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THE SACRED SECRET OF THE CHRIST

 (Colossians 4:3)

 [Revealed once more after two thousand years]

Once the manifestation of the anointed Messiah the Liberator had been revealed, the great mystery, so long hidden, began to be understood by the chosen ‘Little Flock’, the ‘Anointed Ones’, the special “friends” of God. The Apostle Paul declares that this mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, was now made manifest to his [Christ] chosen ones: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

This is the great mystery of God which has been hidden from all except a special class – the Anointed Ones or consecrated believers. But what is meant by “Christ in you?” We have already learnt and understand that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38), and therefore we recognize him to be the Christ – the anointed – for the word Christ signifies anointed. And the Apostle John says that the anointing which [consecrated believers] have received abideth in us. (1 John 2:27)

Therefore the ‘chosen ones’ of this Gospel age are an anointed company – anointed to be kings and priests unto God (Corinthians 1:21; 1 Peter 2:9); and together with Jesus, their chief and Lord, they constitute God’s Anointed – the Christ. In harmony with this teaching of John, that they also are anointed, Paul assures us that this mystery which has been kept secret in ages past, but which is now made known to his ‘chosen ones’, is that the Christ (the Anointed) is “not one member, but many,” just as the human body is one, and has many members; but as all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Anointed – the Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-28)

Jesus is anointed to be the Head or Lord over the ‘chosen ones’, which constitute his body (or his bride, as expressed in another figure – Ephesians 5:25-30), and unitedly they constitute the promised “Seed” - the Great Deliverer: “If ye be Christ’s, then ye are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29) Not only is the plan of God, and the Christ which is the very embodiment of that plan, a great mystery to the world, but the peculiar course in which this ‘little flock’ is called to walk marks its members as “peculiar people.”

The greatness of the mystery, so long kept secret, and hidden in promises, types and figures, and the wonderful grace bestowed on those called to fellowship in this mystery (Ephesians 3:9), suggest to us that the work to follow its completion, for which for six thousand years Almighty God has kept mankind in expectation and hope, must be an immense work, a grand work, worthy of such great preparations.

What may we not expect in blessings on the world, when the veil of mystery is withdrawn and the showers of blessings descend! It is this for which the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now, waiting for the completion of this mystery – for the manifestation of the Sons of God, the promised “Seed,” in whom they shall all be blessed. 

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