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written,
To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see:
and they that have not heard shall understand.
‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ avoid Paul’s use of the old testament scriptures and prophecy .... because they isolate Paul from everyone else in the Bible. They constantly refer to the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery .... but they do not understand it.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
