The Mystery of The Kingdom Part 1 (Christ in you)

Is the kingdom of God a physical kingdom that is yet to come, or is it a present spiritual reality?  How do we experience the kingdom of God and why is it called a “mystery”?

“the mystery” is a phrase that is mentioned in Ephesians, Colossians and alluded to in Galatians but it was first mentioned by Jesus directly after the parable of the sower.

He said in Mark 4:11

…unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God… 

When we consider the context in which Jesus spoke these words it’s clear that “the mystery of the kingdom” relates to the Word abiding IN a person's heart. 

When Jesus said “unto YOU it is GIVEN to know the mystery”, he was speaking to his 12 disciples and those who were with them. 

Not everyone is able to “know” the mystery because such knowledge is only “given” to those whom have spiritual “ears to hear”.

Jesus said in Luke 17:20&21

…the kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Here Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who expected a physical kingdom to be established. 

The kingdom of God is mysterious to such people because they can’t see, touch or feel it in a physical sense. It is a spiritual kingdom that can only be spiritually discerned.

Col.1

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27 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:

“The mystery” of “Christ in you” was hid under the Old Covenant but "made manifest” to his saints at Pentecost when the Spirit (Rom 8:9) was poured out. 

In receiving the Spirit “the mystery” was made known unto them.

But how does one receive the Spirit of Christ? Let’s go back to Colossians.

Col. 2

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

When Jesus died, the ordinance of physical circumcision was “nailed to the cross” in the sense that that it was replaced with the “circumcision of christ” which is putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.

Whilst physical circumcision was a “token” of the old covenant

Genesis 17

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

The New Covenant hinges on spiritual circumcision. We’re talking about an inward circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit.

Romans 2

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The word Circumcision peritome means…

1. Separated from the unclean multitude and truly consecrated to God

2. the extinction of passions and the removal of spiritual impurity.

Colossians connects this to being crucified and buried with Christ, which is dying to self through a once and for all repentance from sin, proven by deeds.

Acts 26:20

…Repent and turn to God, and do works (deeds) meet (worthy) for repentance. 

Only then are we in the position to be “risen” and “quickened” with Christ through the Spirit, which is the miracle of regeneration.

John 3:3

…unless ye are born again ye cannot see the kingdom of God

See eido means perceive, discern, know

Unless we are born of the Spirit we can’t “know” the kingdom of God because it is a spiritual kingdom that is spiritually discerned.

The book of Galatians tells us that apostle Paul received “revelation” of “the mystery” because he experienced it.

Galatians 1

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son IN me, that I might preach him among the heathen…

The fact that God, by grace, revealed “the mystery” to Paul “made” him a minister to the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery…

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God…

8 …that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

“The mystery” was the message Paul preached to the Gentiles. He called it “the truth of the gospel”. 

Gal. 2

2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles

5…that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

As well as preaching “the mystery” to the Gentiles, Paul zealously defended it against “false brethren” whom had crept into the church at Galatia. These “false brethren” (Gal. 2:4) were preaching a “perverted gospel” (Gal. 1:7), one that involved adherence to Jewish ordinances such as physical circumcision.  

In Philippians 3:2 Paul also warned Christians to “beware the concision”. The word concision means mutilation. He used this word to denigrate physical circumcision, then went on to say… 

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit…

Again, making reference to the “circumcision of Christ”.

In Phil. 3:5 Paul described his strict Jewish background… 

“circumcised the eighth day…an Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee” 

Then in vs 8 he counted all that as “dung” compared to 

the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

In vs 10 Paul went on to explain what “the knowledge of Christ” is…

that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Participating in Christ’s death and resurrection through repentance and re-birth, is the “circumcision of Christ”, an inward circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit. 

Let’s consider the meaning of the word “know".

Genesis 4:1 says that Adam “knew” his wife and she conceived… 

We don’t “know” the mystery of the kingdom of God by obtaining more and more head knowledge. We “know” it through experiencing spiritual oneness with Christ. It’s an experiential knowing.

In conclusion

The kingdom of God is mysterious to many because it’s not something we can see, touch or feel in a physical sense. It’s a spiritual kingdom that can only be spiritually discerned.

Jesus said to his disciples 

unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God (Mark 4:11)

Paul said 

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection…being made conformable unto his death 

(Philippians 3:10) 

In order to “know” the “mystery” one must participate in Christ’s death and resurrection.

Being made conformable unto his death means repenting from all known sin which puts one in the position to receive the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9).

In receiving the Spirit, “the mystery” is made know unto us. We’re not talking about head knowledge, rather spiritual oneness with Christ, similar to how Adam “knew” his wife.

“The mystery” of “Christ in you” was the message Paul Preached. He called it “the truth of the gospel”.

Is it the gospel you preach? Or like the “false brethren” in Galatia are you’re eyes on the physical? 

Are you looking for a future, physical kingdom to be established? Do you think we can only be one with Christ once entering that future, physical kingdom? 

Jesus said the kingdom God is within you meaning it’s a present, spiritual reality to his saints. 

In my next post, I will take you on a journey through the book of Ephesians to reveal an important second aspect to "the mystery of the kingdom of God".

Brute Beasts and Merchants of Babylon (2 Peter 2)

This week I studied 2 Peter 2 and would like to share with you my thoughts on false teachers, brute beasts and the merchants of Babylon who beguile unstable souls.

2 Peter 2:1-3 speaks of false prophets and false teachers who through covetousness make merchandise of you.

Revelations 18 also uses the word “merchandise”.

Revelations 18

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12 The merchandise of gold, and silver… and souls of men.

The “her” mentioned here is Babylon babulon bab-oo-lone which means “confusion” and relates to false religion. 

The merchants are false teachers who through Babylon, make merchandise of the souls of men.

2 Peter 2:12 calls these false teachers “natural brute beasts”. 

Vs 14 says they are “beguiling unstable souls”.

“Unstable souls” are those not grounded in the foundational teachings of the bible. Such people are like sheep in need of a shepherd (1 Peter 5:2). They are “babes” who require milk (1 Peter 2:2.)

An elder who “Lords over” the flock (1 Peter 5:3) and rules them with force and cruelty (Ezekiel 34:4) takes advantage of “unstable souls”. 

Rather than provide them a solid foundation that they may build upon, he keeps them in an “unstable” condition. 

Rather than help them to become strong and mature, he keeps them in a weak and needy state, so as to make merchandise of them.

Such leaders think that they own the flock hence they feed themselves upon them (Ez. 34:2&3), meaning they use the flock for their own purposes. These purposes could be financial gain or simply to boost their ego.

Remember they are “brute beasts”. What does Ezekiel 34 say about “beasts”?

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

2 Peter 2:17 describes these false teachers/brute beasts/merchants of Babylon as “wells without water” and “clouds carried with a tempest”.

Vs 18&19 says that they “speak great swelling words of vanity” and “promise liberty” while they themselves are corrupt.

Jude 1 contains similar language to this

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

False teachers can look promising on the outside. They can deliver an impressive sounding sermon with “great swelling words” yet empty of any real power.

If you were desperately thirsty and went to a well, how disappointing would it be to find that the well was empty of water?

If you were a farmer in desperate need of rain and saw a cloud, how disappointing would it be to find the cloud empty of rain?

If you were desperately hungry and found a fruit tree, how disappointing would it be to find no fruit on it? 

How many “unstable souls” are beguiled by false teachers promising what they do not have?

Jude 1:4 says that they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness.

False teachers turn grace into a licence to sin, meaning they promote a sin-confess cycle and fail to preach a once and for all deliverance from sin. 

2 Peter 2:18&20 says that through “great swelling word” they “allure” those that were “clean escaped” from “error” and the “pollutions of the world”. 

Babe’s in Christ, who’ve experienced a genuine repentance can sadly become “entangled” once more (vs 20) because of false teachers who tell them they can’t help but sin and God will simply forgive them over and over again. 

Like dogs they return to their vomit, like pigs they return to the pig pen and end up becoming reprobate in their minds (vs 20&22).

2 Peter 2

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

When the chief shepherd shall appear he will judge those who mistreat and mislead HIS flock (1 Peter 5:3&4).

In conclusion,

2 Peter 2 is a warning, not to be deceived by false teachers but also not to be a false teacher hence we must all examine not only our beliefs but our heart motives. 

The role of an elder is to provide a solid foundation for unstable souls. To strengthen the weak and help babes grow into maturity. 

Not to lead them into confusion or provide them with any excuse to sin. Not to keep them in a weak, unstable state so as to make merchandise of them.

False teachers turn grace into a licence to sin whilst the true gospel message includes a once and for all deliverance from sin. This is the water missing from their well and the rain missing from their cloud. 

Whilst the false teacher promises liberty, his perverted gospel cannot provide it. 

God cares for his flock. Judgement is coming upon Babylon and her merchants. 

…Come out of her, my people… (Rev. 18:4)

A Shepherd's Heart (1 Peter 5)

What did Peter teach about the role of elders within the body of Christ? In this short article I examine 1 Peter 5 to find out.

1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder…

We see that this chapter is directed towards a plurality of elders. Peter wants to both instruct, encourage and strengthen them.

We know that Jesus said of Peter… 

Matthew 16:18

upon this rock I will build my church 

Also in Ephesians 2:20 Paul said that the church is 

built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets 

Peter was a foundational member of the early church, yet he simply identified himself as an elder, no greater than those whom he was addressing.

1 Peter 5

2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

In verse 2&3 Peter outlined the responsibilities of an elder

1. Feed the flock
2. Oversee the flock
3. Be examples to the flock

This sounds like the role of a shepherd.

Pastor poimen means shepherd which tells me that the words elder and pastor are interchangeable.

I think of sheep as those who are not grounded in the foundational teachings of the bible, like newborn babes in need of milk as mentioned in 1 Peter 2

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Just as babes need to be nursed by a mother, sheep need a shepherd to feed and oversee them.

The end of 1 Peter 2 alludes to the role of a shepherd.

24 …by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

These verses give me the image of a lost sheep returning to it’s shepherd to have it’s wounds bound up.

The purpose of binding up the broken limb of a sheep is to both heal and strengthen it.

Isaiah prophesied that this was what the messiah would do. 

Isaiah 61:1 

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…

Ezekiel 34 is the antithesis to this

2… Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Peter instructs the elders in 1 Peter 5:2&3 how to perform their role…

Not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being Lords over God’s heritage but being ensamples to the flock 

Constraint means by force “with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them” (Ez. 34:4). Notice also that the sheep are God’s heritage meaning they belong to God, not the elder/pastor.

When Matthew 7:15 speaks of “false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing” it is referring to people who rule with force and cruelty, who make money off the flock, hence they feed himself upon them. Such people think they have ownership of the sheep.

1 Peter 5

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

This verse instructs the younger to submit to the elder. This is not necessarily about chronological age. Someone can be younger than another, yet more spiritual mature than them.

In any case vs 5 says 

all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility. 

There is no room for pride in the body of Christ.

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Jesus cares for us because he is the “chief shepherd”.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

In verse 8 our “adversary the devil” is likened to a “roaring lion”. 

In the Middle East shepherds had to protect their sheep from lions. We know the story of how David killed a lion who was preying upon his flock. David had a shepherd’s heart and was therefore chosen by God to lead Israel.

An elder has to have a shepherd’s heart. Peter himself had a shepherd’s heart which he demonstrated in writing this very chapter. 

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Peter was not interested in lording over the elders, rather he wanted to strengthen them, remembering that Jesus is the chief shepherd, he owns the sheep.