The revelation of the mystery of Christ, the church, was given to the apostles and prophets. In Ephesians 3:3a Paul says, “By revelation the mystery was made known to me,” and in verse 5 he says that this mystery “in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets.” Among the apostles who received the revelation of the deeper aspect of the church as the mystery of Christ, Paul was the leading one. The deeper and more profound aspect of the church, the church as the mystery of Christ, was fully revealed to Paul. To carry out this revelation was Paul’s ministry for the producing of the church.
In Ephesians 3:5b Paul says that this mystery has been revealed to the apostles and prophets “in spirit.” We would emphasize the fact once again that the spirit here refers to the mingled spirit, to the regenerated human spirit of the apostles and prophets indwelt by and mingled with the Holy Spirit of God. Such a mingled spirit is the means by which the Holy Spirit revealed the church as the mystery of Christ to the apostles and prophets. In order to receive this revelation today, we also need such a spirit. The mingled spirit is the organ in which the deep and profound matter of the church as the mystery of Christ is revealed.
In order to see the church as the hidden mystery in God’s eternal economy, we should not only exercise our eyes to read the Word and our mind to understand but also our spirit to apprehend. We need to open our being, be poor in spirit, and pray that the Lord would reveal to our spirit what is on His heart concerning the church. Then we shall be enlightened, and we shall see the church as the mystery of Christ.
The revelation of the mystery of Christ, the church, by the Holy Spirit concerns God’s wisdom in mystery. In 1 Corinthians 2:6 and 7 Paul says, “We speak wisdom among those who are full-grown, yet a wisdom not of this age, neither of the rulers of this age, who are being brought to naught; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages for our glory.” God’s wisdom is Christ (1 Cor. 1:24), who is the hidden mystery predestined, pre-designated, and foreordained before the ages, in eternity, for our glory. According to verse 7, God’s wisdom is in a mystery; it is a mysterious wisdom. God’s wisdom is the wisdom which has been hidden and which God predestinated before the ages for our glory. God’s wisdom is our destiny, and this destiny was determined by God, decided by Him, beforehand. In eternity God determined our destiny. He predestined His wisdom to be for our glory. This means that in eternity He decided that His wisdom would be our destiny and glory.
As God’s center and as our portion for our enjoyment, Christ is God’s wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom that is deep and profound, beyond human understanding. Within God there is something which Paul describes as wisdom in a mystery. This wisdom has been hidden and predestined before the ages for our glory. As believers we have a destiny, and this destiny is the ultimate and consummate portion of our enjoyment. God’s wisdom in a mystery has not only been hidden but also predestined by God to become our destiny for our glory.
The revelation of the church as the mystery of Christ by the Holy Spirit is the foundation upon which the church is built. Paul refers to this in Ephesians 2:20, where he says that the church is “being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” We may have difficulty understanding what the foundation is in this verse. First Corinthians 3:11 says, “Other foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is being laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Christ is the only foundation. Nevertheless, Ephesians 2:20 speaks of the foundation of the apostles and prophets. This does not mean, however, that the apostles and prophets themselves are the foundation. Since the mystery of Christ has been revealed to the apostles, the revelation they received is considered the foundation upon which the church is built. This corresponds to the rock in Matthew 16:18, which is not only Christ Himself but also the revelation concerning Christ upon which Christ will build His church. Therefore, the foundation of the apostles and prophets is the revelation they received regarding Christ and the church for the building of the church. The church is built upon this revelation. This is the meaning of the foundation in Ephesians 2:20.
Upon what are we in the Lord’s recovery building the church? To say that we are building upon Christ is too vague and indefinite. We need to build the church upon the revelation received by the apostles and prophets. The so-called churches established according to nationalities, doctrines, and practices are not built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. In contrast to all these so-called churches, we in the Lord’s recovery must be able to affirm strongly that the churches in the recovery are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. This means that the churches in the Lord’s recovery are built according to the revelation received by the apostles and prophets.
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