MONDAY January 29th
Ephesians 1:7-10
‘In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.’
Our mystery tour continues . . . although I have gone back a couple of chapters to Ephesians 1, for it is here that Paul begins to speak about the mystery of God’s will which he continues to say was to be fulfilled through the Lord Jesus Christ.
This ‘mystery of his will’ involved the incarnation of Jesus, the provision of redemption through the shed blood of Jesus and the preaching of the gospel to the end that men and women would not only be redeemed, but would make up the one new body, the church, made up of both Jew and Gentile to bring eternal glory to His name. In Ephesians 3:6 Paul writes ‘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’.
Paul had been given a great responsibility in revealing this which had been the mystery of the will of God! He says in Ephesians 3:5 that this mystery had not been revealed to other generations, (see also Colossians 1:26-27), and yet out of his amazing grace, rich mercy and great love, God would call Saul on the road to Damascus and would powerfully save him and transform him so that as Paul he would then write in this same third chapter ‘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’, (8–12).
Quoting again from the hymn I’ve mentioned previously, ‘Tis mystery all’ and yet as a result you and I have been saved and incorporated into this wonderful mystery that God has revealed through the gospel and is outworking in time which will be to the praise and glory of his name throughout eternity.
In fact Paul calls the gospel a mystery as he ends his letter to the Ephesians, here is what he says ‘and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak’, Ephesians 6:19–20, see also Colossians 4:3.
The mystery of the gospel had so gripped his heart and his life that he was willing to defend it at all cost, and to boldly declare it whatever the cost. What an incredible example he was to all who knew him, what an example for each one of us to follow, to be willing to boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel, the unsearchable riches of the grace of God.
Our mystery tour continues tomorrow.