The Mysteries as Revealed to Paul
A Secret in Greek is a Misterion. The Bible sometimes translates Misterion either mystery or secret. The Hebrew for mystery or a revealed secret by God is called a revelation. Unlike any revelation one may have regarding a new product or engineering marvel a revelation from God is not like a new idea. It is God allowing one to understand something new or reveal the true meaning as to what He has already spoken or accomplished. The point is that until God reveals a truth the evidence can be piled up all around us, but its understanding will not be understood until God reveals it.
A perfect example of this is when Jesus was explaining to the Apostles what was going to happen to Him. He told them that He would be handed over to the Gentiles, beaten, insulted, killed and be raised from the dead on the third day; See Luke 18:31-34. Although OT Scripture was full of these descriptions of the Messiah and was available to Jews for several hundred years and although Jesus spoke clearly of it; the Apostles couldn’t understand a word of it because it had not yet been revealed!
Another example is after Jesus’ resurrection; Luke 24:45. He was with the Apostles and other believers in His resurrected body. He opened their minds at that point in time so they could understand the Scriptures written about Him. Once again, know that unless God reveals something it will not be understood regardless of the seeming evidence or even when plainly spoken. See 1Peter 1:10-12 How the Prophets wrote as the Holy Spirit inspired yet could not understand what they were writing. how one person could possibly, as the Messiah, be killed and yet still be King!
Although Scripture regarding the end time events and the rapture have been in the Bible since 100 AD, it wasn't until the mid 1800's that biblical scholars and Christians began discussing and seeing the world preparing itself for the end. When Daniel asked God to reveal what he had just told Daniel he told Daniel to seal up the scroll for it wasn't the time for understanding and that the scroll or the revealing would occur in its due time.
However, since the mid-1800's God seemingly halted the continuous earthquakes in Israel as well as the ramped malaria and endless droughts making the land habitable again and preparing it for the return of the Jews. Also, one only must read Revelation to see that there would have to be tremendous technology present to preform many of the events; ie everyone in the world at the same time seeing the two witnesses resurrected and caught up to heaven....I-Phone... Also, part of that sealed up vision was that there would be increased knowledge and that people would be going here and there. (i.e. rapid transportation)
One more important example is in the Old Testament with Samuel. See 1Sam 3:7. Samuel had studied the Scriptures for more than 10 years before the Lord spoke to him. However, in verse 7 the Scripture says, “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” Now I understand that in this case the voice of the Lord had not yet been spoken to Samuel. However, since the Holy Spirit chose to use the word reveal I think there was more that was revealed than recognizing the voice of the Lord.
Moses sums it up this way in Deuteronomy 29:29. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever…”
Therefore, please know that the reveled mysteries and secrets from God are ours for this time and place. These secrets that were revealed to the Apostle Paul, in particular, are important during this age of God’s Grace; which in itself was kept secret in the mind of God since the world began. Rom 16:25. The letters of Paul clearly reveal what the Lord gave him for us and our children. Peter himself declares to saved Jews the validation of Paul's letters as Scripture and wisdom as given to him by God; II Peter 3:15-16.
After knowing Paul since Paul's Damascus experience and God-revealed mysteries from Sinai and then subsequently defending Paul at the Counsel at Jerusalem, Acts 15..., Acts 9:26, Gal 1&2..., Peter over the 25 years of his acquaintance apparently read and studied Paul's letters; Romans through Hebrews as Peter's letter reflected Paul's influence especially in 2Peter. Peter explains that all of Paul's letters speak of God's Grace and God's long suffering just as Peter does although Paul's revealed secrets were difficult to understand for the Jew to Peter's admission.
The primary difficulties even for saved Jews at the time were due to the fact that one was now saved without Mosaic Law, baptism or Temple worship. It was difficult for any Jew to realize that God had temporarily set aside unbelieving Israel until the last Gentile came (Rom 11:25) into the Body of Christ (Another Pauline concept 1Cor 12:12). However, in 2Peter 3:16-17 Peter legitimizes Paul's God-given Wisdom and includes Paul's letters as Scripture to the saved Jews validating Paul's letters of which the revealed mysteries are included.
The following are the revealed secrets and mysteries of the Apostle Paul. They were designed to give the people of this age of Grace comfort that WE, at this time, are the people of the church age; both saved Jew and saved Gentile (Eph 3:6) "that was kept secret in the mind of God since the world began."
Romans 16:25
Equipped with the God-revealed secrets, Paul, is able to make this astounding statement of 'my Gospel.' Through the declaration that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and was resurrected from the dead condemning sin in sinful flesh. 1Cor 15:1-4, Rom 8:1-4. Please see Rom 2:16 where Paul declares that men's secrets will be judged on 'that day,' the day of Christ, the Rapture, according to MY GOSPEL'!
You will find the plainest description of Paul's Gospel fully in 1Cor 15:1-4. Also, Reference; Romans 8:1-3, 2Cor 5:17-21. Eph 1:13, Eph 3:1-10 and many other places from Romans through Hebrews.
Romans 11:25-32
God revealed to Paul that the covenants God had given to Israel had been merely postponed not cancelled. God would still fulfill all prophesy regarding the Kingdom of God on the earth as the Jews, a Kingdom of Priests Ex 19:6, would evangelize during and after the tribulation (Zech 12:10-11, Jer 31:33, Joel 8) but not until all the Gentiles and kings and the families of Israel (Acts 9:15) called during this church age are secured in the Lord (Raptured) prior to the Tribulation, the Wrath of God (1Thess 4:13...1:10...5:9, 2Thess 2:1...)
However, due to Israel’s unbelief and the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit: Acts 7, God went directly to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul, the first man in the History of the world that was saved by the ‘work’ of the cross without any ritual, baptism, repentance or any work on his part through Faith and Faith alone (1Tim 1:16). The newly revealed secret of Salvation of the World is best explained in Rom 5, 1Cor 15:1-4 and 2Cor 5:17-21. This is Paul’s best explanation of what the Lord accomplished for all mankind on the cross.
( Note regarding Jesus going to Samaria and the 'woman at the well.' Please realize that unlike most of main-stream Christianity that believes that this meeting was an indication that Jesus' ministry was now also a ministry to Gentiles was actually the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:16-19 that made Israel one Kingdom again. Jesus could not send the 12 to minister to Samaria until he incorporated Samaria back into Israel as they once were during King Solman's reign. Note that this was the purpose of Jesus meeting with the woman at the well without the 12 Disciples present. The Northern Kingdom was invaded and made captive in 740 BC by Syria (Assyria). As a result, the Northern Kingdom became half-bread Israelites and Assyrian, as after the invasion, Assyria soon realized that they had to have Israelites in the land so the land could be productive. Without Israel in their own land, the land cannot be productive as history has experienced and has recorded. This was God's prophetic and ordained appointment. You'll note in your study that there are no more references of the two Kingdoms from then on in the Bible as they were made one Kingdom, once again, at the well. Jesus earthly ministry was to fulfill, singularly, the covenants made to Israel. Romans 15:8. What was actually accomplished at the Cross, i.e. Salvation without Mosaic Law plus so much more, was revealed to the Apostle to the Gentiles: Eph 3:2-3 after the stoning of Stephen (Potentially, the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit Mark 3:29 )
Don't be left behind...Believe these Scriptures; (Romans Chapter 5, 1Cor 15:1-4 and II Cor 5 and Eph 1,2&3 and Col 1&2) These are the Truths of God that you have been praying for to be revealed to you!!! You didn't want to hear it from a priest or a pastor or a holy man. Here it is directly from the Holy Spirit. This is the Truth of God! Your Faith in that the Lord finished your salvation completely with no effort on your part is THE SECRET Paul declares (Rom 2:16) that is essential for you and is this Gospel that determines your Baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (1Cor 12:12) and your foundation to escape the wrath of God, the Day of the Lord; the Tribulation Period that is triggered when the Lord takes the Body of Christ out of the way along with the Holy Spirit that resides in His Body which, has been holding the Tribulation period back. And now with the Holy Spirit out of the way allows the Tribulation period to start. (1Thess 4:13...1:10, 2Thess 2:1...) Note your condition in Christ in 1Thessalonians 4. Note 'Their' condition without Christ in 1 Thessalonians 5)
and moving on...
A good way to see the difference of the salvation through the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of the Grace of God is to see how a Jew was to be saved before the stoning of Stephen (Acts 2:38) and how a Gentile was saved afterwards (Acts 10:44 - 10:48)
The Jew being saved at Pentecost (Acts 2:38): 1 - Believe that Jesus was the Christ. 2 - Repent. 3 - Water baptism in the name of Jesus. 4 - Receive the Holy Spirit. Again (Acts 8:37-38, The Eunuch believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Not what Jesus accomplished on the cross; died for the forgiveness of sins of the world and rose again for our justification.)
The Gentile being saved (Acts 10:44-45): 1 - Believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose from the dead. 2 - Receive the Holy Spirit. (Faith plus Nothing = Salvation) 1Tim 1:16.
Note that God was now going to save people no longer by Jewish Law or Tradition or that simply believing that Jesus was Israel's Messiah. God saves people today by believing He accomplished our salvation already for them at the cross (2Cor 5:21-Rom 8:1-4- 1Cor 15:1-4) through His death for the forgiveness of sins and the crucifixion of your Old Adam Nature, burial (Old Adam, the sin nature you had inherited is reckoned dead by God forever Rom 8) and resurrection as we were raised with Christ as a new creature (Rom Chapter 3 and 8). I agree that repentance is important, but repentance only comes after your salvation experience. It cannot be a declaration required for Salvation. Believing the Gospel that Christ already accomplished your salvation without any action or work is what saves (Eph Chapter 2) and is the cornerstone of all the Pauline letters and Paul's Gospel.
Please understand that the Great White Throne Judgement in Revelations 20:11 is for those that do not believe what God has accomplished for them. These include those that have done something else to secure their salvation in their own mind i.e. circumcision, tithing, church membership, baptism, or anything else. Know that Jesus will say, "I never knew you" when you explain that you have been going to church all your life or that you were baptized even at birth. Please see Galatians 5:2.
Repentance comes later after salvation when God reveals your own heart to you little by little. Baptism clearly isn't necessary for salvation as it was for the Nation of Israel nor are the other rudiments of the early church such as the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit. Please see Heb 6. For it was the holding on to these early basic Jewish rituals of the early Church that disqualified them from the prize and the Blessed Hope of being saved (Heb 6:6 and Gal 5:2-4...) now in the dispensation of the Grace of God Eph 3:1... Don't be left behind because you think you are saved because of your baptism or faithful church membership! You are saved because you believe the Gospel of the Grace of God (1Cor 15:1-4). For God has already accomplished your salvation for you.
Eph 1 We were chosen by God to be alive during this age of His Grace and He made our salvation possible through no human effort whatsoever except to believe what He did for us on the cross; Romans 1:16. How utterly Blessed are we who are alive during this time!?!
1 Corinthians 2:7
Paul explains that Israel and Rome did not understand who Jesus was because it had not been revealed to them. He says if they had they never would have crucified Him. This is Paul's proof that the revelations of the mysteries could not have been known before his time.
1 Corinthians 13:2
Paul says that even knowing the mysteries and the full knowledge of the world if they are not applied with love is useless and is of no value.
1 Corinthians 15:51
Paul explains the mystery of our resurrection and the Rapture while even believers are alive on the earth. Also see 1Thessalonians 4:13-18. Paul's letters are clear that the Body of Christ will escape the Tribulation or the Day of the Lord. Do a Bible search on wrath. You will see that the OT describes it and Paul tells us how we escape it!! This is the Blessed hope (another good search!)
Colossians 1:26-27
Paul explains the Mystery of the indwelling of Christ in every believer. (How foreign and disturbing this must have been for Jews of that time to hear that God was saving Gentiles especially without the Mosaic Law. See Acts 21:20-23. 22:21-22. The Jews, it seemed, were eager to hear Paul preach until he mentioned the 'G' word." GENTILE
Colossians 2:2-3
Paul explains that the mystery of God is indeed Christ. That in Christ is found all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (This is truly a great mystery revealed. Especially when you read John 1:1-4, then Colossians 1:15-20, then Genesis 1:1. Then the first hint in the Old Testament that it is truly Jesus in the Garden in Genesis 2:4 'Lord God'...Jehovah Elohim...'J(Y)ehu Hava...The Son God to be revealed ...more and more. The best way to put it is that the Son is the communicator of the Trinity...The Word! He spoke to Noah. He walked with Enoch. He was the Burning Bush. He spoke with Abraham and Moses face to face. It was Jesus all the time!!..."before Abraham was born, I am." John 8:58.
Colossians 4:3
Paul explains that the mystery of Christ is difficult to preach as the powers of this world tried to hinder him at every corner. But, in chapter three of this letter Paul explains another revelation: 3:4. When Christ appears in His 2nd coming, we will be with Him in Glory. This takes place when Jesus comes to the Mt of Olives after the Tribulation Period. Having been raptured, "the Body of Christ" taken out of the way prior to the Tribulation, Christ returns to earth with His Raptured Body of Christ.
Ephesians 1:9
This mystery, although was kept hidden in God since the beginning of time, is that Jesus Christ will have all things in heaven and on earth under one head: Christ.
Ephesians 3:3-6
This mystery is that believers in Christ through Paul's Gospel that the Gentiles are heirs together with Christ (Rom 8:17) and are members in one Body; the Body of Christ. That the path to God, now, was through believing what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross for all mankind.
Ephesians 3:9
This mystery is that God would go directly to the Gentiles without Israel which He accomplished in Christ Jesus and through Paul the first to be saved by Grace (1Tim 1:16). That the manifold wisdom regarding God’s plan for redeeming; what was lost in the Garden through Adam; was now totally revealed. The plan for redemption of the human race through their free will would ultimately only have to make a simple choice. Through one man the human race lost communion with God, he became spiritually dead, and his body would have to die. We only have to choose to believe the fact that God purchased us back with His own Blood and has cleared the way for us to regain everything lost in that Garden including eternal life with God.
Ephesians 6:19
Paul requests for prayer so he can speak accurately of the mystery of the Gospel; 1Cor 15:1-4
1Timothy 3:9 and 3:16
When choosing leadership in the church be sure that the individual understands the mysteries as the mystery of godliness is great;
This mystery proclaims without question that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh!!!
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
A review of Who Jesus Christ is: John 1:1-4, Col 1:15-20, Philippians 2:5-11, Gen 1:1, Gen 2:4 (Lord God) Colossians 1:22-23
"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."
A Secret in Greek is a Misterion. The Bible sometimes translates Misterion either mystery or secret. The Hebrew for mystery or a revealed secret by God is called a revelation. Unlike any revelation one may have regarding a new product or engineering marvel a revelation from God is not like a new idea. It is God allowing one to understand something new or reveal the true meaning as to what He has already spoken or accomplished. The point is that until God reveals a truth the evidence can be piled up all around us, but its understanding will not be understood until God reveals it.
A perfect example of this is when Jesus was explaining to the Apostles what was going to happen to Him. He told them that He would be handed over to the Gentiles, beaten, insulted, killed and be raised from the dead on the third day; See Luke 18:31-34. Although OT Scripture was full of these descriptions of the Messiah and was available to Jews for several hundred years and although Jesus spoke clearly of it; the Apostles couldn’t understand a word of it because it had not yet been revealed!
Another example is after Jesus’ resurrection; Luke 24:45. He was with the Apostles and other believers in His resurrected body. He opened their minds at that point in time so they could understand the Scriptures written about Him. Once again, know that unless God reveals something it will not be understood regardless of the seeming evidence or even when plainly spoken. See 1Peter 1:10-12 How the Prophets wrote as the Holy Spirit inspired yet could not understand what they were writing. how one person could possibly, as the Messiah, be killed and yet still be King!
Although Scripture regarding the end time events and the rapture have been in the Bible since 100 AD, it wasn't until the mid 1800's that biblical scholars and Christians began discussing and seeing the world preparing itself for the end. When Daniel asked God to reveal what he had just told Daniel he told Daniel to seal up the scroll for it wasn't the time for understanding and that the scroll or the revealing would occur in its due time.
However, since the mid-1800's God seemingly halted the continuous earthquakes in Israel as well as the ramped malaria and endless droughts making the land habitable again and preparing it for the return of the Jews. Also, one only must read Revelation to see that there would have to be tremendous technology present to preform many of the events; ie everyone in the world at the same time seeing the two witnesses resurrected and caught up to heaven....I-Phone... Also, part of that sealed up vision was that there would be increased knowledge and that people would be going here and there. (i.e. rapid transportation)
One more important example is in the Old Testament with Samuel. See 1Sam 3:7. Samuel had studied the Scriptures for more than 10 years before the Lord spoke to him. However, in verse 7 the Scripture says, “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” Now I understand that in this case the voice of the Lord had not yet been spoken to Samuel. However, since the Holy Spirit chose to use the word reveal I think there was more that was revealed than recognizing the voice of the Lord.
Moses sums it up this way in Deuteronomy 29:29. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever…”
Therefore, please know that the reveled mysteries and secrets from God are ours for this time and place. These secrets that were revealed to the Apostle Paul, in particular, are important during this age of God’s Grace; which in itself was kept secret in the mind of God since the world began. Rom 16:25. The letters of Paul clearly reveal what the Lord gave him for us and our children. Peter himself declares to saved Jews the validation of Paul's letters as Scripture and wisdom as given to him by God; II Peter 3:15-16.
After knowing Paul since Paul's Damascus experience and God-revealed mysteries from Sinai and then subsequently defending Paul at the Counsel at Jerusalem, Acts 15..., Acts 9:26, Gal 1&2..., Peter over the 25 years of his acquaintance apparently read and studied Paul's letters; Romans through Hebrews as Peter's letter reflected Paul's influence especially in 2Peter. Peter explains that all of Paul's letters speak of God's Grace and God's long suffering just as Peter does although Paul's revealed secrets were difficult to understand for the Jew to Peter's admission.
The primary difficulties even for saved Jews at the time were due to the fact that one was now saved without Mosaic Law, baptism or Temple worship. It was difficult for any Jew to realize that God had temporarily set aside unbelieving Israel until the last Gentile came (Rom 11:25) into the Body of Christ (Another Pauline concept 1Cor 12:12). However, in 2Peter 3:16-17 Peter legitimizes Paul's God-given Wisdom and includes Paul's letters as Scripture to the saved Jews validating Paul's letters of which the revealed mysteries are included.
The following are the revealed secrets and mysteries of the Apostle Paul. They were designed to give the people of this age of Grace comfort that WE, at this time, are the people of the church age; both saved Jew and saved Gentile (Eph 3:6) "that was kept secret in the mind of God since the world began."
Romans 16:25
Equipped with the God-revealed secrets, Paul, is able to make this astounding statement of 'my Gospel.' Through the declaration that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and was resurrected from the dead condemning sin in sinful flesh. 1Cor 15:1-4, Rom 8:1-4. Please see Rom 2:16 where Paul declares that men's secrets will be judged on 'that day,' the day of Christ, the Rapture, according to MY GOSPEL'!
You will find the plainest description of Paul's Gospel fully in 1Cor 15:1-4. Also, Reference; Romans 8:1-3, 2Cor 5:17-21. Eph 1:13, Eph 3:1-10 and many other places from Romans through Hebrews.
Romans 11:25-32
God revealed to Paul that the covenants God had given to Israel had been merely postponed not cancelled. God would still fulfill all prophesy regarding the Kingdom of God on the earth as the Jews, a Kingdom of Priests Ex 19:6, would evangelize during and after the tribulation (Zech 12:10-11, Jer 31:33, Joel 8) but not until all the Gentiles and kings and the families of Israel (Acts 9:15) called during this church age are secured in the Lord (Raptured) prior to the Tribulation, the Wrath of God (1Thess 4:13...1:10...5:9, 2Thess 2:1...)
However, due to Israel’s unbelief and the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit: Acts 7, God went directly to the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul, the first man in the History of the world that was saved by the ‘work’ of the cross without any ritual, baptism, repentance or any work on his part through Faith and Faith alone (1Tim 1:16). The newly revealed secret of Salvation of the World is best explained in Rom 5, 1Cor 15:1-4 and 2Cor 5:17-21. This is Paul’s best explanation of what the Lord accomplished for all mankind on the cross.
( Note regarding Jesus going to Samaria and the 'woman at the well.' Please realize that unlike most of main-stream Christianity that believes that this meeting was an indication that Jesus' ministry was now also a ministry to Gentiles was actually the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:16-19 that made Israel one Kingdom again. Jesus could not send the 12 to minister to Samaria until he incorporated Samaria back into Israel as they once were during King Solman's reign. Note that this was the purpose of Jesus meeting with the woman at the well without the 12 Disciples present. The Northern Kingdom was invaded and made captive in 740 BC by Syria (Assyria). As a result, the Northern Kingdom became half-bread Israelites and Assyrian, as after the invasion, Assyria soon realized that they had to have Israelites in the land so the land could be productive. Without Israel in their own land, the land cannot be productive as history has experienced and has recorded. This was God's prophetic and ordained appointment. You'll note in your study that there are no more references of the two Kingdoms from then on in the Bible as they were made one Kingdom, once again, at the well. Jesus earthly ministry was to fulfill, singularly, the covenants made to Israel. Romans 15:8. What was actually accomplished at the Cross, i.e. Salvation without Mosaic Law plus so much more, was revealed to the Apostle to the Gentiles: Eph 3:2-3 after the stoning of Stephen (Potentially, the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit Mark 3:29 )
Don't be left behind...Believe these Scriptures; (Romans Chapter 5, 1Cor 15:1-4 and II Cor 5 and Eph 1,2&3 and Col 1&2) These are the Truths of God that you have been praying for to be revealed to you!!! You didn't want to hear it from a priest or a pastor or a holy man. Here it is directly from the Holy Spirit. This is the Truth of God! Your Faith in that the Lord finished your salvation completely with no effort on your part is THE SECRET Paul declares (Rom 2:16) that is essential for you and is this Gospel that determines your Baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ (1Cor 12:12) and your foundation to escape the wrath of God, the Day of the Lord; the Tribulation Period that is triggered when the Lord takes the Body of Christ out of the way along with the Holy Spirit that resides in His Body which, has been holding the Tribulation period back. And now with the Holy Spirit out of the way allows the Tribulation period to start. (1Thess 4:13...1:10, 2Thess 2:1...) Note your condition in Christ in 1Thessalonians 4. Note 'Their' condition without Christ in 1 Thessalonians 5)
and moving on...
A good way to see the difference of the salvation through the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of the Grace of God is to see how a Jew was to be saved before the stoning of Stephen (Acts 2:38) and how a Gentile was saved afterwards (Acts 10:44 - 10:48)
The Jew being saved at Pentecost (Acts 2:38): 1 - Believe that Jesus was the Christ. 2 - Repent. 3 - Water baptism in the name of Jesus. 4 - Receive the Holy Spirit. Again (Acts 8:37-38, The Eunuch believed that Jesus was the Son of God. Not what Jesus accomplished on the cross; died for the forgiveness of sins of the world and rose again for our justification.)
The Gentile being saved (Acts 10:44-45): 1 - Believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose from the dead. 2 - Receive the Holy Spirit. (Faith plus Nothing = Salvation) 1Tim 1:16.
Note that God was now going to save people no longer by Jewish Law or Tradition or that simply believing that Jesus was Israel's Messiah. God saves people today by believing He accomplished our salvation already for them at the cross (2Cor 5:21-Rom 8:1-4- 1Cor 15:1-4) through His death for the forgiveness of sins and the crucifixion of your Old Adam Nature, burial (Old Adam, the sin nature you had inherited is reckoned dead by God forever Rom 8) and resurrection as we were raised with Christ as a new creature (Rom Chapter 3 and 8). I agree that repentance is important, but repentance only comes after your salvation experience. It cannot be a declaration required for Salvation. Believing the Gospel that Christ already accomplished your salvation without any action or work is what saves (Eph Chapter 2) and is the cornerstone of all the Pauline letters and Paul's Gospel.
Please understand that the Great White Throne Judgement in Revelations 20:11 is for those that do not believe what God has accomplished for them. These include those that have done something else to secure their salvation in their own mind i.e. circumcision, tithing, church membership, baptism, or anything else. Know that Jesus will say, "I never knew you" when you explain that you have been going to church all your life or that you were baptized even at birth. Please see Galatians 5:2.
Repentance comes later after salvation when God reveals your own heart to you little by little. Baptism clearly isn't necessary for salvation as it was for the Nation of Israel nor are the other rudiments of the early church such as the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit. Please see Heb 6. For it was the holding on to these early basic Jewish rituals of the early Church that disqualified them from the prize and the Blessed Hope of being saved (Heb 6:6 and Gal 5:2-4...) now in the dispensation of the Grace of God Eph 3:1... Don't be left behind because you think you are saved because of your baptism or faithful church membership! You are saved because you believe the Gospel of the Grace of God (1Cor 15:1-4). For God has already accomplished your salvation for you.
Eph 1 We were chosen by God to be alive during this age of His Grace and He made our salvation possible through no human effort whatsoever except to believe what He did for us on the cross; Romans 1:16. How utterly Blessed are we who are alive during this time!?!
1 Corinthians 2:7
Paul explains that Israel and Rome did not understand who Jesus was because it had not been revealed to them. He says if they had they never would have crucified Him. This is Paul's proof that the revelations of the mysteries could not have been known before his time.
1 Corinthians 13:2
Paul says that even knowing the mysteries and the full knowledge of the world if they are not applied with love is useless and is of no value.
1 Corinthians 15:51
Paul explains the mystery of our resurrection and the Rapture while even believers are alive on the earth. Also see 1Thessalonians 4:13-18. Paul's letters are clear that the Body of Christ will escape the Tribulation or the Day of the Lord. Do a Bible search on wrath. You will see that the OT describes it and Paul tells us how we escape it!! This is the Blessed hope (another good search!)
Colossians 1:26-27
Paul explains the Mystery of the indwelling of Christ in every believer. (How foreign and disturbing this must have been for Jews of that time to hear that God was saving Gentiles especially without the Mosaic Law. See Acts 21:20-23. 22:21-22. The Jews, it seemed, were eager to hear Paul preach until he mentioned the 'G' word." GENTILE
Colossians 2:2-3
Paul explains that the mystery of God is indeed Christ. That in Christ is found all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (This is truly a great mystery revealed. Especially when you read John 1:1-4, then Colossians 1:15-20, then Genesis 1:1. Then the first hint in the Old Testament that it is truly Jesus in the Garden in Genesis 2:4 'Lord God'...Jehovah Elohim...'J(Y)ehu Hava...The Son God to be revealed ...more and more. The best way to put it is that the Son is the communicator of the Trinity...The Word! He spoke to Noah. He walked with Enoch. He was the Burning Bush. He spoke with Abraham and Moses face to face. It was Jesus all the time!!..."before Abraham was born, I am." John 8:58.
Colossians 4:3
Paul explains that the mystery of Christ is difficult to preach as the powers of this world tried to hinder him at every corner. But, in chapter three of this letter Paul explains another revelation: 3:4. When Christ appears in His 2nd coming, we will be with Him in Glory. This takes place when Jesus comes to the Mt of Olives after the Tribulation Period. Having been raptured, "the Body of Christ" taken out of the way prior to the Tribulation, Christ returns to earth with His Raptured Body of Christ.
Ephesians 1:9
This mystery, although was kept hidden in God since the beginning of time, is that Jesus Christ will have all things in heaven and on earth under one head: Christ.
Ephesians 3:3-6
This mystery is that believers in Christ through Paul's Gospel that the Gentiles are heirs together with Christ (Rom 8:17) and are members in one Body; the Body of Christ. That the path to God, now, was through believing what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross for all mankind.
Ephesians 3:9
This mystery is that God would go directly to the Gentiles without Israel which He accomplished in Christ Jesus and through Paul the first to be saved by Grace (1Tim 1:16). That the manifold wisdom regarding God’s plan for redeeming; what was lost in the Garden through Adam; was now totally revealed. The plan for redemption of the human race through their free will would ultimately only have to make a simple choice. Through one man the human race lost communion with God, he became spiritually dead, and his body would have to die. We only have to choose to believe the fact that God purchased us back with His own Blood and has cleared the way for us to regain everything lost in that Garden including eternal life with God.
Ephesians 6:19
Paul requests for prayer so he can speak accurately of the mystery of the Gospel; 1Cor 15:1-4
1Timothy 3:9 and 3:16
When choosing leadership in the church be sure that the individual understands the mysteries as the mystery of godliness is great;
This mystery proclaims without question that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh!!!
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
A review of Who Jesus Christ is: John 1:1-4, Col 1:15-20, Philippians 2:5-11, Gen 1:1, Gen 2:4 (Lord God) Colossians 1:22-23
"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."