There is mystery
throughout the revelation of God. The earliest recorded history of God’s
interaction into the physical world contains the mysterious creation of
male and female, distinct in their individual personalities yet each
existing only through the other. It continues with the incomprehensible
gathering of all ethnic groups, genders, and statuses of life into a
kingdom where there is neither Jews nor Greeks, males nor females, masters
nor slaves. It concludes with the mystery of mysteries, the manifestation
of the risen Christ coming into the world of men to bring order out of
disorder, harmony out of disharmony, and atonement out of separation. The
outworking of the life of God in man has always been mysterious to man.
The essence of the mystery lies in the fact that man is a flesh and blood
creature that has been animated by the Spirit of God. Being a creature of
two different natures, he is caught in a world of physics yet the essence
of life is nonphysical. In other words, man always experiences life in a
physical setting yet it is never the physical setting that produces the
true essence of
life that is being experienced.
Ultimately, the incarnation of spiritual life into the experiences of the
physical world is beyond the comprehension of man. Although the natural
world is observable and therefore comprehendible, the spark of life that
brings animation to an inanimate body is without observation and therefore
without comprehension. Man experiences the life of God but he knows not
how.
It is this aspect of mystery that man does not understand and more
tragically does not want to accept. Man desires to be the sole captain of
his ship, the master of his destiny, and the controller of the events of
his life. He continually strives to create an orderly arrangement of
activities, a comfort zone, in which he can live the days of his life.
Failing to accept that the essence of the events of life is beyond his
command, he erroneously attempts to control the times and the seasons of
the happenings of his life.
When man attempts to control life, man’s intellect (the sensing network)
becomes the center of his existence. The living or the experiencing of
life itself then becomes the object of his existence. Moreover, when life
becomes the object of man’s existence by the use of the mind in the
attempt to control life, the simplicity or the innocence of life is lost.
Man has fallen and the good life is no more.
Mysteriously, life is not the object of man’s existence in which he
attempts to produce life. Life is the "subject," or the
substance of man’s existence itself. Therefore, living in harmony with
life is the path to the good life. Coming to understand the ways of life,
through the revelation of Jesus Christ as life, is the secret of the rich,
full completed life.
Among the early disciples of Christ, Paul seems to have understood this
mystery more clearly than others of his time. It is not that others did
not understand it, but Paul seems to have made this mystery the core of
his preaching. In his letter to the believers at Colosse, he wrote,
"Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God
which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery
which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of
the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory " (1:25-27). He also wrote to the Ephesians,
Whereof I was made a minister, according
to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working
of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches 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. (3:7-9).
The heart of Paul’s preaching seemed to
be the fellowship of the mystery, or the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is
made manifest to his saints.
With the phrase is made manifest
meaning, "to render apparent," the mystery is now apparent among
the saints. With the coming of Jesus in the midst of the saints, the
fellowship of the mystery is experienced. In other words, the good life is
experienced in the interactions, the connections, or the relationships
between people. It matters little what one does in life, or what great
deed is accomplished, the good life is only experienced in the mysterious
connections of Christ.
Unfortunately, man has a tendency to measure the good life by successfully
doing things. In other words, if a great accomplishment can occur, man
thinks his life will be good. Conversely, if he fails to accomplish great
deeds, he perceives his life to be a failure. The good life, however, is
not measured in doing deeds. It only occurs in the interaction of people
where Christ is experienced. For the greatest of deeds means nothing if it
is not shared with someone.
In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he illustrated this truth by
asking them, ". . . what is our hope, or joy, or crown of
rejoicing?" He answered the question for them, "Are not even ye
in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" Then, he
simply stated, ". . . ye are our glory and joy" (2:19,20).
As stated in his letter to the Colossians, he said the mystery was Christ
in you, the hope of glory. With you being plural, the emphasis
is again the experiencing of Christ among the people. The hope of glory,
or the hope of experiencing the good life, is encountering Christ in the
connections with people. It is the fellowship of the mystery or the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is
made manifest to his saints.
In the Ephesians letter, the fellowship of the mystery is connected by
Paul to that "which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (3:9). This mystery has
its ground of being in the beginning of the created world. In other words,
it is inseparably tied to how man was originally created. The mystery is
intrinsic to what it means to be a human being. It is what makes man to be
man.
The account of the creation of mankind as recorded in Genesis contains the
secret of the mystery of man’s existence. In the expanded version of the
creation of man and woman (Genesis 2), God had formed man out of the
elements that He had already created and then brought life to the man by
placing His Spirit within the inanimate form. After placing the individual
man in the Garden of Eden, it is recorded that God passed judgment on the
life that the first man was experiencing. God simply stated, "It is
not good that the man should be alone . . ." (Gen. 2:18).
With alone meaning, "properly, separation; by implication, a
part . . . ," man’s life was in part, not completed. Although Adam
had a powerful relationship with God (sin had not occurred), he was
lacking in his fulfillment of life. It is significant to point out that God
does not say of the individual man that he is created in the image of God.
Nor, does God say that the individual man was created in the likeness of
God. He simply stated that it is not good.
It is only after the second person is created that it could be said that
the pair, male and female, was created in the image of God and in the
likeness of God. With the creation of the second person and the coming
together of the two, it created a third entity of creation, the
relationship between the two individual persons. It is only in this
relationship between the two that the image of God and the likeness of God
can be seen.
Although both the man and the woman experienced life because the Spirit of
God dwelled within them, they could not experience the full manifestation
(image and likeness) of the life of God until they were brought together
to express the essence of God, oneness in threeness. Moreover, since God
is a spirit, it would take the non-corporeal relationship between them to
reflect his character.
The image and likeness of God cannot be exhibited by anything that is
material, earthly. The individual earthly pair could experience the
heavenly because they could enter into a relationship between them.
Together they could experience the image and likeness of God.
Moreover, the image of God manifested between them would only occur as the
mystery and the power of life itself is experience. Jesus said,
"Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24). It
is only when the individuals of the relationship do not attempt to live
for themselves by using the other that the likeness of God can be seen.
The mystery and the power of life is found simply in the enhancement of
others at one’s own expense.
An individual will always find himself alone, regardless of his
accomplishments, unless he "falls into the ground and die." This
mysterious truth is illustrated in the creation of the original pair.
After Adam, the individual man, is created and God stated that it was not
good for him to experience life alone, Adam was taken down. Before the
second person could be created, Adam was put to sleep and out of his side
a rib was taken. The essence of the second person was taken out of the
first person. Thus, Eve would be called woman because she was taken out of
man.
The revelation of how mankind was created is not just a simple creation
story. It is the revelation of the fellowship of the mystery of life. The
glorious moment of the ultimate manifestation of life is only in the
coming of the two together to experience the image and the likeness of
God. It is the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from
generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.
With the coming of Jesus (His death, resurrection, and return by the
baptism of the Holy Spirit in the believer), the image and likeness of God
can now be made manifest to His saints. Christ, the anointed One who is
the essence of life for mankind, can become apparent in the living of
life. When He appears in the connection between people, as the image and
likeness of God was manifested between Adam and Eve, the believer will
appear with him in glory, in the experiencing of the life of God.
Just as in the necessity of Adam being taken down before the second person
could be created, the experiencing of the glory of the life of God between
two people also requires the falling to the ground of the individual
person. As Jesus stated, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground
and die, it abideth alone . . . ." When an individual is taken down
to experience the end of their selfish individuality, he will experience
the bringing forth of much fruit. He will encounter the mystery of the
fellowship, the glory of the image and likeness of God. He will experience
life.
Paul described this mysterious moment of life when Christ comes to
manifest Himself among the saints, as a meeting in the air: ". . .
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air" (1 Thess. 4:16-17). With air meaning "to breathe
unconsciously, i.e. respire (as naturally circumambient)", it is a
reference to the life of Christ becoming the breath of life of those who
experience this meeting in air. It is a reference to a flesh and blood
person experiencing the Spirit filled life. It is how the believer
encounters the heavenly realm.
Jesus stated, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again, he cannot see [literally, to know] the kingdom of God" (John
3:3). With again literally meaning "from above," Jesus is
simply saying the kingdom of God, the heavenly realm, can only be known by
the nature that is from above. As He would later say, "And no man
hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the
Son of man which is in heaven" (John 3:13).
This is the hope of the believer. As Jesus told Peter when He knew Peter
would fail in his attempt to ascend up to the heavenly realm by his own
deed, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me" (John 14:1). Peter must have his belief moved from his
own ability to believe that only Jesus is the essence of life, the only
one who "is in heaven."
Jesus went on to say, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2,3).
Jesus Christ, who descended from heaven as the Son of God to become the
anointed One (Christ), is the means by which man can experience the
heavenly. When the Son of God became incarnated as the Son of man (Jesus),
He did so to be able to receive all men unto Himself. By encountering the
coming of Christ into one’s life through the Holy Spirit, the human man
can experience the heavenly power of the Kingdom of God.
All men can be brought back to the glorious moment of the image and the
likeness of God that Adam and Eve experienced when they were created. As
Jesus said, when He began His earthly ministry, "The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the
gospel" (Mark 1:15). Just as Peter’s thinking had to be changed
form belief in himself to belief in Jesus (repentance), all men must have
their thinking turned around. Moreover, just as Jesus told Peter that He
would come again to receive Peter unto Himself that Peter might be where
Jesus is (the gospel), all men can be received of Christ to experienced
the power of Kingdom of God, the heavenly realm.
Peter’s desire, as with all men, was to ascend into the essence of the
good life, the realm of the Spirit, He was told that he would fail in his
attempt, as with all men. No man has or ever will ascend up into the
heavenly realm. Only He who has descended from the heavenly can enable man
to experience the heavenly, the good life. The good news (believe the
gospel) is that Jesus Christ, the Son of man has prepared the way. The
Father took Him to His death.
There can be a meeting in the air for all men. This encountering of the
image and the likeness of God, the coming of Christ into man’s life, is
mysterious because man must also be taken down before He can experienced
that which is from above. Just as Adam had to be put to sleep, an
individual must be put to sleep before he can experience what it means to
be completed. Moreover, just as Adam needed a second person to experience
the image and the likeness of God, every individual needs a second person
to experience the coming of Christ into his life. The kingdom of God is
always in the midst of people.
The conversion experience of Paul illustrates the mystery and the power of
the coming of Christ. When he was a devout servant of God in the Jewish
religion, he was on his way to Damascus to imprison certain other Jews
that had become believer in Jesus Christ. As the now familiar story (Acts
9:3-20) is told, he came near Damascus, suddenly there was a light from
heaven shining around him. He fell to the earth. Just as Adam and Jesus,
Saul had to be taken down.
The ensuing experience was a marvelous encounter with Jesus. When he fell
to the ground, he heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me." Paul’s immediate respond was, "Who are thou,
Lord?" The Lord answered and said, "I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest." As with all men, Jesus only revealed Himself to Saul
after he was taken down.
As with Adam, the story does not end with Saul on the ground experiencing
a relationship with God. Saul was told to rise and go into Damascus. His
encounter with Jesus was incomplete because when he opened his eyes he
could not see. He was blind. He just had a astonishing encounter with
Jesus and yet he could not see.
In the mysteries of baptism, he also needed a second person to be made
complete. God spoke to one called Ananias and said, "Arise, and go
into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of
Judas for one called Saul." After some hesitation by Ananias, he went
to Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared
unto thee . . . hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be
filled with the Holy Ghost." Instantly, while Ananias laid his hands
upon him, the scales fell from his eyes and he received his sight.
Now, Saul knew that Jesus was the Son of God. He had experienced the
completed coming of Christ, the image and the likeness of God, with the
interaction of a second person. The mystery of baptism had been completed.
In one of the first recorded letters of Paul, he referred to this mystery
when he was encouraging the Thessalonians while they were experiencing
afflictions.. Paul wanted them to understand that when they were be taken
down by the persecutions the opportunity for Christ to come among them was
occurring. Just as a seed has to germinate before the essence within the
seed can come forth in an expression of new life, new creation, each of
the Thessalonians needed to understand that the afflictions and the
persecutions were the means that the essence of life within them could
come forth in a new creation.
This experiencing of new life, the same life but experienced in newness,
is the experiencing of Jesus in the connections that always occurred when
someone has been taken down. It is when the reality of the outward
physical events and circumstances die (we actually die to the belief that
they have the ability to produce life) that the essence of life within can
come forth in power and in glory. Paul described as,
But I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as
others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them
which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one
another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
Just as Paul was taken down and rose again
in the completion of Ananias, Adam was taken down and rose again in the
completion of Eve, and Jesus was taken down and rose again in the
completion of the church, Paul tells the Thessalonians to take courage
because they too will rise to meet Jesus in the air. They too will
experience the image and the likeness of God.
Paul ask the Thessalonians ". . . what is our hope, or joy, or crown
of rejoicing? He answered his own question for them: "Are not even ye
in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" Then, he
concluded by stating, "For ye are our glory and joy" (1 Thess.
2:19,20).
Their hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing was Jesus. Jesus would be
experienced but not in them individually but in the connection of the
relationship between them. The mystery and the power of life was being
declared again: the image and the likeness of God would not be manifested
in the single person but only in the two. It was again the need for an
Ananias, the need for an Eve, or the need for the church to come and to
complete the revelation that Jesus was the Christ. It was the fellowship
of the mystery.
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