Writing to the Corinthians Paul says, “Let a man so account for us as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the Mysteries of God. (1Cor 4:1) Rom 16:25,26 Paul speaks of what he calls “My Gospel,” which he calls the “Revelation of the Mystery”, which was kept “secret” since the world began, but now is made “manifest”. It was the “Revelation” that was promised to Paul at his conversion. (Acts 26:16-18) and which comprises the “Mysteries of God”.
There are 11 mysteries, 8 of them were revealed to Paul. One was revealed to Christ, and two were revealed to the Apostle John.
NOTE: A “Mystery” in the New Testament sense is not something that can not be understood, but is some plan or purpose of God that has been known to Him from the beginning, but which He has withheld from the knowledge of men until the time came for Him to reveal it.
THE MYSTERIES IN ORDER OF FULFILLMENT
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “INCARNATION”
“Without controversy great is the “Mystery of Godliness” God was manifest in the Flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1Tim 3:16) It is no mystery that God should reveal Himself by speaking from the Heavens, as on Mt. Sinai, but that He should take on the “Human Farm” and “Tabernacle among us that was a great mystery. This He did in the person of Christ. (1John 1:1-14) Thus Jesus could say, “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father”. (John 14:9)
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “DIVINE IN DWELLING“
In (Col 1:26-28) Paul speaks of another “Mystery” which had been hid from “Ages” and from “Generations”, but was then made manifest to the Saints. He calls it the Mystery of “Christ in You.” This is a great mystery because it is the mystery of the “New Birth”. A mystery that cause Nicodemas to exclaim, “How can a man be born when he is old? (John3:4) The New Birth is wonderful, but it is a wonderful fact. It is the union of the Divine Nature adores. So that just as Jesus became one with us by His taking our human nature, so we become one with Him by taking of the Divine Nature. The mystery of this union is that it is a union of “identity”. We are just as much a part of Christ as the members of the body are a part of the body (1Cor 12:12). It is for Christ to “live in us” (Gal 2:20)
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “UNION JEWS AND GENTILES IN ONE BODY CALLED THE CHURCH”
(Eph 3:1-11) Paul says that God by revelation made known to him the “Mystery” which in other Ages had not been made known unto the sons of men, “That the Gentiles should be “Fellow Heirs” and of the “Sons body,”, and partakes of His promise in Christ by the Gospel.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE 7 STARS AND THE 7 CANDLESTICKS
To the Apostle John was revealed the Mystery of the 7 Stars and the 7 Candlesticks. (Rev 1:12-20) The 7 Stars were in Asia Minor, and the 7 Candlesticks stand for the 7 Churches themselves.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”
When the Jews rejected Christ, and thus prevented the setting up of the Kingdom, the Kingdom took on another form, the “Mystery Form”. To show the Character of this Mystery form, “Jesus resorted to Parables. These Parables are 12 in number and found only in Matthew Gospel.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “TRANSLATION OF THE LIVING SAINTS”
(1Cor 15:51-55) Paul says “Behold, I show you a Mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.”
According to mass reason we must all die, but to be translated into heaven bodily and alive in something that could never be reasoned.
- THE MYSTERY OF “ISRAEL’S BLINDNESS”
(Rom 11:25) Paul says “I would not, brethren that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until, the fullness of the Gentiles become in”. This not so much spiritual blindness a judicial blindness caused by their rejection of Christ. This blindness is national and not individual, for we must not forget that the bulk of the believers in the Apostles days were Jews, and quite a few Jews have been converted since. The revelation of this Mystery to Paul was to account for the survival of the Jewish people as a race white scattered among the nations.
- THE MYSTERY OF “INIQUITY”
(2 Thess 2:1-12) Paul, speaking of the “Man of Sin” or Antichrist, calls his teaching and claims the “Mystery of Iniquity,” which was already at work in Paul’s day. The Mystery of Godliness is God manifest in the Flesh.”
- THE MYSTERY OF “BABYLON THE GREAT”
This Mystery is revealed in the 17th chapter of the book of Revelation.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AS THE “BRIDE OF CHRIST”
(Eph 5:22-23) Revealed to Paul under the figure of a man and wife. “This is a Great Mystery” but I speak of Christ and the Church. “The 1st Adam had a bride, Eve. The 2nd or last Adam, has a bride, the Church This explains why there should be a “Parenthetical Dispensation” between the 1st and 2nd coming of Christ, in which by grace, a chosen people should be called out to form the Church, the Bride of Christ.
- THE MYSTERY OF THE “RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS”
(Eph 1:9-10) “The Mystery of His will,” reveals how that in the Dispensation of the Fullness of times,” it is Gods purpose, to undo all that sin has done, and restore “All things” as they were before the “Rebellion of Satan” and the “fall of man”.