What we should know about our salvation is found in every Bible. Yet many Christians are unaware of the simplest truths concerning it. Every church ministry feels he is adequately prepared to minister salvation. Yet many ministers are ignorant of the basics of salvation. Why is that true? It is true because it is a mystery! Webster’s Dictionary gives the definition for the word “mystery” as simply “a hidden secret.” The truths of our salvation are hidden in plain sight in every Bible, but only those who have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit are able to see them with understanding.
The Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament Epistles, spoke frequently concerning the mysteries of our salvation. He spoke of the mystery of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:19), of the wisdom of God (I Corinthians 2:7), of God’s will (Ephesians 1:9), of Christ (Ephesians 3:4; Colossians 4:3), of God (Colossians 2:2), of faith (I Timothy 3:9), to name a few. Jesus Himself spoke of the mystery of the Kingdom (Mark 4:11), and oftentimes after a teaching He would say, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9). The Apostle John also had his say in the Book of Revelation. Seven times in chapters two and three he said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” After all of that Christians will still take it for granted that they know and walk on in their ignorance.
Now, since the truths of our salvation are a mystery, why are we held responsible to know them? It is because the day of their revealing has come. Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Romans 16:25-26.
If the mystery, once made secret, is now made manifest, why are so many Christians still in the dark? It is because spiritual truths are only revealed to the hungry heart seeking after God. Theologians, professors in seminaries and Bible colleges, and pastors that have been trained by them teach the letter of the Word; i.e. their teaching is according to the intellect of man, which ministers death and not life. Paul said, “God hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (II Corinthians 3:6). In grade school and college you learned from your textbook by the letter. You used your intellect and brain power and made good grades, but that doesn’t work when it comes to understanding spiritual truths in the Scriptures. The mysteries of our salvation are made manifest not to the intellect but to the heart of the seeker after God. You cannot learn God with your mind; He is revealed to the eyes of the heart. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8. Do you understand? Let me say it another way: when you learn something in the realm of the natural, you use your natural human capacities of understanding. The same processes will not work in understanding spiritual truths. Your heart must be prepared to receive them. Do you know what I mean by your heart? I’m not talking about the organ that pumps the blood in your body. Your heart is your spirit. Listen to what Paul said: God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His son (Romans 1:9). Every Christian must learn to serve God with his spirit.
Romans 5:8-10 But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath
through Him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His
Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Notice what Paul is saying here. Christ died for us while we sinners. When we accept that, then we are justified by His blood. And, being justified, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Paul explains that more fully in verse 10. We are reconciled to God by the death of His Son, but there is much more. Being reconciled we shall be saved by His life. The implication is that our salvation is completed or fully realized by His life coming forth within us. Being reconciled to God and justified gives us the right to become as He is, but it doesn’t just happen. The Apostle John said the same thing. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power (the right) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. John 1:12. Having received Christ as our Savior, we have the right to become sons of God, but many Christians are not exercising their right. Many of them never exercise their right because they have been taught that their salvation was completed when they were justified and reconciled to God. We are reconciled to God by His death and saved by His life coming forth in us!
II Corinthians 1:10 (God) who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.
Being born of God doesn’t start and end at the time you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. It is a process that continues until it is completed. That is, if you allow it to continue. If you take the attitude that it was all done and completed when you first became a Christian, then you are closing the door to further change. Realize that your salvation is expandable; realize there is an uttermost salvation that He wants for you. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25.
Colossians 1:25-27 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation
of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now
is made manifest to His saints;
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
This is not talking about “I’ve got Jesus in my heart by faith.” This is talking about Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is a mystery, a hidden secret, but if you can accept it and believe it the door is open for you to experience it. Listen, you can experience the elimination of the works of your flesh nature and the in-coming of His divine nature in you, but it won’t happen unless you believe it. Say it with me. “Lord, I believe that I can experience the elimination of the works of my flesh nature. I believe that I can experience the coming forth of your divine nature in me.”
II Thessalonians 1:10 When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all of them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
This is speaking about the spiritual coming of the Lord in us. It is not talking about the popular “second coming” doctrine. However you feel about a literal bodily return of Jesus Christ, this spiritual coming of His life and presence in His saints is far more important and many Christians do not know about it. Many churches do not teach it. It is still a secret to many. Nevertheless, it is a basic truth of our salvation!
This truth is basic in the whole Bible, from the very first chapter of Genesis to the end of Revelation, and once your eyes have been enlightened you will see it everywhere. Let me give you an example. Look at Psalm 9:19. Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. How should we look at this verse? What does the Holy Spirit reveal in it? Arise, O Lord! Arise within us, O Lord! Come forth in us to be glorified and admired! Let not man prevail! Do not let our man-nature prevail. Come forth within us and conquer our flesh nature that we might experience your life in us. Let the heathen be judged in Thy sight! The heathen are the works of the flesh and the various aspects of our nature that are in opposition to His Lordship.
Now let’s get back to our verse in II Thessalonians 1. Paul said, “When He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believed.” The word “when” means there are some things that will take place when He comes forth in us. Verses 5-9 tell us what these things are.
Verse 5 …that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.
The coming forth of the life and presence of the Lord in us will make us worthy of the Kingdom of God. It is not what we do that makes us worthy; it is what the Lord does when He comes forth within us.
Verse 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.
The Lord will repay them that have troubled you when He comes forth in you. Who is “them”? Have there been people troubling you? The greatest trouble I’ve had has not been with other people but with the actions of my fallen nature.
Verse 7 And to you are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels.
The Lord Jesus and His mighty angels will be revealed from heaven when He shall come to be glorified in His saints.
Verse 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus and His mighty angels are revealed in flaming fire when He comes to be glorified in His saints. At that time He takes vengeance on them that do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, unless you have come into perfection and have already experienced this glorious appearing of Christ in you, there is much of you that do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord.
Verse 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
Everything in us that is opposed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will be destroyed. This is what Paul meant when He said, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption” (I Corinthians 15:50). The corruption of our flesh nature cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the presence of the Lord comes forth in His saints to deliver them from themselves. This is a basic truth of our salvation. Forgiveness alone is not enough. We must become as He is! We must really be born of God!
Copyright © 2007 by Henry DuBose