The mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us is the most profound mystery revealed in the Scriptures.

There has always been 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. They were distinct in their individual personalities yet each existing only through the other. Mystery continues with the incomprehensible gathering of all ethnic groups, genders, and statuses of life into the kingdom of God. Mysteriously, there is neither Jews nor Greeks, males nor females, masters nor slaves but one in Christ. 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, the mysteries of relationships, has always been mystifying to man.

The mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us began with the creation of life.

The essence of the mysteries of relationships lies in the fact that man is a flesh and blood creature that has been animated by the Spirit of God (Gen. 2:7). 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. There will always be a need for the nonphysical mysteries of relationships.

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 comprehensible, 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. The mysteries of relationships is indeed mysterious to man.

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.

The mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us is the mystery of life itself.

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, which can only be found in the mysteries of relationships.

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 ” (Col. 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 (Eph. 3:7-9).

The heart of Paul’s preaching seemed to be the fellowship of the mystery. The mysteries of relationships which had been hid from ages and from generations is now 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 mysteries of relationships 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. It is the mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us.

The good life only occurs in the mysteries of relationship, the coming of Christ among us.

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, the mysteries of relationships. 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” (1 Thess. 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 mysteries of relationships. 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” (Eph. 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. The mysteries of relationships is what makes man to be man.

The mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us is the fulfillment of life.

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 2:4-25), 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.

The mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us occurs when two people come together in love.

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.

Experiencing the heavenly realm is the mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us.

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,” 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 mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us always requires the mystery of baptism.

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,a  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.

The connections of life is always in the mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us.

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.  Someone out there is needing you to complete them in the mysteries of relationships, the coming of Christ among us. It is the fellowship of the mystery.