The Mystery Revealed

“Even the mystery which has 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.”

I entitle this writing “The” mystery revealed since without understanding of this revelation it is impossible to understand what the Word of God is all about - the revelation of Jesus Christ and His purpose for our lives. Revelation does not come by study, use of study aids, memorization of scripture, or any other acts which we are able to do in our own strength and our own understanding. Revelation can only be revealed; by the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, and can only be attained by walking after the Spirit and pursuing a lifestyle of submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Most Christians walk in assumption; assuming that they know the truth because of spiritual pride which stems from the carnal nature. They have been errantly taught that they have already received eternal salvation as the free gift given by virtue of being born again, and that the Bible speaks of “saved” and “unsaved” - the “Church” and the “world”. These have been lulled into a deep sleep by a false sense of security concerning their destination. They do not realize that the Bible is speaking to the Church (corporately) and those in the Church (individually). Only through revelation given by the Holy Spirit and received by those with “ears to hear what the Spirit says” can we understand the “spiritual language” used in the Bible to reveal truth hidden to the carnal mind.

When we are born again, we are “saved” out of the world and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light - the Kingdom of God. This is a starting point - period. What happens afterwards is dependent upon the choices we make. We each will either choose the path of life or the broad path that leads to destruction. We will either become spiritually minded or remain carnally minded - which is the enemy of God (Romans 8:7). We must “work out our own salvation in fear and trembling”. (Philippians 2:12) Eternal salvation comes from knowing Christ - which requires that we are made conformable to His death through the fellowship of His sufferings, and are raised up in the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10)

Most of the Church will not continue on the path of life because they love the world more than they love Christ. They will seek to save their lives (soul life or self life) and will thereby lose their lives (eternal death), instead of losing their lives that they may find it (eternal life). (Mark 8:35) Our flesh must be crucified with Christ in order to attain eternal life.

This portion of the Church is revealed in Revelation 3 - in the letter to the church of the Laodiceans. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (verses 15-17) * Note that Jesus is speaking to those in His church - those of His body. * This confuses the carnal mind, but the spiritual mind understands that Christ is not marrying His own body, but rather, a Bride prepared for Him - a Bride without spot or wrinkle.

Jesus is speaking to those who think that grace is all we need - that trusting in the Lord with all your heart simply means trusting Him to forgive our sins. Certainly our sins are forgiven through confession - but the root of the sin is not dealt with in any other manner than the tools God uses to enable us to overcome sin and come to true repentance (not continuing in the same sin). These tools are suffering, affliction, persecution, and rejection (the fellowship of His sufferings). God uses these tools to break us, humble us, and bring us into submission to His will. “For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)

This is that to which Jesus is referring when He says “I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire (His refining fire to purify us), that you may be rich; and white raiment (robes of righteousness), that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve (the touch of the Holy Spirit to remove the scales from your eyes), that you may see.” (verse 18) He explains His process in verse 19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Are you willing to reject all that is of this world and be obedient to the Lord to you may inherit all that He has for you? You will not find His treasure in any manner other than His way.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (verse 20) The “door” to which Jesus refers is the door to our heart - or more specifically, our soul. This inviting of Jesus and His entering into our soul is “Christ in you” - the receiving of Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, the laying down of our will in order to obey His will, and the laboring to enter into His rest where we cease from our own labors.

When we are born again we become “in Christ”. Unfortunately, most think that is enough - which is an extremely selfish perspective. Christ wants to manifest Himself to the world and He has chosen us as vessels through which He may appear. He cannot do so if our flesh hides Him. Therefore, the flesh must be crucified so that we become vessels emptied of self and filled with the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of the Lord.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these (wood and earth = the carnal mind, vessels of dishonor), he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 19-21)

“Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: (“take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” [can’t depart from God if you weren’t first in Christ] Hebrews 3:12) for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what concord has Christ with Belial (Satan)? Or what part has he that believes with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, (manifest sons of God) says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

There is no fence on which we may sit in the Kingdom of God. There is no common ground between His will and our will. It is through much tribulation that we enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22) - where the Lord must be King. Obey the Lord and He will give you all things and make you a vessel of honor; emptied of self and filled to the overflowing with the Holy Spirit to be poured out as a drink offering and filled again the overflowing time and time again. This is the plan of God to reach the lost - who reside both in the world and in the Church.

For us to be vessels of honor, we must have Christ in us - the hope of glory. “For I reckon that the present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“Christ in you” brings a wonderful transformation as the Lord renews our mind. “And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) The renewing of the mind leads to the attaining of the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:4) “Let” means “allow”. We have the choice to allow or not allow Christ to be in us that we may walk with the mind of Christ. If we allow Him to be in us through our obedience to Him, He will enable us to walk as He walked this earth - tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) We become overcomers - those to whom the promises of Revelation, chapters 1-3, are given. “And they overcame him (Satan/carnality) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (psuche/soul life - death to self). (Revelation 12:11) Christ in you brings death to self and all that is of this world.

“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; (death to self) but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:10) Notice the “if” Christ be in you. Christ can only be in us as we allow the Spirit of Christ to mature us to become submitted and obedient to the Lord. Then we can enter into a new, exciting, adventurous, and life-changing walk with the Lord as we come to know Him personally.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that has clean hands, (hands means actions and clean means righteous - righteous actions or works - faith without works is dead) and a pure heart; (the pure in heart shall see God - Matthew 5:8) who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, (evil, idolatry, uselessness - being an unprofitable servant) nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek your face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in.” (Psalm 24)

“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas.” (Habakkuk 2:14) This scripture will be fulfilled by a sold out generation of believers who will sell all they have to obtain the pearl of great price - knowing Jesus. (Matthew 13:45-46) And we cannot know Him unless He is in us. And He cannot be in us if we do not submit to His lordship and seek to obey Him in all things. But if He is in us and we do not faint along the way as we follow Him, we will be be vessels of honor, fit for His use, through whom He may reach a lost and dying church / world.