Before embarking on the other two urgent pleas from the apostle Paul, I would like to conclude the first urgent plea which is, “to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service;” by having a close look at the mystery of the ages.
I
wonder how many of us who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ know,
understand and believe the mystery of the ages which the apostle Paul made
mentioned of by stating: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature,
yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming
to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of
this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory” (1Corintians 2:6-8).
So
what exactly is this hidden wisdom of God in a mystery which if the rulers of
this age knew, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory? The hidden
wisdom of God in a mystery is how; “God did by sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk
according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4).
What
they did not know is that, God would send His Son by whom all things were
created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created
through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist”
to come and experience life like any ordinary human being, condemning sin in
the flesh by not succumbing to sin, lived a perfect sinless life, then die to
pay for the sins of all mankind and giving His flesh to eat and His blood to
drink for the forgiveness of our sins (Colossians
1:16-17).
What
eluded the minds of the rulers of this age is that, as God alone Jesus Christ
could not die so He had to divest Himself of His glory and took on the nature
of man so that He could pay the price of sin in man’s stead as explained by the
apostle Paul who wrote; “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the
angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by
the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him,
for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to
glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For
both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for
which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:9-11).
The
apostle went further to explain saying; “Inasmuch then as the children have
partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that
through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the
devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give
aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His
brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people: For in that
He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted”
(Hebrews 2:14-18).
So
the hidden mystery is that, not only would Christ die and pay the price of sin
for all humanity but it goes further with the admonition which states; “My
little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for
the whole world” (1John 2:1-2).
In
conclusion, the hidden mystery is as follows; But of Him (God the Father) we
are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God --- and righteousness (being
our High Priest interceding on our behalf), and sanctification (through His
flesh represented by the unleavened bread, the new and living way by which we
draw near to the Father) and redemption (through His blood represented by the wine,
the medium by which our sins are forgiven) that, as it is written, "He who
glories, let him glory in the LORD" (1Corinthians
1:30-31).
Unfortunately,
the majority of professing Christians do not have a proper discernment of the
mystery of the ages and the urgent call which states; “but as He who called you
is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be
holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
But
truly, these times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men
everywhere to repent.
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