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".