…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Isa 6:1 NKJV

We are on a journey in the renewing of the mind from the Cross to the Throne. It is at the Throne of God that we find the true fulfillment of who we are and what we are called to do. This is a true journey because there must be a change of the paradigms of our minds from a ‘defendant in the court of God’ mindset in Romans Three to a ‘judge in the court of God’ paradigm in Ephesians Two and Three. This in no way elevates us or makes us equal with God, but it empowers us as His true representatives to carry His authority into the world and adjudicate the affairs of the world in a Kingdom manner. Please bear with me as I summarize in the next paragraphs what we have covered already for our first-time readers:

“We began this study asking the question, “Is this all there is?” I’m a blood bought child of God, forgiven of my sins, seeking to be a good person and waiting for heaven. Is that all there is? We started our study in Romans Three, where we were found guilty of our sins, indeed, we were born that way, fell on the mercy of the court, and were acquitted of our crimes by the substitutionary act of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – the Cross. Romans Three was where we began a journey in our renewed minds from the Cross to the Throne of God.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… Rom 5:1 NKJV

The next stop on our journey was Romans Five, where we found we had peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; that one man’s catastrophic sin had condemned the world but one Man’s redemptive sacrifice, the second Adam, had undone the work of the first for all men, giving us a peace treaty with ABBA.  Then in Romans Eight we found out that there was no condemnation – no reversal of the Court’s verdict that we were made the righteousness of God through Christ – and that NOTHING could separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord. Pretty good, huh? But that was only the beginning, the necessary foundation of what was to come.

…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, Eph 1:4 NKJV

In Ephesians One we discovered that we were members of His body with Him as the head, and that all the authority Adam had lost was restored to us as His EKKLESIA. What we have been given is greater than Adam’s authority, because his was conditioned on whether he walked righteously, while ours is unconditioned because it’s built on the finished work of Christ. You can’t lose it or sin it away because you can’t change what He accomplished, but you can lose its effectiveness if you don’t walk in faith.

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 1 Cor 6:1-4 NKJV

Finally, in Ephesians 2:1-10, we saw that we were raised and seated together with Christ at the right hand of ABBA our Father, seated on thrones of judgment in the court of God, presiding over affairs on the earth. We are no longer defendants in God’s court, as in Romans Three, but judges in trial courts under the Supreme Court of the Godhead. I recently got to sit in a municipal court and watch a judge adjudicate matters with defendants, public defenders, defense lawyers and prosecutors. As I watched her, I said, “That’s us!”  Our thrones, while seated at His right hand, are subservient to His throne, just as trial courts are under appellate courts and a supreme court. Subservient – our verdicts are reviewable by the Supreme Court – but are nonetheless, very powerful!”

Now the Church in the Throne Room of God is what we find in Ephesians 2:10 – 3:21. In there we find five great subjects: the Church as the masterpiece of God – the POIEMA, our access to ABBA our Father, the Church as the NAOS – the Temple of God, the Church as the great mystery – the MUSTERION, and finally the fullness of God – the PLEROMA.

THE CHURCH AS THE MUSTERION – THE MYSTERY OF GOD

The first two usages of the word MUSTERION in the Greek NT are critical to our understanding of the Church as the mystery of God in His throne room. The first two usages are almost the same, making the statement emphatic. Here’s the first usage…

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries (Grk. MUSTERION) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  12 For whoever has (the wisdom to use that which is given him), to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have (the wisdom to use that which is given him), even what he has will be taken away from him. Matt 13:11-12 NKJV

In verse twelve there is an ellipsis, a figure of speech, used twice – a statement clearly implied but omitted in the text – that makes the whole statement understandable. The disciples had asked regarding why Jesus spoke in parables to others, especially to the religious leaders, but plainly to them. The answer was stunning, and important to our understanding of Ephesians Three. The disciples had the wisdom to use that which was given them, but the religious leaders did not. Thus, the disciples were given more, including the advancement of the gospel to the ends of the earth; but the religious leaders suffered the loss of all, including their temple in 70 AD. Wow…

How profound is this? If we in our generation do not have the wisdom to use the great mystery of God as He reveals it in Ephesians Three, then we will lose it, have it taken away from us, and the Lord will wait to see what the next generation does with it when He gives it to them. My friend Henry Hon has some great light on the unity of the One Body. He says that unity in practical application in the One Body is based on love, respect and listening to one another even in our differences, our different factions, and then voting together, to become as one voice; that unity is not based on conformity of doctrine, which is absurd if you think about it, as I was taught. If we don’t walk out the revelation of the great mystery of the One Body in great wisdom and love, then we will have it taken from us, and we will be at a loss. With that warning, and the encouragement that if we do it right, we will receive more, let’s investigate the mystery of God in Ephesians Three!

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles —  2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – What reason? The Church as the Temple – NAOS – of God, and the Masterpiece – POIEMA – of God. The mystery of God is going to explain how we as the Body are the masterpiece and the temple of God, with Christ in us, the Godhead in us, and the supernatural, spiritual worship of God being in the great reality of speaking in tongues in love, in praise, in thanks and worship. Right now in your physical body the Godhead dwells in your spirit and the Holy Spirit leads your temple in worship as you pray in tongues in love. Do you see how big that is? Let’s keep reading!

… by which, when you read, you may understand (Grk NOEO) my knowledge (Grk. SUNESIS) in the mystery (Grk. MUSTERION) of Christ)…

There is a supernatural impartation of understanding when you read the Word. In our Holy Spirit Encounters, we train God’s people to read the Word and pray in tongues at the same time, which is incredibly powerful and efficient. If you ever read a chapter in the Word and not get anything out of it, say, “ABBA, I missed my supernatural impartation! Can we read that again, and You teach it to me? Thank You!” and read it again.

NOEO comes from the word NOUS, meaning the whole mind, spirit, soul and body. There are things that you know in your spirit that you don’t comprehend or know in your soul. This understanding of the throne room of God will start out in your spirit and grow up in your soul as you meditate on it, apply it and walk it out. It’s a journey!

SUNESIS is the coming together of disparate thoughts like small rivers or streams flowing into a great river, becoming one. SUNESIS is a work of the Spirit in you. It’s that ‘Ah-ha’ moment when the light comes on, when you KNOW what you previously only surmised, when everything comes together like the ten fingers of your two hands folding together as one. SUNESIS is a wonderful experience!

MUSTERION is the mystery of Christ.

6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

The Gentiles were truly wicked people. One example – homosexuality and pederasty (google it – and be ready to be disgusted) were fully accepted and normalized in almost all Gentile cultures. The Jews under the Torah made huge cultural changes when they said that man was for woman, and woman for man in a monogamous relationship, and that the foundation of culture was the family. The Jewish and Christian understanding from the Bible civilized the world, freed women and young boys from their cultural shackles, and brought happiness, hope and joy into the world.

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Gen 12:3 NKJV

It was known throughout the OT that the Gentiles would be blessed, but it was not known that they could become joint heirs with the Jewish people in Christ, joint partakers of the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that what God was doing for one nation, Israel, He would now do for the whole world. This was a mystery, kept secret because had Satan known it, he never would have crucified the Lord of glory.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Cor 2:7-8 NKJV

Satan truly screwed up. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, what the Lord had done for Israel for over a thousand years He would now do for the whole world. With this understanding, and the understanding that each of us in the Temple – the NAOS of God – would be individual ark of the covenant bearers, carrying the presence of God in our spirits, Christ in us, ABBA and YESHUA through the RUACH KODESH in our spirits, that we would be unstoppable, the Church would bring the Kingdom of God wherever we went. And, we do!

THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;  10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,  11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Eph 3:1-13 NKJV

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given – This principle never changes, whether its Moses as the meekest man on earth, or Paul as the least of all the saints. The meek ones, filled with strength, receive the blessings. Those blessings become a test in themselves to remain meek. Paul was not the titular leader of the first century church; perhaps James was. He never got the recognition in his lifetime – in fact whole churches that he planted rejected him, 2 Tim.1:15 – that he enjoys now. But Paul in his humility got to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and make all see what the fellowship of the mystery is. What an honor! So, I say to all my ambitious young ministers, embrace the journey to meekness. The fruit that will come of it may just make your life legendary, like Moses and Paul.

to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord – This is one of those statements that is so humbling that we can hardly speak about it. To think that ABBA was using us, the Church, as an object lesson to teach all the angels and demons and satan himself under His creation that He is sovereign God, and that His will will be done regardless of the resistance of all; that ABBA would accomplish His eternal purpose in us through Christ Jesus our Lord. Dear one, let your heart be broken with the grace of God that He would so love you that He would draw you into His family, and make you His prince or princess, His judge on a throne over the affairs of men!

…to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness (Grk. PLEROMA) of God. Eph 3:19 NKJV

Next week we will finish this journey and deal with the PLEROMA of God.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom 12:2 NKJV

I know the doubts you may feel, but that is simply a Romans Three mindset. You are what God says you are. You have what He says you have. Don’t accept less than God’s best for your life. Your strength becomes strength to those around you which is the essence of leadership. We need the Church to lead the world like never before in this day and time. We need Ephesians Two and Three businessmen, family heads, teachers, entertainers, social media influencers, and politicians; we need Ephesians Two and Three young, old and middle-aged believers in every category of life to bring Kingdom decisions and blessings into the world, and to the billions who have no clue but depend on us regardless of what they think. And we depend on Him, and that is a good place to be! Amen? Love you!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…