Members of the "body of Christ" are part of the great Mystery

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Members of the "body of Christ" are part of the great Mystery

Greetings to All,

Col.1

[24] Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

[25] Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

[26] Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

[27] To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Eph.3

[2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward:

[3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

[4] 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;

[6] That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

[7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

[8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

[9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

[10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

[11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

The Old Testament prophets knew nothing of all this. Between the first Advent (the sufferings of Christ) -- and the Second Advent (when Christ comes in His glory)... no one saw or knew of the time we are in now (this present dispensation). A secret hidden in God and not revealed until revealed to Paul. The Spirit, by Peter, refers to this when he says:

1Pet.1

[10] Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

[11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

[12] Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

But when Christ had been rejected, when atonement had been made, then the message of reconciliation could be sent forth. Then, and not until then, was that which had been hid in God and kept secret from the beginning of the world made known. Then the eternal purpose of God was revealed, and the riches of this time (this dispensation), laid bare for those searching... would find. They were those who were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), but who have been "quickened together with Christ" (2:5), saved by grace (2:8), and made fellow-heirs with Christ (3:6), "members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (5:30-32). This is the great mystery concerning Christ and His church.

We who are members of the "body of Christ" are part of a great mystery, not part of any prophecy. The telling of us will not be found in any Old Testament Book. If the god (Satan) of this world would have known and the princes of this world would have known of this great mystery, Christ would have never been crucified. (1 Cor. 2:6-8).

Daily Satan loses as the glorious gospel message goes out to all ends of the earth for all to hear, who were once lost and belonged to Satan are now saved,... those who now believe God's Word revealed to the apostle Paul. "In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Eph. 1:7), saved by God's grace (Eph. 2:8).

Paul says speaking of others who are ministers in Christ that he is more! ... in labours, more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in death oft. (2 Cor. 11:23-28). These things coming to him daily as he went out and gathered the members of the "body of Christ"... and snatched them from Satan's hell fire.

The earth laid in total darkness (sin and death)... barren without fruit (no one having the Spirit of God)... the darkness similar to Gen. 1:2 . All this until Christ came, died, raised and ascended to the Father. His resurrection will raise us who have died in Him... His life will transform us into glorious bodies those who are alive when He returns. Since He has returned to the Father, the Spirit of Truth has come (John 14:17) to gather the members of the "body of Christ". The light (members of the "body of Christ") is now coming forth out of darkness just the same as spoken of in Gen. 1:4 .

God Bless,

Eve