The Mystery of the Gospel

Ephesians 3:1-14 

The apostle Paul was a great man in intellect, in the gospel, and in his zeal for the promotion of the gospel across the known world at that time.  He was a man who trusted in providence, commissioned by God to do what he was doing, felt privileged to preach the gospel, had concern for other people, was in fellowship with God even though he was writing this epistle from prison.  What type of message did he preach?  Paul preached a revealed message that came to him by revelation.  It was and is a message that is revealed by God and therefore it is God's message.  If it is God's message it doesn't need to be adjusted by men and women who are sinful.  

Paul preached a message that was and is:
A mystery:  V3-4, 9  "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ). 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."  The message was a mystery, a hidden thing.  Mystery means "a thing that is not obvious to the understanding"  The gospel is not an obvious message contrary to what "easy believism" teaches.  It is profound.  General revelation is not enough, the creation is not enough to bring you to salvation.  It leads you to believe in a creator God if you think logically, but how we can know God through general revelation remains a mystery.  We need special revelation to get to know the creator God.  This is found in the word of God through the prophets and apostles.  The bible's message is profound and mysterious.  It tells us of a holy God who is sinless and perfect.

What is God? God is a spirit: infinite, eternal and unchanging in  his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.  How can this God justify sinners who are guilty and remain just and holy?  It doesn't make sense that he could or would, but that is exactly what the message of the bible is. A mystery that we would not know otherwise, that God can and does justify guilty sinners upon certain conditions.  And he does it in a way that his justice and holiness is retained.  That is profound and amazing, not obvious, a profound mystery explained.   This marvelous message has been shaken by some modern evangelists who say "You want to be saved? It is O so simple, repeat these words after me".  But no! It's not O so simple.  It's a profound, amazing message that God can and does save sinners.  God can save sinners and give them a perfect righteousness, blotting out all their sins by punishing all those sins on his only begotten Son.  He takes sinners into his own family even though they were and are guilty as charged.  That is not "O so simple, repeat these words and raise  your hand".  The gospel is about a message that brings you into an encounter with the living Christ, by grace through faith you receive him and it changes your life, you repent of your sin and trust him.  It is a mysterious, profound, amazing message.  It is about Christ becoming the Lord of your life, it is not "O so simple".  Modern techniques cheapen the mystery and the profundity of the gospel.  They make it into a man-made "easy peasy" ritual, perform this, that and the other and you have your insurance policy to heaven but that is not what Paul preached.