Ephesians 3:1-21

Here in chapter 3 verse 2 Paul is pretty much asking the people at Ephesus "Hey, haven't you heard of the dispensation (freely given out) of the grace of God?" Verse 3... How that by revelation God showed me the mystery (no longer a secret) of how He had planned to make one family out of two in Christ?" Now, the writers of the King James Bible used italics in verses 3 and 4. So the continuation of the word "mystery" continues in verse 5 "Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by The Spirit."

Now, the word "holy" in verse 5 does not mean that the apostles and the prophets were without fault. We all know how every single one of the prophets and apostles often made a mess out of the things that God had instructed them to do. This verse and others like it is where religious people and organizations preach and teach how holy the 12 were. Well, we all know that they had more holes than they were holy. Now, why would God meet a murderer on the road to Damascus and give him (Paul) the revelation of the mystery of the dispensation of His grace and not give it to the "3 Amigos" or the other 9?

Well, I believe that God had already seen the mess that the "3 Amigos" had made of the Gospel of His Grace, and God did not want to take a chance in giving the revelation of the mystery of the dispensation of grace to them. God did not make it known to the sons of men back in the early ages, so why would He entrusted to a bunch of men who never really believed anything that Christ said. For if they had truly believed what Christ had said and did as far as the miracles were concerned they would not have denied Him in the end. Go figure!

Now I understand why Paul said what he said in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. Friends, aren't you glad that God chose to give Paul the revelation of the mystery of the dispensation of His grace? Had God given it to the disciples or apostles we would all be walking around with shaved heads and trying to justify ourselves through the law of Moses in relationship to God as so many evangelicals are trying to do today. We would still see the whole picture as a family of two instead of one. The good getting good and the bad getting beat. Thank God for Paul's obedience to the Gospel of Grace and Peace!

As selfish and self-centered as the "3 Amigos" were, they would have probably kept the revelation as a secret, just as they did when Moses and Elijah appeared to them and Jesus out of the clouds in the mount of transfiguration. "Hey Lord, this is a good thing." "Let us built a tabernacle for Moses, for Elijah, for you and for us" "Why share this great moment with anyone else." "Lets stay here in this mountain and keep it all to ourselves." Friends, that's exactly how I believe religion thinks today. Ask "Pat Robertson." He made a tape a long time ago about how he was going to be part of the new established cabinet of Jesus when He returned to established a new Jerusalem.

In verse 6 and 7 Paul pretty much confirms what he had been saying all along in chapter 2 of Ephesians. "That the Gentiles (not only the Jews or believing Christians) should be fellowheirs, and of the SAME body (body of Christ) and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel (not the law); wherefore I was made a minister (not made himself a minister), according to the gift (not works) of the grace of God (not of man) given (not earned) unto me by the effectual working of His power (not our power). Friends, this is the mystery of the revelation of the dispensation of God's grace that was given to Paul.

Paul wanted to share this mystery with everyone and to let the whole world know that not only was all of this an already done deal, but that there was now one family in Christ. That both Jews and Gentiles had now become partakers to the promise of God's grace. That both Jews and Gentiles were now free from the law. Made near to God by the blood of Christ. No longer strangers nor foreigners. Not afar but near to God. All sitting in heavenly place in Christ Jesus. All blessed. All predestinated. All free. All redeemed. All forgiven. All loved. "Having made known unto all the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He had purposed in Himself; That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in ONE." Eph. 1:9-10.

Friends, this is all the work and the revelation of Father, Son and The Holy Spirit. Man, religion, works and what have you had nothing to do with it. God excluded no one and included all in His redemptive plan. We weren't redeemed when we believed. We were redeemed when He accepted us into the beloved. He did it for all. These are the unsearchable riches that Paul talks about in verse 8. Riches beyond the understanding, comprehension and human reasoning of man's mind. Notice what it says in verse 9 "And to make ALL men see." How many? It says "ALL." What is it that God wanted ALL men to see? Stick around for part 13 of this study and find out what it is that God wanted ALL men to see.

Check out part 13!

Grace N Peace

Eddie Narvaez