[doinghiswill]

An Insight into the Mystery of Christ

Paul speaks of a mystery in Ephesians 3:6:
[T]o be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
What then is the mystery? It is that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and has reconciled Jews and Gentiles, and made them heirs of one Body. It is a mystery, and we will not appreciate it unless we understand the historical depth of the enmity that exists between Jew and Gentile. The reason many of us are not aware of this is because our democratic minds do not reckon on differences.
But I believe that God Himself has created these differences, and that they will either end in antagonism unto death, or they will end in a reconciliation unto life. And when we say reconciliation, we don’t just mean patching something up, and getting along, and making the best of it. Reconciliation means that we have come to be “one new man” together (See Eph. 2:14-16). This is no mere ethnic accommodation. It is a union because something has happened at the cross that has destroyed the historical power of the enmity between Jew and Gentile. This is a mystery. And that mystery, when it is effected and succeeds, defeats the principalities and powers of the air.
There are implanted differences in Jew and Gentile. God Himself is the Author of them, and if He can effect a reconciliation that is more than just “getting along” in a kind of working harmony, but a union in which we become one new entity—transcending what is both Jewish and Gentile—then that is a victory and a triumph for God to the eternal praise of His glory. At the same time, it is a defeat for the powers of the air who major on division, enmity, difference and strife.
That is what this struggle is about (See Eph. 6:12). The devil does not want to throw in the towel. Yes, he was disarmed, but he is still manipulating nations; he is still responsible for the Rwanda genocide. What happened in Yugoslavia eclipsed even the violence and destruction of the Nazi time, where for the first time in the history of modern warfare, systematic, mass rape became a political and military technique of subjugating and humiliating your opponent. That is how cruel and bitter and deep the enmity between those Slavic factions was (and still is).
Another kind of division now being encouraged is that between man and woman. Strife based on the differences that God Himself has created, either to bring destruction or to blur those distinctions and make women into men, and effeminate men into women by lengthening their hair, by changing their lifestyles, by making something acceptable that completely obliterates the design of God. Because, in the last analysis, everything is directed against God who is the One who is hated. They hate God and what God has made. And that is why any destruction of that which is created in the image of God is a triumph for the evil one. But “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.”
By Art Katz

[christkid777]

If you agree from scripture that we are to be one in Christ then I guess it makes sense that the promotion of division would be a most effective weapon against us. Even God saw unity to be the pathway to great accomplishment at the tower of Babble. He made unity impossible and the effort to do a great thing fell apart. The same thing has happened to us as Christians, with the same results. We have so many people among us in the church who think they are doing God a service when they create strife and division among us by creating points of contention from the word. They think they are helping us to save our souls when they are actually driving us apart. It seems that any difference in us becomes a point of division. Come Lord Jesus. Please.

Originally Posted by doinghiswill

An Insight into the Mystery of Christ

Paul speaks of a mystery in Ephesians 3:6:
[T]o be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
What then is the mystery? It is that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and has reconciled Jews and Gentiles, and made them heirs of one Body.

(Eph 1:4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
(Eph 1:5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
(Eph 1:6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
(Eph 1:7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
(Eph 1:8) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
(Eph 1:9) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

I think is is solely being that God is no respecter of persons.

It is a mystery, and we will not appreciate it unless we understand the historical depth of the enmity that exists between Jew and Gentile. The reason many of us are not aware of this is because our democratic minds do not reckon on differences.

The only enmity is between the sons of God and the sons of the prince of this world.
And to further expound, the nation of Israel is a dead dog in that they as a nation will never ever come to Christ. Only a remnant will.
But I believe that God Himself has created these differences, and that they will either end in antagonism unto death, or they will end in a reconciliation unto life. And when we say reconciliation, we don’t just mean patching something up, and getting along, and making the best of it. Reconciliation means that we have come to be “one new man” together (See Eph. 2:14-16). This is no mere ethnic accommodation. It is a union because something has happened at the cross that has destroyed the historical power of the enmity between Jew and Gentile. This is a mystery.

But jew and gentile were included in Paul's apostleship, God saved many a jew before he went to the gentile. The only thing was not that it was enmity, for enmity was was between the , again, the sons of God, and the sons of the devil The Jew looked at the gentile as unsaved, thinking thmseves to be God's only ppl. well, it is a long story.



And that mystery, when it is effected and succeeds, defeats the principalities and powers of the air.
There are implanted differences in Jew and Gentile. God Himself is the Author of them, and if He can effect a reconciliation that is more than just “getting along” in a kind of working harmony, but a union in which we become one new entity—transcending what is both Jewish and Gentile—then that is a victory and a triumph for God to the eternal praise of His glory. At the same time, it is a defeat for the powers of the air who major on division, enmity, difference and strife.
Is this about trying to reconcile National Israel with Christianity?

That is what this struggle is about (See Eph. 6:12). The devil does not want to throw in the towel. Yes, he was disarmed, but he is still manipulating nations; he is still responsible for the Rwanda genocide. What happened in Yugoslavia eclipsed even the violence and destruction of the Nazi time, where for the first time in the history of modern warfare, systematic, mass rape became a political and military technique of subjugating and humiliating your opponent. That is how cruel and bitter and deep the enmity between those Slavic factions was (and still is).

Another kind of division now being encouraged is that between man and woman. Strife based on the differences that God Himself has created, either to bring destruction or to blur those distinctions and make women into men, and effeminate men into women by lengthening their hair, by changing their lifestyles, by making something acceptable that completely obliterates the design of God. Because, in the last analysis, everything is directed against God who is the One who is hated. They hate God and what God has made. And that is why any destruction of that which is created in the image of God is a triumph for the evil one. Satan is Satan, and his ppl are his ppl.
(Rom 1:22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
(Rom 1:23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
(Rom 1:24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
(Rom 1:25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
(Rom 1:26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

But “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.”
By Art Katz

Again, the mystery is that God is no respecter of person reconciling all those predestined unto Himself before the foundation of the world. Jews did not know that that was what God planned. But now we know, don't we?

Originally Posted by christkid777

If you agree from scripture that we are to be one in Christ then I guess it makes sense that the promotion of division would be a most effective weapon against us. Even God saw unity to be the pathway to great accomplishment at the tower of Babble. He made unity impossible and the effort to do a great thing fell apart. The same thing has happened to us as Christians, with the same results. We have so many people among us in the church who think they are doing God a service when they create strife and division among us by creating points of contention from the word. They think they are helping us to save our souls when they are actually driving us apart. It seems that any difference in us becomes a point of division. Come Lord Jesus. Please.

James I may be wrong but I am truly not sure unity at any cost is the answer. Perhaps that is not what you are saying. For instance, when Paul was writing to the Galatians, some brothers from Jerusalem were trying to convince the Galatians as to their need to be circumcised. Paul was not into unity at that moment. He was protecting his "biddies" from wolves and from the law. He knew that once the church submitted itself to the law again, growth and life would stop and religion would set in. Guess what? He was right. So how did he handle the situation? By loving the Christian brothers from Jerusalem and accepting their "truthes" in order to keep the unity in the church? No, he withstood them and told the Galatians that he wished they were "cut off". He then repeats his wish. I am not going to venture an interpretation of what "cut off" meant, but we know it was not good.

Unity of the faith is important, but we cannot sacrifice truth to be unified, or we are like a body without bones, and flip flop any way we need to to keep the peace. Now, loving those that we feel are in error rather than lambasting them? Yes, it is high time we put on the mantel of God and acted Christ-like in our efforts to convince the gainsayers. But it is God who must be the one who, in my mind, brings back unity. The key for us? Finding out what Paul meant by "the unity of the faith and ther knowledge of the son of God". Now, 2,000 year later, the church has evolved into a mishmash of beliefs and many of our doctrines are not even scriptural any more. What do we do? Do we set aside truth to keep the peace, or do we lovingly withstand and point people to the true gospel again? I believe the key must be how our hearts react to those espousing false teachings. We are to lovingly correct, but we cannot ever set aside God's great truths in order to simply have everyone get along. I am interested in your input here as I value your wisdom. Thanks.

[Soulheart3]

I would have to say that from the new testament, it seems to be in general that the christians strived for unity. Paul and Peter strove to be in agreement instead of saying "you go your way and I will go mine" in the matter of what we eat and who we eat it with. They encouraged the meeting together (also unity). Jesus also said to let some guy that was not of them that was doing great wonders in Jesus's name to let him be and not stop him. I would say that first century christianity that we are to base ourselves on STROVE for unity. For those who dont want apostesy, it can only be that way if we joined together in one denomination, and that wont happen till after real christians leave the earth I would think. But we CAN strive to get along with others who call Christ Lord at the very least and not call them a spawn of satan or such crapola. If people think someone is being controlled by satan, then pray for them and attempt to keep your mouth from running away from yourselves assuming the worst in others.

At least thats my story and I am sticking to it!

Originally Posted by Soulheart3

I would have to say that from the new testament, it seems to be in general that the christians strived for unity. Paul and Peter strove to be in agreement instead of saying "you go your way and I will go mine" in the matter of what we eat and who we eat it with. They encouraged the meeting together (also unity). Jesus also said to let some guy that was not of them that was doing great wonders in Jesus's name to let him be and not stop him. I would say that first century christianity that we are to base ourselves on STROVE for unity. For those who dont want apostesy, it can only be that way if we joined together in one denomination, and that wont happen till after real christians leave the earth I would think. But we CAN strive to get along with others who call Christ Lord at the very least and not call them a spawn of satan or such crapola. If people think someone is being controlled by satan, then pray for them and attempt to keep your mouth from running away from yourselves assuming the worst in others.

At least thats my story and I am sticking to it!

I agree with you...we need to show the fruits of love and patience, and not be divisive in that area, but as to major doctrinal issues, there is gets to be a bit tougher. At some point you have to say "You are wrong". Will it divide? I guess it is up to the one addressed. Yet unity must not require us to sacrifice truth to keep it.

[Soulheart3]

Originally Posted by BruceG

I agree with you...we need to show the fruits of love and patience, and not be divisive in that area, but as to major doctrinal issues, there is gets to be a bit tougher. At some point you have to say "You are wrong". Will it divide? I guess it is up to the one addressed. Yet unity must not require us to sacrifice truth to keep it.

The pharisees were wrong in lots of things, but Jesus is never recorded going to them and telling them they are wrong. The only time he ever spoke badly of them is when they had just attempted to to trap him in his words while he was teaching the common people. But dont get me wrong, if You feel led by the Holy Spirit to tell someone specifically that they are wrong, I would definately agree you should. Yet I believe that it should be only when being led by the Lord and in spoken in Love. Without these two items, you will be doing something in your own power, and we all know what happens when that occurs.

I pointed something along this line to a christian lady at work that I like to speak with and we share spiritual things and prayer requests. I will ask you the same question.

Do you believe in re-incarnation? This I would say is a MAJOR (as you say) issue of importance. And by the way, I believe in it, so if you feel its wrong, tell me why. And I also shared my belief on it with the lady at work and she believed also. Does that make me a heretic?

[christkid777]

I just read this thread a little while ago. Sorry for taking so long. I was not referring to righteous correction from the word when I said the things about those who stir up devisions and strife. I really meant those who stir up devisions and strife. I understand there is a time to take a stand on what you believe. But the door of reconciliation must be left open. The truth is no two of us really agree on a whole lot. But we keep walking the same road together.

Originally Posted by christkid777

I just read this thread a little while ago. Sorry for taking so long. I was not referring to righteous correction from the word when I said the things about those who stir up devisions and strife. I really meant those who stir up devisions and strife. I understand there is a time to take a stand on what you believe. But the door of reconciliation must be left open. The truth is no two of us really agree on a whole lot. But we keep walking the same road together.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[CI]

What then is the mystery of Christ?

There is more to the mystery of Christ (Anointed One, Anointing) than reconciliation. The mystery of Christ is now revealed (made manifest) in those who obtain and administer what is called the "anointing of God".

Remember that those with the unction (anointing) know all things. The "anointing" of God is knowledge based.

Specifically, Paul wrote that the mystery is now revealed to His apostles and prophets who in turn give knowledge of the anointing to the saints and faithfuls. Not all who are called have a revelation (manifestion) of the anointing (Christ).

Reconciliation, first to the Lord Jesus Christ and then to God the Father, is the onset. This happens via the Blood; therefore, it of sanctification if considered as a thing of the "anointing" of God.

Other things of the "anointing" that are revealed include the fear, wisdom, and understanding of God. These things are knowledge (of Christ) based.