But one of the elders said, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has prevailed to open the scroll and loose its seven seals." - Revelations 5:5

« Doctrines :: Opposition to the Unveiling of the Mystery of the New Covenant

Opposition to the Unveiling of the
Mystery of the New Covenant
 
by Pastor Ronald David Kosor
 
Below are Pastor Ron's responses to some questions and comments he was confronted with in a recent e-mail.  The writer's comments are in black.  Pastor Ron's are in red.
 
Most Christians know more about the devil than they know about "the Mystery".  Even so, they do not know any more about the devil than they should know.
 
I agree with this 100%. The reason for this is "the Mystery" has not yet been revealed to them.  Just as any other revelation that that has had to hit the church.  It is hidden until the time God decides to reveal it through a man.  It is like any other truth which has come into the church---it is not a new thing.  It is 2000 years old.
 
Rapture, word of faith, healing, speaking in tongues, and many other truths which are accepted in the church today, entered the exact same way---through much opposition.
 
They should know more about him (the devil), so they can truthfully say, with Paul, "We are not ignorant of his devices."
(2 Cor.2:11) Certainly every Christian should know more about "The Mystery", and to make it known to others (Eph 3:9).  You say, "Then it would no longer be "the Mystery".  Certainly not. Why after over 2000 years should this divine truth still be a mystery so far as 99 percent of God's people are concerned?
 
Amen!
 
Can you answer this question?  It is true that the devil doesn't want anyone to understand or even study this divine truth.  But is is not God's will to be desired by Christians more than they desire Satan? Doesn't God's power exceed the devil's power? Satan is mighty. God is almighty. Genuine spiritual Christians know that God's power exceeds Satan's power.
 
When we consider the millions and millions of people of the world, religiously, and see what the devil has done to them, surely we give a hearty "Amen!" to the statement of 1John 5:19. "The whole world lieth in (the evil one)."  In his tricks to keep sinners from the saving gospel of Christ, satan is called "the god of this (age)" (2 Cor 4:3-4).  To accomplish his purpose with people who want some kind of a so-called Christian religion, the
devil transforms himself into an angel of light and instructs his servants to pretend that they are missionaries of Christ. (1 Cor 11:13-15)
 
The let us consider what the devil has done with church members who are actually members of Christ's Body.  God's one and only Church today. Note God's instructions in Ephesians 4:3-6. Why after over 2000 years should this divine truth still be a mystery?
 
Because Jesus is "being held in Heaven until the restoration of all things", discussed in Acts 3:21.  It (the Mystery) needs to be revealed.  It is our responsibility to unveil this mystery to those who have not seen it.
 
Restoration means to bring something back to its original condition.  That is what Jesus is waiting for.  He cannot return until the restoration of all things.  This is the truth the early Church preached and until the later Church sees this, we will all be waiting just like the Lord is.
 
"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
 
Meditate---"the unity of the Spirit".  Where is it found? One faith, one hope of your calling, one baptism. One Body. How many sects and denominations? Several hundred. How many bodies? One Body. Note Ephesians 1:20-23: "Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in (the heavenlies).  Far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."
 
This is evidence that we have not built a proper foundation as a whole, in the Church.  We are all picking and choosing from what we have accepted as the truth.
 
Christ is in the heavenlies.  Christ is the one Head of His one and only Church, which is His Body, "the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."
 
No matter how loyal, zealous sectarians may defend and  contend for their denominational churches. The student of the Word of God knows that "denominationalism" is absolutely unscriptural.  There is one, and only one, true Bible Church and that Bible Church is denominated, the Body of Christ, "the fullness of Him that filleth all in all". In Ephesians 3:6, that one church, in the Greek, is called the "joint-Body".
 
Personally, I do not care where they park their behinds on Sunday mornings for 1 hour.  This is what has destroyed the church. We don't know that WE ARE THE CHURCH.  It is not the steeple---IT IS THE PEOPLE. So stay focused on the revelation of the Mystery and let those other park where they want for their hour on Sunday mornings. It's the other 167 hours in the week that I worry about. Let's get about our Father's business...
 
Members of Christ's Body are seated with Christ in the heavenlies and are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. (Eph. 2:6 and 1:3) One reason why God wants all men to see "the Mystery" is expressed in Ephesians 3:10-11: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies might be know by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus, Our Lord."
 
The Mystery then, is divine truth concerning "the heavenlies" and "according to the eternal purpose which God purposed in Christ Jesus, Our Lord".  By searching the Scriptures, we find that this divine Mystery was not in fulfillment of prophecy, but was a scriptural program predestined by God before the foundation of the world. We have seen how satan works politically as "the prince of the world"; how as "the god of this age", he blinds the unbeliever to keep him from believeing the gospel of salvation. In Ephesians 6:11-20, we learn of satan's spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies, his opposition to the message and the messenger of "The Mystery", divine truth concerning the heavenlies.  Note Ephesians 6:11-12.
 
Great opposition becomes obvious as you begin to reveal this divine truth!
 
Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle no against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (in the heavenlies)."
 
And note Ephesians 6:19-20: "And (pray) for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
 
Amen!
 
Why was Paul a prisoner of Rome? Hear his own words..."for the Mystery of the gospel." Read this again in Collosians 4:3-4 and hear his testimony in Ephesians 3:1-3.  AMEN!
 
"For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles--if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given to me youward; how that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery;(as I wrote afore in few words)"   Amen!
 
Note God's Word in Ephesians 3:9:  "And to make all men see what is the (dispensation) of the Mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been his in God."  Amen!
 
Here we see "the dispensation of the grace of God" and the dispensation of the Mystery are linked together.  This glorious truth was made known by revelation to the Apostle Paul, who became the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles.  Do we appreciate what he suffered for us? Let's get into the Book and try to understand the message for which he suffered.
 
The main message Paul preached is found in Acts 15:19-30. THIS IS THE FIRST EPISTLE THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE NEW COVENANT.  And it was delivered to every city by Paul and Timothy. (Acts 16:1-5).  This was the foundation Paul preached after they received Jesus as Savior and Lord.
 
When Paul knew that religious men were opposed to "the Mystery" and were determined that he should not preach that divine truth, he knew that he was not wrestling against flesh and blood; that his real opponent was the devil as the ruler of the world and darkness in the heavenlies.  Amen!
 
Paul wrote in 2 Cor 4:3-4 that satan blinded minds. But note his request in Ephesians 1:17-18:  "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints".
 
Paul did not want minds blinded to "The Mystery".  He knew that it required a special spirit of wisdom and revelation to comprehend that particular glorious truth.  Amen!
 
Yes, the devil succeeded in getting Paul in jail for "The Mystery", bound as an evildoer unto chains. But from his prison cell he wrote: "The Word of God is not bound."
 
God wants you to know and to make known this glorious truth...which should have ceased to be a mystery more than twenty centuries ago...
 
Paul preached it.  Then the apostles were killed off and the Church fell into a period known as the Dark Ages.  Since then, God has been at work in those who have eyes to see.  He has been restoring this truth to the church for years.  I believe we are now in "the fullness of the times of the Gentiles".  This will usher in the Lord's return.  This is just my humble opinion.