Larry A. Smail's Blog

BIBLICAL MYSTERIES REVEALED TO PAUL
By Larry A. Smail

When one hears the word, “mystery”, or secret, the immediate thought goes to suspense of an unknown subject. Also, it must be remembered the normal scenario features someone knowing of a specific bit of information while others do not have the knowledge. However, any mysteries will no longer be a secret once that knowledge has been told to others through the one originally having the secret.

The Bible has various mysteries as well. In any situation of a Biblical secret the one holding onto the mystery is the Lord, and the mystery will only be revealed when God deems the time is right for the next stage of the plan. These mysteries are very different, in so much, as God’s mysteries are spiritual in nature.

One Bible verse I often refer to comes from Deuteronomy 29: 29, where Moses through the words of God spoke the following: “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things that are revealed belong unto us, and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” This particular instance was to the early Israelites under Moses’ leadership. However, this remained true all through scripture. In brief, the Lord will not expect anybody to come to a belief or understanding of anything of spiritual aspects until the information has been revealed via his prophets, the Word, or in these cases, described here, through Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles!

The entire book of the Bible is a book of transitions over many years with secrets, and mysteries revealed when the time was ripe for a fulfillment. The next step in God’s plan brings about the knowledge needed to understand for the next stage of events. Abraham. David, and all of those of times past would not have known Christ was to die on the cross or be brought back to an eternal life from the grave. All they were required to know what was revealed to them at their time of life. Prophetically they wrote of Christ’s events, but they had little, to no, understanding as to what was meant. They wrote as inspired by the Holy Spirit. An example is how the Pharisees of Christ’s time knew the prophet’s words but couldn’t put it all together about that man named Jesus! Hence the rejections!

This study deals, primarily, with Paul’s words through his writings. This great man was chosen from all Judaism to become the message bearer to the Gentiles, and even the Jews if they were willing to hear, and believe the gospel as preached by Paul. This one man received the mysteries via the RISEN CHRIST! (Galatians 1: 11-12 states this important fact. Paul declared he didn’t receive this gospel from man, he wasn’t taught this gospel by man, but he received this gospel through the RISEN CHRIST.) It needs to be understood that this change in direction came to be only after the Nation of Israel and the Jews rejected Christ with no chance of Israel repenting of killing the Messiah. The final rejection seems apparent after the stoning of Stephen. Biblically, that stoning of Stephen is the turning point of God towards the Nation of Israel. Immediately after the stoning, the Holy Spirit brings another zealous Jew named Saul into the story. Saul hated anything, and everything about the man, Christ! Of course, Saul would become PAUL, the Apostle to the Gentiles! Approximately, forty years later Israel ceased to exist as a nation at 70 A.D.

SOME OF PAUL’S MYSTERIES

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15: 51, was dealing with concerns of Corinthian believers on the resurrection message. Some were having doubts and misunderstandings over the resurrection. Paul was attempting to reinforce his message of resurrection via letters. This chapter goes into great detail of resurrection. This chapter (Verses 1-4), also, gives the GOSPEL TERMS to the Corinthian Gentiles. The verse is one of the best examples of the GOSPEL OF GRACE FOR SALVATION. The words state; …I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; by which you are SAVED, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received; how Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures.”

Beginning with verse 51, Paul wrote of the MYSTERY of resurrection. He began with: WE shall not all sleep, but WE shall all be changed. (Note the pronouns “WE” used here. Paul always wrote to believers. That is important to remember. He told these believers that WE shall not all die, but WE shall all be changed. Paul believed the time of this event was just out ahead because of the terrible times they were witnessing with persecution.)
Paul continued, stating this event will happen in the twinkling of an eye at
the last trumpet. In other words, this event will be fast! He added, the trumpet will sound, and the DEAD WILL BE RAISED IMPERISHABLE; (Gospel believers who had died would have a bodily resurrection back to life.) and WE shall be changed! (Note the “WE” pronoun again. Paul was including himself here as one who would be changed.) He then added the mortal nature will be changed to immortality. (Those believers living at this time will be changed from a corruptible body to a glorious body.) This knowledge, as preached by Paul, wasn’t revealed with detail for it wasn’t time. If Israel would have believed Christ’s ministry, and later the apostles’ message, they would have had their King, and kingdom. If that would have happened, then the words of Exodus 19: 5-6 would have become reality. Those words of Exodus state that if the people of Israel would have obeyed God’s voice they were to become a nation of priests to take the message of God to the Gentiles.

This message of above is furthered verified with Paul’s words in Romans 11: 25. Paul wrote of wanting his Gentile readers to understand the MYSTERY, how Israel had witnessed a hardening of the heart, and mind. They rejected Christ, and now were in a time of disbelief, and falling away from God’s grace. (However, although they fell away it must be remembered God’s promises to Israel were still in place at Paul’s time, and are, still in the ready.) This hardening will remain upon the nation until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. The Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached again to the Jews, and then Israel will be saved. (Mathew 24:14) The stage of Israel’s salvation will occur at the end of the Time of Jacob’s trouble of Jeremiah 30: 7. (Often referred to as the Great tribulation.) The stage of Christ’s second coming is falling into place. The time of the Gentiles is winding down.

Paul wrote in Romans 16: 25 of an important MYSTERY. The RISEN CHRIST revealed how long this particular MYSTERY was hid in time. Paul wrote of his gospel which is THE BELIEF IN FAITH OF THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! (Gospel of salvation is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and Romans 10:9-10.) Paul continued of the revelation of the MYSTERY which was kept secret for long ages, but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic writings made known to all nature…to bring about the obedience of FAITH… The book of Romans is the book of Christian doctrine revealed after the rejection of Christ, and his kingdom message.
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The Nation of Israel continued the rejection after the cross, and the resurrection! This is where Christianity is at
NOW!!!! One usually hears that to be saved you need to believe that Jesus died on the cross. That is a true statement, but salvation is more than simply believing that fact! One needs to believe with FAITH Jesus actually rose from the grave to have salvation!!!!! The cross gave every person on earth the opportunity to be free of their sins; however, they need to acquire that fact. BUT, to be truly saved they need to believe the resurrection for salvation!!! Look at the reality in this example. I am sure many atheists may believe a man named Jesus did die on the cross. However, that is where it stops with them. They view the man as just a man. Since, the man who died was a man; he in no way could have risen back to life. The gospel of Grace is a two-part faith of believing Christ died for our sins on the cross and to believe with faith he rose in a glorified body at the resurrection. True salvation comes from faith through true believing with both the cross and the resurrection. (This truth cannot be emphasized enough!)

In 1 Corinthians 4:1, Paul reminded the Corinthian believers that he, and them, as believers in Christ, are stewards of the MYSTERIES of God. The gospel believers were, and are, to tell of the revealed MYSTERIES as set forth from the RISEN CHRIST to Paul. So, these MYSTERIES revealed by the RISEN CHRIST to Paul are to be delivered to the people as doctrine.

Paul wrote of his understandings of the revealed MYSTERIES, and faith, but he added that without love he would have nothing. This can be found in 1 Corinthians 13: 2.

Notice in Ephesians 1: 9, Paul wrote of Christ revealing to him wisdom, and insight, and the MYSTERY of HIS WILL to his purpose set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things… (This will happen at the second advent.) Paul is verifying he had been given this wisdom, and insight for the time was right in God’s plan through the RISEN CHRIST!

Paul added in Ephesians 3: 2-9 of the stewardship that was revealed to him (Paul) and given to them (The gospel believers of Ephesus in this case.) how the MYSTERY was revealed. The MYSTERY was not revealed to men of past generations. (Those of the past didn’t receive the truth as preached by Paul because it wasn’t time to have it revealed.) The MYSTERY spoken of here was how the Gentiles are fellow heirs now. (This is a result of Israel’s 4.
rejection of Christ as their King.) The Gentiles NOW after this new direction or revealed MYSTERY are members of the same body, and partakers of the PROMISES in CHRIST because of the gift of grace through the gospel. Again, where is the gospel as preached by Paul found? Two of the primarily places are in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4, (See above.) and Romans
10: 9-10. This gospel of salvation for us today was preached after it was
revealed to the Apostle Paul after the cross; after the resurrection, and after
Israel gave up its opportunity to believe who Christ was! (The disciples of Peter, James, John… were to have Israel repent of unbelief, and accept that the man they crucified was, indeed, their Messiah, and King.)

Ephesians 6: 19, has Paul, once again, boldly proclaiming the gospel which was a MYSTERY, and revealed to him by the RISEN CHRIST. Paul added that “HE” (Not the twelve disciples.) is the ambassador in chains as he declares the gospel boldly, as he ought to speak.

In Colossians 1:25-27, Paul wrote of becoming the minister according to the divine office which was given to him for the believers to make the Word of God fully known, with the MYSTERIES of the ages, but made manifested to the saints. (Manifest means to be made clearly evident, and the saints are the believers in scripture.) To them, the saints, God made known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the MYSTERY which is Christ in You! Christ is the hope of glory!

Also, in Colossians 2:2 Paul is encouraging the hearts of the Gentile believers to have all the riches of the assured knowledge of God’s MYSTERIES of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge!

Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 of the events prior to the second coming of Christ. He wrote of the man of lawlessness. (What we would call the anti-Christ.) Paul added the MYSTERY of lawlessness is already at work. Paul goes on talking about this lawless man. God sends a strong delusion causing many to perish because they refused to believe the truth

(Paul’s truth is what? The truth is the gospel of grace for salvation.)

Paul in 1 Timothy 3: 9 and 16 wrote of the MYSTERY of the faith, and the
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need to hold to that faith with a clear conscience. He added of confessing the MYSTERY of out religion. That MYSTERY is: Christ was manifested in the flesh and vindicated in the Spirit….

1 Corinthians 2:7 confirms of the wisdom of the MYSTERY of the hidden
wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification…

The MYSTERIES were revealed to Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles by the RISEN CHRIST.

THIS FACT IS SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE.

These mysteries were not preached by the twelve after the cross. The disciples were law-keeping Jews. The church mentioned in early Acts was a Jewish church of Jesus-believing Jews. Much evidence is in scripture stating or alluding to this fact. The disciples were doing what they were commanded to do, and that was to go only to the Jews. (Matthew 10: 5-7 tells the reader that Christ told the disciples to not go to the Gentiles, but only to the lost sheep of Israel.) However, Peter towards the end of his life wrote of grace salvation as preached by Paul. BUT, Peter wrote those words to those believing Jews in exile after Stephen’s murder in Acts 8: 1. (Also, see 1 Peter1:1, and 2 Peter 3:1.) Peter was shown of the grace transition when the Lord “encouraged” the visit to a Gentile in Acts 10. However, some twenty years after the cross the disciples, including Peter, were still practicing Mosaic Law, but preaching Christ was the Jews Messiah, and the need to believe that fact. This evidence can be found in Acts 15, and Galatians 2 at the Jerusalem Council. The Jewish believers, including, at least, several of the disciples wanted Paul to insist on law (Works) over grace to the Gentiles! The Book of James still preached of works. That is another study.

Peter, in 2 Peter 3: 14-18, gave Paul’s wisdom credence. He mentioned of Paul writing to the exiled Jewish believers and wrote of Paul’s wisdom with all his letters. This is proof of Peter’s knowledge of Paul’s writings.

The new direction to the Gentiles came about because Israel refused to believe who Christ was. The Lord began another transition through, the Apostle Paul. Israel would fall from God’s grace in 70 A.D. We, as Gentiles today, can be grateful for this.
I am available to explain as needed.