Mystery of the Gospel
Mystery of the Gospel
Some of the best sellers on New York Times are the mystery book series and the intrigues. We love mysteries. There are two kinds of mysteries. There are revealed mysteries and there are mysteries that still remain mysteries.
What is the mystery of the gospel that Apostle Paul referred to when he requested the Ephesian Church to pray for him? If it is so important to Paul and we are to pray for it, then we must in the simplest way understand the mystery of the gospel.
Here is Paul’s instruction on prayer and his prayer request in Ephesians 6:18-20:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
We note that Paul wants the Ephesians and all believers in Jesus to pray for “all the saints”. It is necessary that we pray for one another because we are in this together and belong to the same family of God. We share our successes and sufferings in Christ.
Paul asked for utterance and boldness may be given to him so as to “make known the mystery of the gospel”. Utterance here is referring to the clarity and simplicity of speaking. You can say a whole lot and still say nothing. Paul does not want to confuse his audience. Boldness as Paul requests is to avoid keeping silent when he needs to speak. We all face that each day. You walk away and say to yourself, I should have said something to him/her about Jesus. May God help us to speak when we ought to.
So what is the mystery of the gospel to be declared? My friend Bobby has given much thought to it and writes, “I would say that in short, the mystery regarding salvation is the gospel of Christ: how any man can be justified freely by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus as our propitiation”.
Apostle Paul in many of his writings defined the mystery of the gospel. Here are few references:
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Roman 16:25-27
And
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[d] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Colossians 1: 24-29
And
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both[a] which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[b] is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:7-14
We should be able to articulate with clarity and simplicity the gospel of Christ crucified. It is a revealed mystery but it is still a mystery to so many. People are looking for works to justify them before God. The mystery is that God requires only trust in the finished work of His Son on the Cross to be justified as sinless and to escape the wrath of God.
Our duty through the Holy Spirit is to speak to people and help reveal the mystery and invite people to believe by simple faith that their sins are forgiven forever.
Paul says it is worth his “chains” (in prison) as an ambassador of Christ. It is a badge of honor to be associated with the death of Christ and to proclaim the good news of His salvation offered freely to all men and women.
Let’s proclaim with the boldness that the Holy Spirit gives, the mystery of the gospel. Do you know anyone who needs this revelation? Pray for him/her and then speak.
Lord I thank you for this mystery you have revealed to us. Lord, open the eyes of those we meet so that they too will understand the mystery of the gospel of Christ.
Some of the best sellers on New York Times are the mystery book series and the intrigues. We love mysteries. There are two kinds of mysteries. There are revealed mysteries and there are mysteries that still remain mysteries.
What is the mystery of the gospel that Apostle Paul referred to when he requested the Ephesian Church to pray for him? If it is so important to Paul and we are to pray for it, then we must in the simplest way understand the mystery of the gospel.
Here is Paul’s instruction on prayer and his prayer request in Ephesians 6:18-20:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
We note that Paul wants the Ephesians and all believers in Jesus to pray for “all the saints”. It is necessary that we pray for one another because we are in this together and belong to the same family of God. We share our successes and sufferings in Christ.
Paul asked for utterance and boldness may be given to him so as to “make known the mystery of the gospel”. Utterance here is referring to the clarity and simplicity of speaking. You can say a whole lot and still say nothing. Paul does not want to confuse his audience. Boldness as Paul requests is to avoid keeping silent when he needs to speak. We all face that each day. You walk away and say to yourself, I should have said something to him/her about Jesus. May God help us to speak when we ought to.
So what is the mystery of the gospel to be declared? My friend Bobby has given much thought to it and writes, “I would say that in short, the mystery regarding salvation is the gospel of Christ: how any man can be justified freely by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus as our propitiation”.
Apostle Paul in many of his writings defined the mystery of the gospel. Here are few references:
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Roman 16:25-27
And
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[d] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Colossians 1: 24-29
And
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both[a] which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[b] is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:7-14
We should be able to articulate with clarity and simplicity the gospel of Christ crucified. It is a revealed mystery but it is still a mystery to so many. People are looking for works to justify them before God. The mystery is that God requires only trust in the finished work of His Son on the Cross to be justified as sinless and to escape the wrath of God.
Our duty through the Holy Spirit is to speak to people and help reveal the mystery and invite people to believe by simple faith that their sins are forgiven forever.
Paul says it is worth his “chains” (in prison) as an ambassador of Christ. It is a badge of honor to be associated with the death of Christ and to proclaim the good news of His salvation offered freely to all men and women.
Let’s proclaim with the boldness that the Holy Spirit gives, the mystery of the gospel. Do you know anyone who needs this revelation? Pray for him/her and then speak.
Lord I thank you for this mystery you have revealed to us. Lord, open the eyes of those we meet so that they too will understand the mystery of the gospel of Christ.
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