THE MYSTERY, NAMELY CHRIST - PART 1

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 2022

There is a mystery and today, I want to share the simplified account of how the mystery was made manifest on earth, and how our living by faith is based on knowing and growing in the knowledge of this mystery. The mystery is real, though unseen by our globular organs of sight. So as born again Christians, we don't live and act as if the mystery were true; we live and function by Him because He is real; He lives in us and He is at work in our lives. Simply put, this mystery is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.

Reference: Colossians 1:26-27 New Living Translation (NIV) "The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

This mystery is sacred secret. It is the Greek word, "musterion." According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, in the Bible, a mystery is not something unknowable or impossible to understand. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, which is on account of God revealing it to man.

Since Christ is the sum total of divine mystery, all the glorious revelation of God's counsels, once hidden, are now made known and available to us in the Gospel of Christ. The Bible says, "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman..." (Galatians 4:4 NLT). In another way, this truth implies that God in His supremacy, wisely revealed the mystery in His own proper time. The revelation of this mystery started on earth in a woman's womb, but as a royal blood with an insignificant birth circumstance, having been born in a manger. In accordance with the record in Luke 1:30-32 (NIV), the Bible reads, "But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; His kingdom will never end."

As a descendant of King David, the mystery's birth happened in Davidic ancestral hometown because He belonged to David's royal family and lineage. Now even the circumstance surrounding Christ's birth is a mystery itself because there was no room available in the hostel, yet the mystery was celebrated by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises. In fact, it was a multitude of heavenly army of angel that assembled on earth for the celebration, not multitude of humans (See Luke 2:8-14 MSG). That means, the mystery had a firm affirmation of the reality of the glories of heaven, during His birth. Beloved, this mystery, namely Christ, is the living embodiment and manifestation of truth upholding and sustaining all the dimensions of divine wisdom and knowledge.

In agreement with John 1:14 (NIV), He is full of grace and truth. It actually reads, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." In a nutshell, it was confirmed in the book of John that the mystery changed to human form. Got it? This is exactly what Paul made known to us in Colossians 2:2-3 saying, "My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (NIV).

Christ is God's mysterious plan, which houses all the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge. For this reason, apostle Paul's desire for the churches in Colossae and Laodicea was for them to have complete confidence in divine understanding and full assurance of gaining the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 2 Corinthians 4:6-7; Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:10; Romans 11:33.

Exuberant Declaration: Christ is the sacred secret in me. He is unseen; but He lives and acts in and through me to always fulfil God's good pleasure. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, I have developed confidence in the revelation of spiritual wisdom and knowledge and I progressively understand all kindred truths, which in turn, renew my mind, influence my life positively, and purify my soul thoroughly. Praise God!