The Plan – A Mystery – 1 May 2009

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you,  that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,  which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.  This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with , members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,  and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.  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,  according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:1-12 [NIV]

OK, Paul admits it – there is a mystery!  There is a hidden Plan.  People are right; there is a conspiracy – but not a wicked one: rather the reverse. The mystery is that, until Jesus came, it was not understood that all humankind was involved in the Plan, as I have been describing over this week.

But again and again Christians fall into the trap of thinking that different groups or people so alienate themselves by their behaviour, lifestyle or opinions that God wouldn’t possibly want them to have access to the Kingdom.  But we as Christians have to remind ourselves that all may be sharers together in the promise in Christ.  The promise is to all who come to Him. No-one is excluded, even murderers such as Paul admitted to being.

I realise that problems arise when particular people continue in lifestyles that the bible seems to identify as ‘the cravings of sinful nature’ and from which we are rescued, but we need to remember that is a separate issue from what Paul is writing about here.  It’s a delicate point, I admit, but one we would do well to ponder this day.

For God’s Plan seems so much bigger, so much greater that anyone could have ever imagined.  Writing these notes, I am staggered by Paul’s words that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

Whatever those words mean they are mind-boggling.  You and I as Christians reveal stuff to the heavenly realms?  I do hope we are up to it.  If we are, then we now know what we have to do.