Why Was “The Mystery” Kept Secret?
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The Why of the Cross

The core or heart of the Pauline “Mystery [Gk. musterion, secret]” is more far reaching than we might have first thought. While “the Mystery” of Christ’s Cross made possible ‘the forgiveness of sins’ and ‘the indwelling of Christ’ in the believer’s spirit, the “Mystery” ultimately concerns God’s recovery of the government of both “the heaven and the earth” from the hand of the Devil who is the present “god of this world.”

Thus, the Devil’s forces are currently still at work in the lower (2nd) heaven and on earth as Satan is “the god of this world [Gk. aion, this age, of the current arrangement of the heaven and the earth under Satan]” (2 Cor. 4:4).

“For by him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him [Jesus], and for him:” (Colossians 1:16 (KJV)

The underlined words in the verses above and below are actually titles for the ‘seats of rank and authority’ as created by God “in the heavenly places” of the government of the heavens. These seats of the government became occupied by Lucifer and his fallen angelic cohorts when he was cast to the lower heaven (cf. Isa. 14:12-14). (For more detail see the15-part study at; http://www.artlicursi.com/series/dynaspheres )

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [the heavenly] places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

The Mystery (secret) of God’s plan was first made known to Paul. Jesus clearly knew the Plan and meaning of the Cross that God “kept secret from ages and generations,” but He did not say a word concerning God’s Eternal Plan and Purpose in the Cross. This is the critical information being referred to here below.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery [Gk. secret], even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which NONE OF THE [SATAN Inspired] PRINCES OF THIS WORLD [Princes of Israel and Rome] KNEW: For Had They Known It, They Would NOT Have Crucified The Lord Of Glory.” (1Cor. 2:7-8)

Note how that Paul writes that GOD’S SECRET Plan for liberating the life-giving power of the Cross was NOT KNOWN to Satan and his cohorts knew nothing of it. I now summarize 1Corinthians 2:8 as follows;

‘Had the Devil Known God’s SECRET Plan and Purpose of the Cross he would NOT have cooperated with God’s plan for Christ’s Redemptive Cross-work, which works to recover God’s Rule over BOTH “the heavens and the earth” … with man included as the expression of Christ’s resurrected life and authority.

Thus, I would expect that IN RETROSPECT… Satan Likely Would Rather Have One Jesus Still Alive On Planet Earth than have … The Crucified and Resurrected Christ Living IN and Through Every Believer now and forever by “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” as they will co-rule with Christ in heaven and on earth.

Christ’s Cross is the key to the salvation and Ultimate Reign; the Gentile church, “the body of Christ,” who will take up the Seats Ranks of Authority in Christ’s Government of Heaven, and of Israel Upon the Earth.

  1. We of “the body of Christ” will be Raptured to heaven (1Thes 4:15-18) at the end of today’s age “of the grace of God.” We who are of faith are to then co-reign over the universe with Christ in “the heavenly places” forever (cf. 2Corinthians 4:4).
  2. The Rapture of “His body” will precede the 7-yr. Tribulation and Christ’s return to earth in “wrath” to destroy His unbelieving enemies and… to Save Israel who will reign with Christ on earth. With Christ’s appearing in His 2nd coming to earth Israel will assume its prophetic calling to co-reign with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom on the New Earth and forever (Rev. 5:10, 20:6, Matt. 19:28, Luk 19:17-19).

Having seen the foregoing “wisdom of God” in His Plan and accomplishing of the Cross-Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ through the cooperation of the evil one, Satan, and his cohorts, we now can see how it is that God uses absolutely “All Things… for the Good,” including the seeming negative of the Cross.

The troubled history of man on earth may seem to have been out of control, but all these things were allowed in accord with the Lord’s eternal Plan and Purpose for the Redemption of His creation “in heaven and on earth.”

Of course, we know from the written “word of truth” that there is no redemption for the Evil One, Lucifer, “that old Serpent, that great dragon, called the Devil, and Satan.” The Devil’s departure to eternal punishment in “the Lake of Fire” is soon to occur!