Thus far in these messages on the conclusion of the New Testament we have covered four persons: God, Christ, the Spirit, and the believers. In the remaining messages we shall cover three corporate persons: the church, the kingdom, and the New Jerusalem. The church is a corporate person. The kingdom also is a corporate person. According to chapter two of Daniel, Christ, the heavenly stone, will eventually become a great mountain filling the entire earth. This is the kingdom as the increase of Christ. The New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth will also be a corporate person. First we shall consider the church and then the kingdom and the New Jerusalem.
The first matter we shall consider concerning the church is the hidden mystery in God’s eternal economy. In this universe there is a hidden mystery, a mystery hidden in God. This hidden mystery is in God’s eternal economy. Here we have two crucial words-mystery and economy-modified respectively by the adjectives “hidden” and “eternal.” Hence, in the New Testament we have the hidden mystery and the eternal economy.
In revealing the divine things, Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, uses the word “economy” in his writings. The English word economy is an anglicized form of the Greek word oikonomia. Some dictionaries define oikonomia as a dispensation, a special arrangement, a plan with a purpose. These definitions are correct. However, if we know only this much concerning oikonomia, we shall not know the deep and complete significance of this Greek word.
If we would understand the meaning of oikonomia, we need to realize that this Greek word is composed of two words-oikos, meaning house or household, and nomos, meaning law. Economy, therefore, is a “house law,” a household administration. God’s household is His house, His dwelling place. This means that God’s dwelling place is His family, His household. This household has an economy, a household law. Here “law” means regulations, and these regulations refer to a household administration. In order to have a household administration, an administration in your house or family, there surely is the need for a particular arrangement. Such an arrangement is a house law.
In using the word oikonomia, a word that denotes a household administration, Paul was implying that God, who made this oikonomia, has the intention to have a house, a household, a family. In eternity past God was alone. He was triune-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit-yet He, the one God, was alone. However, God’s oikonomia, His household arrangement, implies that in eternity past He intended to have a household, for without a household, He cannot have an administration. Furthermore, without a household God would not be able to carry out a plan. In order for God to carry out His plan in His household administration, He needs a household, a family. This is the reason Ephesians 1:5 reveals that, before the foundation of the world. God the Father predestinated us unto sonship. This predestination was with the intention of having sons. Therefore, God’s original intention was to have sons. The book of Romans tells us that, in Christ’s redemption, God has made many sinners into sons of God. These sons are the many brothers of Christ, God’s unique, only-begotten Son. From this we can see that God intends to have many sons to form His household through which He can carry out His eternal oikonomia.
In this oikonomia, which is eternal and of God, a mystery was hidden. What is a mystery? We may say that a mystery is a mysterious story. A mystery, a mysterious story, was hidden in the eternal God and in His eternal oikonomia. As we shall see, this mystery, this mysterious story, is the church.
Today the word “church” is very common. But when Paul comes to the revelation of the church, he uses certain mysterious expressions. He calls the church a mystery, even a hidden mystery. This mystery is hidden in God’s household arrangement. In eternity past, God the Father had a household arrangement, and in that arrangement a mystery was hidden.
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