24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
Wow! It’s clear to me that in verse 26 Paul writes that the Word of God (v25) has been kept hidden but is now revealed to the saints. Well, who are the saints? We Are! Christians! God’s Elect! Those He chose in Christ before the beginning of the world (Ephesians 1:4). God revealed His Word to us. God did NOT reveal His Word to the world, nor did He reveal His Word to the lost. It is HIDDEN from them.
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
So if that’s True, and it clearly is, how can a lost man, a man who is NOT A SAINT, how can a lost man “decide” to believe in something that hasn’t been disclosed to him? Answer - HE CAN’T!
There IS another Truth to consider. The Word of God is not only the Gospel, the Word of God is Jesus (John 1:1). The Word of God is a mystery that, by God’s choice, has been kept hidden for ages and generations. Those not chose will never understand who Jesus is or why He came (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Finally, some will say that verse 28 shows the Gospel is inclusive of everyone and that Christ died for everyone. Sorry, Christ loved and gave Himself up for the church (Ephesians 5:25). Please read v28 again. Speaking for all the apostles, Paul writes, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Did Paul admonish or teach the lost? NO! He proclaimed the Gospel to the lost as the Lord commanded (Mark 16:15) but he didn’t admonish or teach them.
It is no different today - we proclaim the Gospel to the lost but we don’t teach them, we don’t admonish them, and we don’t baptize them. It is futile to teach or admonish the lost because they will never understand as long as they’re dead in their sins and do not have the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14). God must first do a work in them and make them a believer (John 6:29). Only then will they understand and have the ability to learn spiritual truths because they are now alive, they have been quickened (Ephesians 2:1, 2:5; Colossians 2:13). They NOW have the Holy Spirit Who will guide them to all Truth (John 16:13-15).
So who is presented perfect in Christ? The answer - Christians and only Christians. Just as the Great Commission states, we are to go to all the world and teach and baptize CHRISTIANS, NOT the lost (Matthew 28:18-20). Christ tells us to go and proclaim the Gospel, and only the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).
Jesus raises up EVERY man God draws (John 6:44), NOT every man who accepts the drawing.
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