“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, which was Kept Secret since the world 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: (Romans 16:25-26 (KJV)

 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this ‘mystery’ (Gk. musterion, the Secret Plan of God) among the Gentiles; which is Christ In You, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:27 (KJV)

Jesus Christ’s “Spirit of life” does dwell within every believer’s “spirit of man,” but that’s not so mysterious since Paul revealed that truth multiple times.

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰ And if Christ be IN YOU, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of (His) righteousness.”  (Romans 8:9-10)

In Col. 1:25-27, more precisely, we are concerned with defining “the Riches of the Glory of this mystery.” The “mystery” is to be understood in light of the context of the verses preceding v27, and in the context of all of Paul’s epistles. This verse has nothing to do with something mysterious as in, hard to understand, but it does remain mysterious… unless we look closely at these verses from the Bible-believing ‘dispensational’ point-of-view.

Here, the near context, we read of “this mystery” as follows in an effort to see the relationship between “the mystery” of “Christ in you” and “what is the riches of the glory of this mystery (secret).”

“²⁵Whereof I (Paul) am made a minister, according to the dispensation of [a dispensing by] God which is Given to Me [Paul] For You [the believers in order], to fulfil [Gk. pleroo, to complete] the word of God [the Bible];

²⁶Even (that is) the mystery (former secret) which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints (of the Gentile “body of Christ”):

²⁷To whom God would make known what is the Riches (detailed blessings) of the Glory (manifestation) of this Mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you (in all the members of “the body of Christ”), the hope of glory (Christ being ‘expressed’ in your life): (Colossians 1:25-27)

Note: This ‘hope of Glory’ is The HOPE of Christ’s Life In the believer being Expressed through the believer’s daily life…  due to the believer’s knowledge and Trust in the Doctrinal Truth of the Riches of “The Revelation of the MYSTERY [Secret]… which is “Christ In You the Hope of Glory.”

The “mystery [the former secret of God’s plan and purpose] which hath been hid from ages and from generations” includes the doctrinal details of God’s heretofore ‘secret program,’ for the Gentiles, which the ascended Lord Jesus Christ first revealed to the Apostle Paul… for all men of this age of the pure (1oo%) “grace of God.” This doctrinal information, is the pure grace truth that believers can stand upon securely. This truth constitutes the ‘grace program’ the Lord reveals to us by the Holy Spirit inspired words we see written in Paul’s thirteen epistles (Romans through Philemon).

Jesus Christ made Paul a special apostle to “fulfil” (v25, Greek, pleroo, bring to conclusion or completion) the written Word of God. The Lord had special information to reveal to mankind, and He chose Paul to be the vessel through whose writings those truths would be brought to all people of this age of grace.

Paul wrote of “the mystery [secret]” to the Ephesians here below (being enhanced with clarifying additions):

“²… the dispensation [administration or dispensing] of the grace of God which is given me [Paul] to you-ward (the believers): ³How that By Revelation he [the Lord] made known unto me [Paul] The Mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, ⁴Whereby, when ye read, Ye May Understand my knowledge in the Mystery of Christ) ⁵Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets (preachers) by the Spirit,” (Ephesians 3:2-5)

Some say salvation of the Gentiles was “the mystery.” But Scripture doesn’t bear this out. Under Israel’s prophetic program, according to the Old Testament, Gentiles were to ultimately be saved as proselytes through the nation Israel in her co-reign with Christ (Rev 5:10, 20:6) in the coming earthly kingdom (Read Gen. 12:1-3; Isa. 2:1-5; 60:1-3; 61:6; Mic. 4:1-3; Zech. 8:20-23). In fact, Paul quotes several Old Testament verses in Rom. 15:10-12 that demonstrate God would later save Gentiles in relation to a redeemed Israel. But this has never yet happened since Israel rebelled and has “fallen,” and is currently “cast away,” temporarily.

“Let their [Israel’s] eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. ¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their [Israel’s] fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy. Romans 11:10-11 (KJV)
“For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Romans 11:15 (KJV)
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part [temporarily] is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. Romans 11:25 (KJV)

What in fact was a secret was that God would create a new “pure grace” dispensational program, to save Gentiles Totally Apart From Israel, apart from her Prophetic and Law programs, and apart from Israel’s promised Kingdom to come on earth. The riches of salvation going to Gentiles through Israel’s FALL was the “secret” Jesus revealed to Paul. 

“…  through their (Israel’s) FALL salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them (Israel) to jealousy. ¹²…if the FALL of them be the Riches of the world, and the diminishing of them (Israel brought) the Riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? ¹³For I (Paul) speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am THE apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify [honor] mine [Christ-given] office:” (Rom. 11:11b-13)

It was revealed to Paul that through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, salvation would go to “all nations [Gentiles],” and that salvation would reach all nations without Israel even being converted.

Again, Colossians 1:26 says; “The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints (believers).”  Stated once more, this “mystery” that was hid consists of the details of the secret program of God that was revealed to the Apostle Paul and through his epistles, Romans through Philemon.

Bible teachers and students rarely understand Paul’s special ministry. They don’t understand what was “hid” and “is now made manifest” (v26), so they stumble over verse 27. God wanted to make known something to us, and verses 25-27 explain what that something is. God wants us to understand the mystery program, and understand “The Riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles.”

Jesus Christ, crucified and in His resurrected fulness as He now … indwells all genuine believers… bringing us “the riches of the glory (the full expression) of this mystery” that Paul reveals to us in his thirteen epistles.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians elaborates upon these “riches” and helps us define the importance and worth of “the mystery” to believers. Notice that Paul prays for their wisdom and revelation “in the knowledge of Him.” Then for their understanding, enlightenment concerning the hope of their calling and “the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints” and accordingly, “His power to us-ward who believe,”

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: ¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints, ¹⁹And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, ²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Eph 1:17-20)

It’s clear that from the verses above that Paul is saying we need to “know what are the RICHES of The Glory of His Inheritance IN the Saints [believers]” (v18). This more clearly defines of “this mystery” as seen here in Col. 1:27. 

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory [full expression] of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27 (KJV)  

Why Was “The Mystery” Kept Secret?

The “Mystery (secret)” is more far reaching that we might first think. While the Mystery of Christ’ Cross made possible ‘the forgiveness of sins’ and ‘the indwelling of Christ’ in the believer’s spirit, the “Mystery” ultimately concerns God’s recovery of the government of both “the heaven and the earth.”

Satan’s forces are currently still at work in the lower (2^nd) heaven and on earth as Satan is “the god of this world [Gk. kosmos, the present arrangement of “the heaven and the earth].”

“For by him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Colossians 1:16 (KJV)

The underlined titles in the above verse refer to ‘seats of rank and authority’ ordained in “the heavenly places” of the government of the heavens, were occupied by Lucifer and his fallen angelic cohorts when he was cast to the lower 2nd heaven. (For more see http://www.artlicursi.com/series/dynaspheres 15-part study)

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [the heavenly] places.” (Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

The Mystery (secret) of God’s plan was NOT made known to anyone before Paul. Jesus of Nazareth knew the Plan of God that “had been kept secret from ages and generation,” but He did not say a word concerning God’s Eternal Plan and Purpose in the Cross of Christ. This is the critical information being referred to here below.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery [Gk. musterion, secret], even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: ⁸ Which NONE OF THE [SATANIC] PRINCES OF THIS WORLD KNEW: For Had They Known It, They Would NOT Have Crucified The Lord Of Glory.” (1Corinthians 2:7-8 (KJV)

Note how that Paul writes how that God’s SECRET Plan of the Cross was NOT known to Satan and his cohorts. I paraphrase 1Corinthians 2:8 as follows;

Had They Known God’s SECRET Plan and Purpose of the Cross they would NOT have cooperated with God’s plan of “the mystery [secret]” of the Cross – which was to recover rule of BOTH “the heavens and the earth” with man included … through the redemptive work of Christ’s Cross.

Thus, I would expect that IN RETROSPECT… Satan Likely Would Rather Have One Jesus Still Alive On Planet Earth Than have … The Crucified and Resurrected Christ Living… In and Through Every Believer now and forever as “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

Christ’s Cross is the key to the salvation and Ultimate Reign of Israel On the Earth, and the Gentile church, “the body of Christ” who will take up those Seats Ranks of Authority in Christ’s Government of Heaven.

• We of “the body of Christ” will be Raptured to heaven (1Thes 4:15-18) at the end of today’s age “of the grace of God.” We are to co-reign over the universe with Christ in “the heavenly places” forever (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12, 2Cor. 5:1b).

The Rapture of “His body” will precede (by more than 7 years) Christ’s return to earth in “wrath” to destroy His hateful mockers and to save Israel.

• For, at Christ’s appearing in His 2^nd coming to earth Israel will assume its prophetic calling to co-reign with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom and on the new earth forever (Rev. 5:10, 20:6, Matt 19:28, Luke 19:17-19).

Having seen the foregoing “wisdom of God” in Planning and accomplishing the Cross-Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ through the cooperation of the evil mindset of Satan and his cohorts, we now can see how it is that God uses absolutely “All Things… for the Good,” including the negative of the Cross. The history of man on earth may seem to have been out of the Lord’s control, but all these things were still in accordance with His eternal Plan and Purpose for the redemption of His creation “in heaven and on earth.”

Of course, we know from the written “word of truth” that there is no redemption for the Evil One, Lucifer, “that old Serpent, that great dragon, called the Devil, and Satan.” His departure and eternal punishment in “the Lake of Fire” is soon due!