Should The Gospel Still Be A Mystery?
There are many mysteries in life. Some of these are part of the course of growing up. As very young people there is much we cannot understand and as such, these things are a mystery to us. Many a young boy has found himself in trouble by trying to solve the mystery of how something works by dismantling it to see, and in so doing damage it beyond repair. The very young don’t know how the car works, but do understand it to be the means of going someplace. By the same token, the young cannot fully understand the love a young man has for the young woman and some unfortunately, in trying to unravel the mystery, have found themselves in a heap of trouble. Some mysteries must remain so until it is the time to understand.
There are many things in life that are mysterious, yet this does not mean that they cannot be known or understood. Having trouble with your remote? Hand it to a child of 10 or 12 and in short order they will likely show you how it works. MYSTERY SOLVED! The same could be said about a number of electronic devices. That which can be understood should not necessarily remain a mystery. I suspect I will never understand quantum physics or advanced mathematics, and so, such will remain a mystery to me. I have enough difficulty with “regular” mathematics. We all have areas of learning with which we are unfamiliar, or about which we have no interest. Because of this these are likely to remain “mysteries” to us.
Often, that which is a mystery to us is so because we chose to allow it to remain a mystery. If we do not “seek” to understand, we cannot expect to do so and we recognize this in areas of academia or vocation and just about all other areas of life, yet many still are quite comfortable in this life allowing the gospel to remain a mystery. God did not intend for it to remain so. God intended that the gospel was to be delivered at the right time, following the sacrifice Christ made for mankind. This was all according to His divine plan.
Did you know that the word “mystery” is not found in the Old Testament? The first occurrence of the word “mystery” in the Bible is in Mark 4:11 where Jesus was asked by His twelve disciples to explain the parable of the sower. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: This is parallel to the accounts found in Matthew 13:11 and Luke 8:10 which employ the word “mysteries”.
The Old Testament is the preparatory state of that which we find in the New Testament. This is divinely supported by Romans 16:25 which the Holy Spirit had Paul write to those brethren. Now to him that is of power to stablish 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, The gospel had remained a mystery as long as it was in the preparatory stage, but is now fully revealed and should no longer be a mystery. Romans 16:26 assures us of this and also shows for whom and how it was provided and the purpose for doing so. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
So, why is the gospel a mystery to so many? I think we have already hit upon the answer to this question. It is because so many are unfamiliar with God’s Word or have little to no desire to know what it says. To some it is easier to say: “I just don’t understand it” or “It’s too hard to understand”. That is a cop out! As the Spirit directed Paul to write in Ephesians 3:4-5 we can see the means by which we can understand is plainly laid out. Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 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;
Should the gospel still be a mystery? NO! In accordance to Romans 1:16 the gospel is God’s power to save. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Would God want the means of Salvation He provided for mankind to remain a mystery? I think not. It is also to be understood that God desires that all be saved. 2Peter 3:9 makes this abundantly clear. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God provided the gospel to inform us of our sinful state, but also so we could know how to be washed clean by the blood of Christ.
In John 1:12-13 we are told that He gave us power to become sons. It is only through a proper understanding and following of the gospel this can occur. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Don’t let the gospel remain a mystery to you. Read it and study it and do as it directs and you too can become a child of God and be with Him for eternity.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville
