The Mystery Of Christ

by WEBSTER, D. J. | Category: Opened Secrets | Jun 2005

What is it that is being built by the Lord Jesus, which came into existence on the day of Pentecost, which embraces millions of people from different backgrounds, that cannot be damaged or destroyed and that is destined to be close to its Saviour and Preserver for all eternity? The answer is the church, of course, described as the body of Christ and the mystery of Christ.

It has already been noted that a mystery carries the meaning of 'a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid, now made manifest'.(1) In relation to the mystery of Christ this is clearly spelt out by Paul in Ephesians 3 in which he both gives a definition of a mystery and tells us exactly what the mystery of Christ is: 'Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus'.(2)

It was not revealed in past generations so it was not something godly people looked forward to. It was not a discovery either but God revealed it to Paul and his fellow apostles. It was radical: Jews and Gentiles did not mix socially or religiously but they are together in this. It is a body and those involved in it share together in 'the promise'. The reference to a promise suggests that the blessings were known about: for example that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him,(3) even though the concept of the church the body of Christ was not known.

As those who have believed on the Lord Jesus and find ourselves in Christ, the mystery of Christ can be appreciated by its:

1. Closeness

In Romans 12:4-5 Paul uses the picture of a body to illustrate this: 'Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others'. There is nothing closer to me than my body! And the parts of my body are close to one another in a special way! That, says Paul, is how close we are to each other and to our Lord Jesus.

The same picture is pursued in 1 Corinthians 12:18-21. Diversity in unity is what is in view here. The natural body is a unity which is made up of parts which have very different functions. So it is with Christ.(4) Not so much the Lord Jesus, here, but the church which is His body. My eye and my hand have very different functions and uses but both are important to me! Paul's point is that Christian believers form a body like that. We all have different gifts but we are not all expected to do the same things.

2. Protection and Comfort

Often at an English marriage service the congregation is reminded that marriage 'was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity'.(5) That idea comes from what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:23-33. The husband is head of the wife and is to love her, protect her, care for her and remain committed to her. Interestingly a husband is to love his wife as he loves himself! And, even further, as Christ loved the church. Although that ideal is rarely reached it should be what a Christian husband aims to do and it is certainly what Christ does for the church.

3. Fullness

In what way is the Lord Jesus incomplete? Only in relation to the mystery of Christ. The word of God teaches us that: 'God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way.'(6)

It is hard to imagine that redeemed humanity could add anything to the Lord Jesus! Nevertheless it is clear that something is added to the Saviour by the church. We read regarding Adam that there was no helper suitable for him until the Lord gave him Eve. Maybe it is that, although He gives fullness to everything He considers himself unsatisfied until the church is presented to Him. It is true, of course, that the Lord Jesus indwells every believer by the Holy Spirit(7) but this is something beyond even that!

4. Status

'But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.'(8)

Imagine the honour of being admitted to the outskirts of God's heaven! Imagine just being somewhere vaguely connected with the glory of God. Most of us would settle for that! But no, the mystery of Christ deepens as we learn that we are raised up and seated with Christ! The status of those in Christ is to be found in their being right where Christ is. And just in case our heads start to swell we are reminded that it is by grace and as a result of God's kindness that we are treated like this and given such privileges! It seems that the church is so closely connected to its Head that God already sees us raised when Christ was raised and seated with Christ in the aftermath of the glorious completed work of redemption.

5. Indestructibility

Sadly many good things can go wrong. Even when we are doing our best to follow God's Word we have the capacity to make mistakes. It is comforting, therefore, to be assured that the mystery of Christ, the church, cannot be harmed or destroyed. The Lord Jesus said, '"I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."'(9)

The church about which Jesus was speaking that day at Caesarea Philippi was the church elsewhere described as 'his body'(10), 'a radiant church',(11) and whose members are said to be 'neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'(12) This universal church is not to be confused with a local church described in Scripture as a church of God, or the church at Jerusalem,(13) or the church of the Laodiceans(14) for example. The local church can be destroyed: Satan can attack it; human beings can spoil it and God himself can withdraw from it.

6. Holiness

Christians are commanded to be holy in our day to day lives and we know the feeling of not living up to that: so often our lives fall far short of what our God requires from us. However the wonderful truth about this mystery, the church, is that it is already holy! The word of God assures us that 'Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.'(15)

This takes away any fear of being rejected because of what we are or of losing our Salvation. Our hope and faith is in what Christ has done and in the promises of God's word. The Lord Jesus sees the church as beautiful and radiant, holy and pure!

The manifold wisdom of God

Good news is for sharing, isn't it? That was how Paul felt about this unveiled mystery. A prisoner of the Romans, he still looked for ways to pass it on: He invited the Colossians to '� pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.'(16) Looking back to Ephesians 2 we learn that

- the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel

- Jews and Gentiles are members together of one body

- they share together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

- they are exposed to the unsearchable riches of Christ

- they are to make known the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms

- both may approach God with freedom and confidence.

This marvellous mystery was to be revealed to both human beings and spirit beings. To one it was the offer of a message of deliverance, hope and inclusion in the things of God. To the other it was a way of increasing their understanding of the multi-faceted wisdom of God. This great mystery is appreciated not only here and now but beyond this present world. And the amazing thing is this: God has planned for you and me to share in it.

References

(1)Easton's Bible Dictionary (2)Eph.3:2-6 (3)Gen.18:18 (4)1 Cor.12:12 (5)Book of Common Prayer (6)Eph.1:22-23 (7)2 Tim.1:14 (8)Eph.2:4-7 (9)Matt.16:18 (10)Eph.5:23 (11)Eph.5:27 (12)Gal.3:28 (13)Acts 11:22 (14)Col.4:16 (15)Eph.5:25-27 (16)Col.4:3

(Bible quotations are from the New International Version)

WEBSTER, D. J. | Jun 2005
Opened Secrets