Mystery of the Gospel

M. Carter Stan

Description

Paul tells those at Corinth, he "speaks the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. Which none of the princes knew; for had they know it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." To those at Rome he says, it is "the mystery which was kept secret since the world began; but is now, made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets." Struct blind on the road to Damascus, Saul returns from the desert, as the new man Paul. He tells the believers at Colossae: "Whereof, I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to fufil the word of God; even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." The mystery, which Paul reveals wihin his letters, is the key to understanding every story, every parable, and the intent of God's every intervention into the lives of men. Those letters entice believers to search for the "mystery of his will;" no longer hidden, they now reveal the "mystery of godliness." I`Corinthians 2:7-8; Romans 16:25-26: Colossians 1:25-26; Ephesians 1:9; I Timothy 3:16

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 17 mars 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781462413256
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Mystery of the Gospel
 
“Christ in you, the hope of Glory”
 
 
 
 
STAN M. CARTER
 
 
 

 
Copyright © 2021 Stan M. Carter.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
 
Inspiring Voices
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www.inspiringvoices.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Cover Acknowledgments:
Paul: Kenneth Wyatt Galleries, Texas
Conversion of St. Paul: Nicolas Lepicie
Scroll Background: gartnerstudios.com
 
All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.
 
ISBN: 978-1-4624-1324-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-1325-6 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2021901210
 
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 03/03/2021
Table of Contents
I ntroduction: Hidden Wisdom
Preface: Paul the Apostle to the Athenians
Chapter 1 The Stoning of Stephen
Chapter 2 Eyes That See Not
Chapter 3 Searching for Truth
Chapter 4 Revealing the Mystery
Chapter 5 Be Ye Holy
Chapter 6 “Come, Let Us Reason Together”
Chapter 7 A Mountain of Sin
Chapter 8 God’s Temple
Chapter 9 The Shedding of Blood
Chapter 10 The Mystery in the Tomb
Chapter 11 “The Mystery of Godliness”
Chapter 12 The Perfect Law of Liberty
Chapter 13 Commandments of Love
Chapter 14 The Family Album
Chapter 15 Simply Christ
Chapter 16 The Gospel of Paul
Chapter 17 Counting the Cost
Chapter 18 “The Mystery of Faith”
Chapter 19 The Mystery in Baptism
Chapter 20 Our Sabbath
Postscript: As You Go
My most heartfelt thanks to Mark Wyatt, of Kenneth Wyatt Galleries, for the use of his father’s painting of Paul: “See how large a letter I write” which so clearly captures the image of God’s chosen Apostle! Stan
Introduction: Hidden Wisdom
What do you do when watching the evening news feels life threatening, when thousands everywhere are homeless, when millions are worried about their next meal, and church pews draw dust beneath those who seem paralyzed to act? Writing a book, or even reading a book, may appear last on your list. Yet God knows, men most often seek redemption during their most perilous times.
Today’s pattern of world events speak of the “falling away,” which Paul warned would happen before Christ’s return. His letters also speak of those who will seek refuge, as “sudden destruction comes” upon them that say, “peace and safety.” The mystery of the gospel is the refuge that men must find. This single message reveals the hope and love, which God has proclaimed to all men since the world began.
Paul’s ministry builds a bridge between the Old and New Testaments that opens a pathway for our understanding. He says of himself, “Wherefore 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 has 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 this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto, I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me migh tily!”
“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery , even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before this world unto his glory. Which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of G lory.”
“But as it is written: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Yet, God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things; yes, the deep things of God.”
This mystery, which Paul reveals, is the key to understanding every story, every parable, and the intent of God’s every intervention in the lives of men. But that understanding demands that we first choose to lay aside the doctrines of denominations that divide us, and seek afresh the wisdom found by walking alone with God’s Spirit.
God has promised to reveal everything, “to those who diligently seek him,” even declaring that he will make known the very “mind of Christ!” Even as Christ shared this mystery with his disciples; he now, by his Spirit, seeks that same audience with all those who “have eyes that see and ears that hear,” as the mystery unfolds within the letters of Paul.
KJV: II`Thessalonians 2:3; I`Thessalonians 5:3; Colossians 1:25-29; I`Corinthians 2:7-10; Hebrews 11:6; I `Corinthians 2:16; Matthew 13:16
The Authorized King James Version of Scripture still stands as the most read, singular nondenominational, text of our day. On behalf of William Tyndale, whose translations for the common plowboy became the measure of it’s text, the KJV became the sole source for the letters of Paul used in this book. My hope is that their words will speak to you, and touch your heartstrings, even as they have mine.
Preface: Paul the Apostle to the Athenians
“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands. Neither is he worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he gives to all life and breathe, and all th ings.
And, (he) has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the boundaries of their habitation. That, they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. For in him we live, and move, and have our b eing.
As certain also of your own poets have said, “For we are also his offspring.” For as much then, as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and man’s de vice.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now, (he) commands all men everywhere to repent. Because, he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he has ordained. Whereof, he has given assurance unto all men; in that, he has raised him from the dead!” Paul Acts 17:24-31
Note to the Reader: When Paul fled into the Arabian Desert, the New Testament hadn’t been written; there were no handheld texts of the Gospels to take with him. Yet, having been trained as a Pharisee in the Old Testament Law and Prophets, he carried a storehouse of knowledge that revealed a Holy God’s intervention into the lives of men from the beginning. Christian voices like Stephen’s, whom he persecuted and put to death, must have rang true for the first time as he walked that wilderness.
After following the steps of Moses in the wilderness, re-examining the words of the Prophets, and listening to the Holy Spirit within him, he gains a clear understanding of what God wants him to share with the world. He returns from the wilderness with a single message and explains: “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Christ and him cruci fied.”
Now, as Paul the Apostle, he interprets the words of the Prophets as they had never been explained. Although the Truth was always present, the mystery of his Gospel was hidden within the shadow of patterns found in the old covenant, until the Father’s perfect will could be accomplished by his Son.
KJV: Acts 22:3-5; Acts Chapter 7; Galatians 1:17; I`Corinthians 2:2; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 66:1-4 Hebrews 9:23, 10:1
1
The Stoning of Stephen
After Pentecost, the leaders of the Hebrew synagogues secured false witnesses in their plot to stone Stephen. They accused him of blasphemous words against Moses, against God, and against their temple: “For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.” Little did they know, their accusations echoed prophetic words spoken centuries before, words that would reveal the perfect will of God from the foundation of the world.
Among the shadows that day, stood a man named Saul. Skilled in the Law of Moses and sacrifices from his youth, he held a rage-filled hatred for those of the way, like Stephen. As Saul listened intently to every word spoken, perhaps he was surprised when, rather than deny the charges placed before him, Stephen began his own history lesson of the scriptures from Abraham to Solomon.