The Mystery of Christ Revealed

In 1933 the German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer asked the pertinent question: what is the church? He asked this question because he wanted to know. What is the church’s response to the Jewish question: would the church fight for the Jews against Hitler or not? To which Bonhoeffer answered.

“What is at stake is by no means whether our German members of congregations can still tolerate church fellowship with Jews”. It is rather the task of Christian preaching to say: here is the church, where Jew and German stand together under the word of God. Here is the proof whether a church is still a church or not”.

History records that Bonhoeffer went on standing up for the Jews. Challenging the church of Germany to do the same. He, and many like him, would eventually die for their understanding of the nature of the church. And her responsibility towards the Jews.

Here in our passage the apostle Paul, generations before Bonhoeffer, already made a case for the nature and responsibility for the church. That all ethnicities who is in Christ is part of the church. And Paul, before many others came along, was also already willing to offer himself for such a cause. The irony is that, in the 20^th century a German pastor was willing to die for Jewish Christians to have their place in the church. All because centuries earlier a Jewish man and his disciples died, and was willing to die for him as a German.

So here in chapter 3, Paul continues with explaining the Gentiles place in the church. He repeats in a prayer, his point which he stated in chapter 2:11-22. But this time Paul calls it a “Mystery”. Look at verse 6, This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. And his idea of the ‘mystery’ runs all through the passage. This is one of many mysteries in the Bible, where O.T truths are revealed in the N.T. And this particular one is about the Gentiles’ place in Christ and his church.

Notice in verse 1, The administration of God’s grace…that is, the mystery. The mystery is an administration. Then in verse 7, Paul explains his responsibility in the mystery, calling it the gospel. Verse 7 says, “I became a servant of the gospel”. Interestingly, Paul’s definition of the mystery is not something that was never known. For Paul, the mystery is how the gospel is now revealed as God’s longstanding plan. Verse 9 says, And to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. In verse 10, Paul claims that understanding the mystery is to witness “God’s manifold wisdom” at work. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

In other words, for Paul, if there is one thing the Gentiles’ equal inclusion in the church is not. It is not man-made, organizationally systemize or even Paul’s own personal agenda. Seven times Paul uses the phrase “Given to me” or “Made known to me”. For example, in chapter 2, Paul addressed the matter starting with the problem. Saying that mankind is dead to their sins and not alive to Christ. Which shows up in both Jews and Gentiles, especially in how the Jews treated the Gentiles. But now, in Christ, there is a new humanity with both included not only Jews. Here is in chapter 3, Paul says the same thing, but starting with the solution and ending with fixing the problem. That God “made known” or “gave” this as mystery.

The point is that, the church as a new community in Christ, with equal citizens and an intimate family as God’s temple and dwelling place. Is not God’s reaction to humanity’s fallenness and corrupt nature. Instead, it is God’s eternal purpose and plan through Christ His Son and the Spirit. Even though worked out in time. And as a result, Paul says, it is a mystery made known to him by God.

Pay attention to verse 1, that Paul starts by making sense of his commitment to the mystery. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles. He is a prisoner of Christ and for the sake of the Gentiles. Paul repeats this phrase in chapter 4:1. Here we see Paul’s double-edged devotion. He does not see himself as a prisoner of the government or a person but a prisoner of Christ. And he is not in prison for his own sake. But for the sake of the Gentiles. Both these thoughts points away from himself. In that, Paul is not in prison for his own sake or by his own doing. Rather he is in prison for others’ sake and by God’s doing.

Notice verse 2, Paul’s expecting them to now ‘why’ and for ‘who’ he is in prison. Verse 2 says, Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you. The task of God’s mystery was given to Paul to give to the Jews on behalf of the Gentiles. And it was widely known among the churches. That Paul was fighting for the cause of the Gentiles because of God’s divine mandate over his life, which included imprisonment. Soon after Paul’s conversion in Acts 9. His apostolic responsibility is made clear saying, he will carry my name before the Gentiles and suffer for it. This is why Paul only had one thing in mind. And that is to carry out God’s plan and purpose over his life even if it means imprisonment. He understood that all his gifts and opportunities was given to him with God’s mystery in mind.

As far as the Bible is concerned, we are all called to such devoted and selfless living. A lifestyle where God’s commands, mandate and commission matters more than our own plans for our own sake. So if you wondering how the church will ever be a family and temple for God’s dwelling. The answer is that it will have to start with us. Why? Because you are the biggest resistance to change. Your heart is by nature prone to live for yourself first, and if you have time and energy left, for others. John Owen says, Even though people have been regenerated to be a spiritual person, ‘vanity’ remains a struggle. We are vain in our plans. It hardly involves the good of others.

Think about this passage in this way. It’s not only that, Paul was selfless and lived out the expectations of God for the Gentiles. Paul lived out God’s call on his life as a Jew for Gentiles. He did let go of his own ethnical pride to be obedient to God’s plans for another people. In other words, God’s mission, ministry and mandate is costly. And it will cost you things you feel strongly about – like your ethnicity. For Paul it cost him his freedom and the risk of being ridiculed and persecuted by his own people. What is God mystery and mission costing you at the moment? Are you willing to be taken out of your comfort zone for the sake of others?

Paul’s attitude is so godly. Notice how he views his ministry to the Gentiles. Verse 2 says, “The administration of God’s grace was given me…”. Paul saw himself as entrusted with God’s grace. This was to work towards the Gentiles’ inclusion in the church. He did not see it as a burden. He saw it as God’s “grace”, favour and priviledge to him. He could either be a persecutor of the church awaiting judgement. Or a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles under God’s grace. And he chose grace. Therefore, Paul knew that his new call and mission to the Gentiles was nothing but grace. This ought to be the attitude of every believer. On the one hand, we live for the sake of others. And on the other hand, we call it God’s grace to us.

Notice the means of the mystery in verse 3. Paul says, The mystery made known to me by revelation as I have already written briefly. Paul received direct revelation from God about God’s mystery. And he tells us in verse 4, what the revelation is. Verse 4 says, In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. God’s revelation and insight to Paul, regarding the Gentiles, was the “mystery of Christ”. From this perspective it is clear to why Paul calls his mission “God’s grace”. Because only God knows God’s plans, yet it has been revealed to him in Christ Jesus.

And by saying that God’s mystery in Christ is revealed to Paul. Paul is not saying that he is the only one or the only apostle who received it. But more that, he is the first one and first apostle to receive it and make it clear. Paul emphasizes in Colossians 1:26 that, The mystery hidden for ages and generations is now revealed to God’s saints. Meaning, all God’s people have access to God’s mystery revealed in Christ that the church is a people of all nations. Paul was only the first among many. The revelation that the church is a diverse family in unity, is as much ours, as it is Paul’s. Therefore, we don’t get to avoid, deny or reject our mission to see the church function in equality and intimacy in Christ. On the contrary, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Paul as he followed Christ. Because the mystery revealed in Christ is available to us too. This majestic and magnificent mystery of Jesus is clear. Thus, equality of ethnical diverse believers should not only be because we got to know others better. But more so, equality and inclusion are necessary because we know Christ better by revelation.

Pay attention to verse 5 and 6. which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

We know from chapter 2 that the apostles and prophets were the foundation of the mystery. And that, the mystery is about the Gentiles’ position in the church. Now, Paul adds that, before his own insight and revelation. It has not been made known to other generations. Meaning, although Abraham received the promise (Gen 12:3). That he will be the Father of many nations. And Isaiah prophesied that Israel must be “the light to the nations”. Paul is the one who clarified the promise theologically. In other words, in no other generation was it clearly understood, explained, and believed. Not even the O.T prophets knew. Which by implication means, that not even the O.T believers knew what the N.T believes knew and still know. This is to say, along with Paul, you have a theological priviledge over the generations before Paul. And for this very reason, the weight of this revealed mystery in Christ is heavy. We cannot afford to have racial, social, and spiritual distinctions among us. We have the truth, clarity and insight of God’s church.

So we have to ask with Bonhoeffer: what is the church? And are we preaching the nature of the church as a family of equality and intimacy based on what Christ has done?