Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Fellowship of the Mystery


Fellowship of the Mystery
Now to Him that is of power to establish 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, but now is made manifest by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.  Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him: according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. For whom He did foreknow, He did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified, them He justified, them He also glorified. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me toward you: how that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery, (For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but I received it by the revelation of Jesus Christ.) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ. Even the mystery which has been hid from the 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 the mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you the home of Glory.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost send down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John.

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things
which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever,
that we may do all the words of this law.  Deut. 29:29

Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.
 
He revealeth the deep and secret things:
He knoweth what is in the darkness,
and the light dwelleth with Him.   Dan 2:
But God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. If all prophesy, and there come in one that believes not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing event to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

And I will give you the treasures of darkness,
and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord,
which call you by your name, am the God of Israel.  Isaiah 45:5
 
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways are past finding out!

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