Part 1 – God’s Secret Eternal Plan and Purpose

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The ‘Secret’ of God’s Eternal Plan and Purpose in Creation.

Ask the average Christians what they know of Paul’s “revelation of the mystery” and they likely have nothing to answer. Yet, “the mystery [secret plan of God]” is at the core of Pauline revelation truth for us today to know and trust.

According to Gods ‘foreknowledge,’ He knows “the end from the beginning,” having an amazing plan and purpose in the creation of all things “in heaven and on earth” according to His counsel [that] shall stand,” saying I will do all my pleasure.

“[God] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” - Isaiah 46:10

God kept His Plan as a “Mystery [a Secret]” until the appointed time. It was a “mystery” kept Secret since the world [Grk. chronos, since ‘time] began.” The explanation of this secret plan of God was first revealed to the Apostle Paul – as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) and by his thirteen epistles we also have received the revelation of the mystery [secret],” God’ ‘secret’ plan that is no longer hid.

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [ musterion, a God planned secret], which was kept secret since the world [time] began, 26 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 (KJV)

By the all things created we see how that He had forethought and purpose in His amazing plan from the very beginning of creation. Yet, when God created all things, he did not then reveal His Plan or Purpose in “all things,” for that was to come much later to and through the Apostle Paul for our age of “the dispensation of the grace of God” - Ephesians 3:2.

We read in the books of the prophets of Israel that He created everything for His glory, that is to be an expression of glorious Himself, His love, wisdom, and grace. Of course, what we see in His creation today and historically does not seem to glorify or express Him? How could this fallen world, corrupted by the evil of sin and the death sin brings, bring glory to God?

Yet, now knowing what we know from the word of truth “rightly divided” He is in the process of being glorified in all things… all things have been and are purposeful and useful in working toward the fulfillment of His eternal plan and ultimate purpose.

God kept the fulness of His eternal plan and purpose a ‘secret for thousands of years. The Apostle Paul refers to His pre-creation Secret Plan and Purpose as “the mystery,” the Greek, ‘musterion,’ actually means ‘a God-planned and God-kept secret.’

“[God] Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [Gk. chronos, time]” (II Tim. 1:9).

Historically, the first thing God directly revealed in writing was the knowledge of sin, holiness, and righteous judgment as seen in the books of the Law of Moses given to Israel but His eternal Plan and Purpose as to WHY he created all things was still kept a secret since the world [time] began.” – Romans 16:25

But now, today, we have Paul’s thirteen epistles that reveal Paul’s knowledge of “the mystery” concerning God’s Secret Plan and Purpose in all creation and particularly in His creation of mankind.

“Wherein he [God] hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the ‘mystery’ of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath Purposed in himself:

10 [so] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even [that is] in him:” - Ephesians 1:8-10

All creation was “According to the Eternal Purpose which he [God the Father] Purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” - Ephesians 3:11