Nearly two thousand years ago God revealed information that was secret since the world began to the chief persecutor of Christ and the twelve.
“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” – Col 1:25-26
Paul was saved by God’s grace and was chosen to make known the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of this mystery.
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” – Rom 16:25
This secret, albeit concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, stands in contradistinction to the information that the twelve disciples were preaching.
Peter in his message in Jerusalem after Pentecost spoke of Jesus Christ according to prophecy “which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).
Peter taught things that were spoken by the prophets and Paul taught things that were kept secret from the prophets.
It was kept secret from the prophets that Gentile salvation would occur through Israel’s fall (Rom 11:25). Also kept secret was the new body of believers that was being created which was separate from the elect nation of Israel (Eph 3:6).
Nor was it prophesied that there would be free salvation apart from the covenants and the law (Rom 3:21-22).
While the prophets spoke about a promised land given to a chosen nation ruling in an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, Paul spoke of both Jews and Gentiles reigning in heavenly places judging angels (Eph 2:6).
There are many blessings yet future that will fulfill the writings of the law and the prophets including the coming kingdom to Israel. Yet since the secret information was not spoken by the prophets, we live in a period separate from the subject of prophecy.
Instead of an age of law and prophecy, we live in the dispensation of grace which had been hid in God from the foundation of the world (Eph 3:9).
Though the verse clearly says it was secret since the world began, many still try to search the prophets for clues about what is happening now.
It’s time we continue what God started with Paul “to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery” the secret since the world began (Eph 3:9).
Article Index Published: September 16, 2008
Last Modified: May 31, 2016