UNION IN CHRIST

 UNION IN CHRIST-2

(The Mystery)

“…..the mystery of Christ, Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs (joint-heirs-Greek, συγκληρονόμοι, synklironómoi ), and of the same body (joint-body Gr.), and partakers (joint-partakers - Gr.) of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (Ephesians 3:4-6). There has been a mystery hidden in the heart of God from before the foundation of the world. The above verses introduce us to this mystery. Now a “mystery” is something known only to those who have been taught and revealed according to the meaning used in Scripture. But you have become a child of God; you have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son. So you have every right to know this mystery. Now what is this mystery? It is stated in the words emphasized above. Dear reader, you have believed the Gospel and you are in Christ now. Therefore you are a joint-heir, and in the joint-body, and a joint –partaker of God's promise (We use the literal translation of the original Greek for the three words to bring out the emphasis which the Holy Spirit has put in them). You are heir to the Kingdom of God. Do not think that your sins have been forgiven only that you should be given a corner in heaven, though as sinners deserving eternal punishment, even this we would have been very thankful to receive. Praise be unto God for the riches of His grace! As God created Adam to give him dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28), so God has created you anew in Christ to have dominion in the world to come.

Having understood that you are an heir, remember also that you are a joint-heir along with all the others who have received the grace of God. Do not think that you belong to any sect, or group, or movement, however good or bad. Do not glory in any of those earthly things. God has called you to something far greater. Let your heart be enlarged to receive the thought of God. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow- citizens with the saints, and of the household of God”(Eph. 2:19). “... be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18,19). Again you are in the joint-body. You have a place in the body of Christ in which every other believer also has a place. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Thirdly, you are a joint-partaker in God's promise. You cannot partake of it alone. You need to be in the value of union with fellow-believers to enjoy fully the blessings of God's promise which are yours in Christ through the Gospel which you have heard and believed.

II “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). The Church is indeed a great mystery. Those who have not been taught by the Holy Spirit cannot understand it. It is the Bride of Christ covered with a veil and hidden from the gaze of the common eye. The word “Church” (Gr. ekklesia) means “that which is called out”. It refers to those who have been called out of this world of sin, onto heavenly ground. We have been called with a heavenly calling, a holy calling and a high calling (Heb. 3:1; 2 Tim. 1:9; Phil. 3:14). The Church which is composed of all those who are born again, believers redeemed by the blood of Christ, is also called “the Body of Christ”. “... the church, Which is his body (Eph. 1:22,23). “He is the head of the body, the church (Col. 1:18); and “... his body's sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:24).

The word “Church” is never used in the Bible for a building, which is being used as a place of worship. But we often hear people saying,” In our ‘Church' there are many benches and chairs.” They are obviously referring to the building where they meet. As long as you also think in these terms you cannot grow in the comprehension of this “great mystery” Again we often hear people asking us, “To which Church do you belong? Where is the Headquarters of your Church? Is it in England or America?” They are thinking of societies or organizations founded by individuals or groups. This idea also is entirely of human origin and is quite foreign and contradictory to the wonderful mystery of God, “which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:25,26).

But these human ideas have become so firmly embedded in the minds of people that they refuse to receive the thought of God. The natural mind resists the things of God. So the Word of God says to us: “...my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8,9). If you want to understand this mystery of God you must be willing to empty yourself of all these human thoughts so that God may replenish you from His heavenly treasure-house.

III “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have (how greatly I strive) for you, and for them at Laodicea... That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement (full-knowledge – Gr .epignosis) of the mystery of God... of Christ” (Col. 2:1,2).