“Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.” (Eph 3:2-3 NIV)
There are two Greek words used in Scripture for the word “secret”. They are “kruptos” and “musterion.” The Greek word “kruptos” is where the word “crypt” comes from. It was used when something was secret or hidden away (Matthew 3-4, Luke 8:17, Romans 2:16, 1 Corinthians 14:25). The English word “mystery” means something that is incomprehensible; unknowable and beyond understanding.
The Greek word “musterion” was only used of secrets in the religious realm including mystery religions. In the Bible, they are sacred secrets. A secret is something that can be known, but it is not known by every person. The things of God are not mysterious or impossible to understand. They are secret only to those who don’t take the time to study God’s Word. When Jesus taught a Parable He was speaking a facet, or portion, of the sacred secret of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:10-11).
On the day of Pentecost something incredible happened that had never happened before - the Holy Spirit came as a love gift sent from the Father to dwell within those who would receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and to reveal the sacred secret of God held hidden for all of eternity past. It is now no longer a mystery (Romans 16:25,26, Colossians 1:26, also Ephesians 1:9).
The enemy and the hordes of hell didn’t know this secret. If they had they would have never allowed Jesus to be crucified. No human eye had ever seen, no ear had ever heard - no mind had conceived what God had prepared for those who love Him because they were hidden until the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:6-10).
In the Old Testament when the Holy Spirit came upon a person they often gave a word of prophecy. In the New Testament - the Church Age of the sacred secret - when a person gives their life to Jesus Christ they receive the Holy Spirit and they also receive the right and privilege to receive the manifold sacred secret of Heaven.
It was God’s intent that through the church:
“the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10-12 NIV)
The word “manifold” means “many faceted” and the wisdom of God’s sacred secret was revealed after the Cross.
Listed below are just some of those facets of blessings.
Starting from the creation of Adam and Eve until the Day of Pentecost that was spoken of in the book of Acts, God dealt with mankind as a master would to an indentured servant. God changed the way that He dealt with mankind because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.
The Church is one Body with Jesus as the Head because of the Cross. The Father chose to lavish His great love on those who would receive Jesus and willfully choose to become a Christian (1 John 3:1; 1 Peter 1:23). Every Christian is a child of God and a member of His body. They are spiritually identified with Jesus.
Christians are partakers of the divine nature and are now a new creation (2 Peter 4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus has anointed every Christian and set His seal of ownership on them, and placed the Holy Spirit in their hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Nothing can separate them from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39, 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:12-27, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22,5:22, Ephesians 1:13, 2:16, 4:4; Colossians 3:15).
When Jesus was crucified, the Christian was crucified. When He died, they died. When He was buried, they were buried. When He was raised, they were raised. When He ascended, they ascended. When Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father, they sat down as well! (Romans 6:4-8; Ephesians 2:6)
The sacred secret revealed that God is now working through His Church - each individual member of His Body - to do those things that He did directly prior to the Cross. Every Christian has been given power and glory, unlike anything that has existed on the face of the Earth before.
It is the responsibility of every Christian to make His wisdom known by living naturally in that glory and power by operating in the miraculous manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit and actively healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, setting the captives free, casting out demons, teaching the truth, and turning people from darkness to light through the love and goodness of God because, as a result of the death of Jesus, the world has entered the Age of Grace (Luke 4:18).
“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you.” (Ephesians 3:1, 2 NIV)
The Law that dominated the Old Testament was a “ministry that brought death” (2 Corinthians 3:7). The all-encompassing sacred secret is that the Church has now entered into a new age that is more glorious than the Law because it brings righteousness (2 Corinthians 3:3-10). This truth was once hidden but now has been made known.
The administration of the grace of God is the administration of the multi-faceted sacred secret. It is now the responsibility of every Christian to live in the power and glory of what God’s wisdom has revealed.
There are multiple books written about the subject of grace because it so truly amazing. The intent here is to focus primarily on administering the sacred secret of grace includes.
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)
Christians are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is not a work. It is a gift from God (Romans 3:27). It is NOT something that can be earned because God’s love comes free of charge. It is absolutely unconditional with no strings attached. Grace is not based on what someone does or how they respond back to Jesus. He loves every human being as much as an infinite God can possibly love. There is nothing a person can do to make God love them more - and there is nothing they can do to make God love them less. It is grace that allows frail and failing humanity to encounter a supernatural infinite God.
Grace is far more than just changing a person’s eternal destiny and giving them unhindered access into the throne room of God without having to work their way there. The salvation that grace affords through faith to those who receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior also brings about wholeness and fullness into a person’s life. They don’t have to wait until they die to receive it.
With the freedom of salvation that grace has given every Christian comes the responsibility to respond to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit - who dwells in them - and to express the will of God for their lives as they "Work out” their “own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12 NIV). Christians are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!” (2 Peter 3:18 NIV)
The new life given to every Christian through grace needs to be developed and nurtured. Jesus commanded His followers to be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48 NIV). The word “perfect” comes from the Greek word 'teleios' which means to be complete, mature, or functional. It does not mean to be without a spot or wrinkle. As shown in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), God is always there to welcome those who have struggled, stumbled, or fallen into disobedience and unfaithfulness, because He is the God of second chances.
Grace is what empowers the Christian to stand before a holy infinite God without shame or fear of punishment. It is grace that is constantly at work to heal the pains and scars of the past.
Christians are to yield to the wooing of the Holy Spirit and be ready at a moment’s notice to share the GREAT news of the Gospel to those they come in contact with, whether it is by words spoken or actions taken. Christians have been freely given the gift of grace so that they can show His grace freely to others.
If a person needs a touch, or guidance from God, the Christian should pray that the person receives whatever spiritual gift is needed at the time because they are gifts of grace! Christians should treat everyone as if they were a fellow Christian.
