The Biblical truth that God revealed to the apostle Paul alone new revelations that had been kept hidden in the mind of God is avoided and ignored by most preachers and teachers.
In Ephesians chapter three, Paul unloads and unpacks the mystery or secret of Christ.
Peter, John, and James didn’t teach this, Isaiah didn’t teach this, Jeremiah didn’t teach this. Why? It was all hidden in the mind of God until revealed to this one man, Paul. Just that simple concept is hard for people to deal with but it is a Biblical fact. Scripture is explicit, the ascended and glorified Lord Himself revealed to Paul and Paul alone these new revelations. Let’s take a look at the first 3 words of Ephesians chapter three verse one.
‘For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— ‘
Ephesians 3:1
For this reason,…
What does Paul mean when he says ‘For this reason…? ” He is referring to what he just expounded on in the previous two chapters. Of which the highlight is that NOW (and not before) we are saved by grace through faith alone. Passages most are familiar with and have seen on Bible tracts…
For by grace you have been saved through faith (faith alone), and that not of yourselves (because there is nothing you can do anyway); (Why? Because) it (salvation) is the gift of God (the moment you try to do anything to merit favor with God, it is no longer a gift and becomes something that you did for your salvation in place of what Christ has already completed and you nullify God’s grace Galatians 2:20-21), not of works, lest anyone should boast.
You will not find this language or teaching anywhere in Scripture except from Paul’s epistles.
We will continue and examine the remainder of Ephesians 3:1, in another post.
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