That Which is Unsearchable

Another division problem that the body of Christ has today is the teaching on that which is unsearchable. There is a very popular teaching among grace teachers that the “Mystery” is unsearchable and therefore it is not in the old testament scriptures.

This concept is taken from Ephesians 3:8 which says,

“8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

From here, the word “unsearchable” is taken and applied to the mystery and is taught that the mystery is not found in the old testament scriptures. But there is a problem with this teaching. There is a very popular verse in Romans 16, which says,

“25 Now to him that is of power to stablish 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,”

This verse is used to teach that the mystery was kept secret since the world began and then Ephesians 3:8 is applied and taught that the mystery was unsearchable in the old testament scriptures.

Sounds pretty good so far. Mystery. Secret. Unsearchable.

But here is the problem. When Romans 16:25 by itself is taught, it only covers half the sentence that Paul gave. Romans 16:25-27 is all one sentence. Now let’s read the entire sentence,

“25 Now to him that is of power to stablish 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,

26 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:

27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”

It is very typical to leave the last half of this sentence out when teaching because many grace teachers do not believe this part of the sentence, which says,

"26 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:"

The apostle Paul teaches us that the Mystery was 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:

Paul used the scriptures of the prophets to teach the Mystery. The Mystery can definitely be found in the old testament scriptures. The Mystery is not unsearchable. Paul used many, many old testament scriptures to teach the mystery which we will cover shortly.

Well, if the Mystery can be found in the old testament scriptures, then what is unsearchable?

Let’s go back to Ephesians 3 and read starting in verse 1. Starting here Paul is describing the mystery, where Jew and Gentiles are gathered together into one body. Let’s read.

“1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.”

Please notice that from verse 1 all the way to verse 7 is one sentence and he is talking about the mystery.

But starting in verse 8, he starts to talk about something else. He starts to talk about the fellowship OF the mystery:

“8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Please notice once again that from verse 8 to verse 12 is all one sentence. In this sentence Paul is now starting to talk about the FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY.

THE MYSTERY AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY ARE NOT THE SAME.

Many people teach that the fellowship of the mystery is the mystery. The fellowship of the mystery pertains to the mystery but they are not the same.

This is where the division comes in. Teaching that the mystery and the fellowship of the mystery are the same thing causes division in the body of Christ and causes confusion, because Paul says the mystery comes from the scriptures of the prophets but he says the fellowship of the mystery is unsearchable.

The Mystery, as Paul clearly stated in Romans 16, comes from the old testament scriptures.

But the fellowship of the mystery is unsearchable. Not only is it unsearchable in the old testament scriptures but it is also unsearchable in the new testament scriptures. It is unsearchable. Period.

Unlike the mystery, which can be searched out, the fellowship of the mystery cannot be searched out. The explanation will come soon but first let’s get back to the mystery and see just a few old testament scriptures Paul uses to explain the mystery, then we will come back and see what the fellowship of the mystery is.

Once again let’s cover Romans 16,

“25 Now to him that is of power to stablish 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,

26 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:

27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”

Once again Paul says it is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets. In Romans 3 Paul says,

“21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”

So Paul is describing here the time we are living in, which is the dispensation of grace, where the righteousness of God without the law is manifested and he says,

“…being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”

Did he say it was unsearchable? No. He said being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

So once again we have scripture that Paul tells us the time we are living in, the mystery, comes from the law and the prophets. Sure, the apostle Paul said it was a mystery, and that it was hid in God, but he NEVER said the mystery was unsearchable. In fact, he said it was by the scriptures of the prophets. He said the fellowship of the mystery was unsearchable.

In Proverbs 25 it says,

“2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.”

Question: Can God conceal something and it still be searched out? Yes.

Of course, he can also conceal something and it not be searched out. Only God can reveal things unto man by his Holy Spirit. God puts thing in his holy word that man cannot possibly grasp or understand without the Holy Spirit. Even though it is written down in the holy scriptures, the understanding cannot be unlocked without the Lord allowing it to be so.

For instance:

The mystery contains many things that were hidden in the scriptures therefore hid in God. Christ dying for sins was one of these.

As you know, Christ dying for sins was a mystery. In 1st Corinthians 2 it says,

“7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Christ dying for sins was a mystery. It was also hidden in the holy scriptures and God revealed it after the cross, but before the cross, God kept it a secret hidden in the holy scriptures, therefore hidden in God. In 1st Corinthians 15 Paul said,

“3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Even though the death for sins, burial and resurrection was a mystery, it was still in the holy scriptures. In Isaiah 53 it says,

“5 BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WAS HE STRICKEN.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: WHEN THOU SHALT MAKE HIS SOUL AN OFFERING FOR SIN, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; FOR HE SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; AND HE BARE THE SIN OF MANY, AND MADE INTERCESSION FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS.”

Even though Christ dying for sins was written in the prophets, God did not reveal this to anyone until after the crucifixion, therefore it was a mystery, a secret hid in God.

Christ being raised from the dead was also a mystery hid in the old testament scriptures. Peter and Paul both quote Psalm 16, which says,

“10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

So the mystery of Christ dying for sins, being buried and raised again from the dead was hidden in the old testament scriptures, therefore hid in God.

Being saved by grace without works where God is not imputing our sins unto us was also a mystery hid in God inside the old testament scriptures. In 2nd Corinthians 5 it says,

“18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

So Paul is teaching us here that God is not imputing our trespasses unto us today. This is only for the dispensation of grace. Under the law, God did impute their sins unto them. In Ezekiel 18, it tells us what would happen to a righteous man under the law if he would turn away from his righteousness and do wickedly,

“24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.”

Ezekiel tells us that this man would die in his sin.

Question: Was God imputing their trespasses unto them? Yes indeed!

But today under grace, God is not imputing our trespasses unto us. We are living during a completely different time period.

This was a mystery hid in the old testament scriptures, therefore hid in God. The Lord revealed this unto the apostle Paul through the prophet David who was also the king of Israel, In Romans 4 it says,

“6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

God had this hidden in Psalm 32 and revealed it unto the apostle Paul and Paul teaches this to reveal the mystery that was hidden in the old testament scriptures.

David was not describing himself or his day and time. David was prophesying about the future, a time to come. David was under the law when God was imputing man’s sin unto them.

During the dispensation of grace, Israel is blinded today except for the remnant. This was a mystery hid in the old testament scriptures therefore hid in God. In Romans 11 it says,

“25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

This mystery about Israel being blinded in part is in the old testament scriptures. In Romans 11 Paul says,

“7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway."

So Paul here uses scripture out of Isaiah chapter 29 & 6 and also out of Psalm 69 to teach the mystery of Israel being blinded.

Paul constantly uses the old testament scriptures to teach us about the mystery.

Even the apostle Paul himself is mentioned in the old testament scriptures. In Acts 13 Paul says,

“46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”

Paul takes this scripture out of Isaiah and uses it for himself. In Isaiah 49 it says,

“6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”

Not only was the mystery hid in the old testament scriptures but the chosen one to teach the mystery was hid in the old testament scriptures also. Let’s start back over in Isaiah 49:1.

“1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.”

In verse 1 it says,

“1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.”

Now let’s go to Galatians 1,

“15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”

Paul was called from the womb to be the Lord’s servant. The Lord knew that Paul was going to be the apostle of the Gentiles from the get go.

Back in Isaiah 49:4 it says,

"4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God."

Now to Philippians 3,

“4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

All the things that Paul labored for in his past where he might trust in the flesh, he counts them for loss and counts them as dung, in other words he labored in vain.

Back to Isaiah 49,

"5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength."

In Romans 1 it says,

“16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

In chapter 11 it says,

“7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded”

Paul was sent to the house of Israel first to bring Jacob again unto him, but because they were blinded, Israel was not gathered except for the elect, the preserved of Israel, as this next verse indicates.

Back to Isaiah 49,

"6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

Once again, Paul quotes this verse and refers it to himself in Acts 13.

Back to Isaiah 49,

"7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.”

In Acts 9 it says,

“15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:”

In Acts 22 it says,

“14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.”

The apostle Paul was the chosen vessel to do the Lord’s work and reveal the mystery and Paul stood before kings just as Isaiah prophesied in chapter 49 and the Lord prophesied in Acts 9 and Paul was definitely despised and abhorred by the nation of Israel.

So not only was the mystery revealed in the old testament scriptures, but the apostle Paul, the chosen one to reveal the mystery, was prophesied about before he was ever born.

If you read through Paul’s epistles and concentrate on seeing how many old testament scriptures he uses to teach the mystery, you will find hundreds of old testament scriptures that he uses. In Acts 17 it says,

“1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.”

Whenever the apostle Paul went into a synagogue, he reasoned out the scriptures with the people.

Question: Was Paul teaching them the law?

NO. Paul was teaching them the mystery from the old testament scriptures just as he said he did in Romans 16.

So when Paul says,

“25 Now to him that is of power to stablish 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,

26 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:

27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”

He means EXACTLY what he says. The mystery is in the scriptures of the prophets just as the apostle Paul said.

Let’s look at this chart.

This simple chart shows how the old testament scriptures tie in with what Paul teaches about the mystery.

Just in Paul’s epistle to the Romans alone he uses well over 50 verses of old testament scripture to teach us the mystery and the gospel associated with the mystery. You will find that Paul uses the old testament scriptures throughout his epistles to teach us the mystery.

The mystery is not unsearchable. Paul never said it was. In fact, he said the exact opposite: that it was in the scriptures of the prophets.

But the fellowship OF the mystery is unsearchable. Paul did say this was unsearchable and he did not say the fellowship of the mystery was in the scriptures of the prophets as he did with the mystery.

He calls it the unsearchable riches in Christ.

Teaching the mystery is pretty straightforward and relatively easy. Most people that teach the mystery today just use Paul’s epistles instead of the old testament scriptures as Paul did.

For instance: When was the last time you went to Isaiah 53 to teach that Christ died for sins? Most people just go to 1st Corinthians 15 and the book of Romans and a few other places to teach that Christ died for sins.

When was the last time you went to Psalm 32 to teach that God is not imputing our sins unto us today instead of using 2nd Corinthians 5?

All Paul had was the old testament scriptures. He did not have his own writings as we do today. He had no choice but to use the old testament scriptures.

Think about this: What if Christ dying for sins was not in the old testament scriptures? What if the mystery was not in the old testament scriptures?

How would Paul have convinced a Jew to believe in Christ? How would Paul have convinced them that God was not imputing their trespasses unto them?

Paul used the old testament scriptures over and over to teach the mystery. Paul was quite clear on this in Romans 16.

But teaching the fellowship OF the mystery is not so straightforward and easy because it is unsearchable. Plus there are requirements. In order to see the fellowship of the mystery you have to be rooted and grounded in love. Most carnal Christians are not rooted and grounded in love and they will not see the fellowship of the mystery, but we as teachers need to try to make them see it, as Paul did.

Before we go any further, to keep this article shorter, please stop here and read:

God’s Eternal Purpose

This article explains the basics of the teaching how that it was revealed unto Paul when he got to Rome that we could know the love of Christ and that this was God’s eternal purpose that he purposed in Jesus Christ our Lord.

If you are not going to read God’s Eternal Purpose then the rest of this article will not make any sense to you. Please read it, and check out the charts associated with it.

Now let’s continue.

In Ephesians 3 it says,

“8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:”

I have taught the fellowship of the mystery for many years now. I have seen those that are rooted and grounded in love can comprehend it, but those that are not rooted and grounded in love as of yet, cannot comprehend it, so being rooted and grounded in love is definitely required.

As it states in God’s Eternal Purpose, it is not possible to teach someone to know the love of Christ. It cannot be done. It is unsearchable. You cannot sit down and go over scriptures with someone and when you are finished they know the love of Christ.

Example:

In John 15 it says,

“12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Question: Should we love one another as Christ loved us? Yes we should.

Question: Is there any greater love that a man laying down his life for his friends? No. This is the greatest love of all. Christ had this love.

In 1st John 3 it says,

“16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Question: Should we be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren? Yes.

Now let’s go over these verses one more time. Read them again, concentrate on them and say them out loud. Memorize them.

Now, you know what these scriptures say, correct? You believe they mean what they say, correct? You know them, you have read them, you believe them, you memorized them, you have even spoken them out loud.

Now here is the big question:

Are you willing to lay down your life for your brethren?

I’m saved, I trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I am your brethren.

Are you willing to lay down your life for me?

Most of you that read this will say no, if you answer truthfully. Having the same love that Christ has (knowing the love of Christ) does not come from reading scripture. It is unsearchable.

There is no scripture in this bible that you can read and understand that makes you willing to lay down your life for someone else. Knowing the love of Christ is unsearchable.

Knowing the love of Christ is the unsearchable riches in Christ just as Paul said in Ephesians 3:8.

There is no scripture in the old testament or in the new testament that’s makes you willing to lay down your life for someone else. This is unsearchable. In Ephesians 3 it says,

“19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

Knowing the love of Christ, having the same love that Christ has, passes knowledge. There is a lot of things that we can learn and understand from the holy scriptures but knowing the love of Christ surpasses all of that.

Question: If you want to be filled with all the fullness of God, what do you have to know? You have to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

But before you can comprehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of knowing the love of Christ, you have to be rooted and grounded in love. Without being rooted and grounded in love you will never comprehend.

Let’s say you have two preachers. They disagree with each other on the scriptures. Preacher #1 persecutes preacher #2, calls him names, treats him as an outcast, and badmouths him all the time. Preacher #2 persecutes him back. This goes on and on.

Do these preachers know the love of Christ? NO. There is no fellowship between these two preachers even though they are both saved. There is no fellowship of the mystery here, even though they both teach the mystery.

Preacher #3 and preacher #4 know the love of Christ. They are willing to take wrong for one another, they are willing to lay down their lives for one another.

If you are willing to lay down your life for someone are you going to bad mouth and persecute this person and treat him as a reprobate? Of course not.

This is the fellowship of the mystery. This is when we come unto the unity of the faith. In Ephesians 4 it says,

“13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

A person that knows the love of Christ is filled with all the fullness of God.

A person that knows the love of Christ has come unto the unity of the faith.

A person that knows the love of Christ has come unto the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man.

A person that knows the love of Christ has come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

In the grace movement there are many little separate groups. Some hold this position, some hold that position. They have division among themselves and keep themselves separate from one another.

They have their little group and they speak the same thing among their little group and claim they have unity.

Denominations do the same thing, they claim to have unity among themselves.

But there is no unity of the faith among these because they do not know the love of Christ.

People that believe the apostles were in the body of Christ do not want to fellowship with those that believe the apostles were not in the body of Christ and vice versa.

Acts 9 believers do not want to fellowship with Acts 13 believers and vice versa.

And the division goes on and on and it is caused by pride. Love does not cause this division. It is the lack of love that causes this division. In 1st Corinthians 8 it says,

“1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.”

In the grace movement, these separations are caused by pride and knowledge, or more like lack of knowledge. Everyone thinks they know more than anyone else and everyone else is wrong in their eyes and they refuse to fellowship with believers that do not agree with them.

This is pure nonsense.

Knowledge puffs up, it causes pride. Charity is what edifies.

We do not know nothing as we ought to know. None of us.

Don’t let pride get in your way. Don’t let pride blind you to the will of the Lord. Don’t let pride blind you to the fellowship of the mystery.

Put on charity. Get rooted and grounded in love that you may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

In Colossians 3 it says,

“12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

What is the bond of perfectness?

Is it the ability to rightly divide?
Is it being rooted and grounded in dispensational theology?
Is it thinking that you know more about the bible than anyone else does?
Is it condemning people that disagree with you about the scriptures?

Charity is the bond of perfectness. If you ever want to know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God and come unto the unity of the faith and come unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, you have no choice but to put on charity.

Now if you could care less about these things and would rather be lifted up with pride and act like you know more than anyone else and treat your brethren like dirt, then charity is not required. But you will have to face that at the judgment seat of Christ.

In 1st Corinthians 13 Paul said,

“1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

If your works for the Lord are not driven by charity it will not profit you anything. In 1st Corinthians 3 it says,

“13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.”

Your works will not be judged by the quantity but rather the quality of the work. The Lord will judge your work on what sort it is. Paul said regardless of what you do, even if you give your body to be burned, if you have not charity it will profit you nothing.

Why do you serve the Lord? For a paycheck? To be in the spotlight? What is the reasoning behind your service?

You need to be serving him because you love him, and he in turn tells you to love your brethren as he loved you.

Works without charity will burn at the judgment seat of Christ. Works driven by charity will be rewarded.

In Ephesians 5 it says,

“25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Question: Are you willing to lay down your life for your wife?

No? Then you have a very long ways to go before you know the love of Christ.

Yes? Then you are on your way, to knowing the love of Christ.

Would you be willing to lay down your life for your children?
Would you be willing to lay down your life for the Lord?
Would you be willing to lay down your life for a good friend?
Would you be willing to lay down your life for a brother in Christ?

Only you can answer these questions.

Once again in John 15,

“12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

There is no greater love than laying down your life for your friends. Jesus had this love and so can the saints.

This is what was revealed unto the apostle Paul when he got to Rome in Acts 28, that we could know the love of Christ and this was God’s eternal purpose that he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When you know the love of Christ, you have come unto the unity of the faith unto the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and you are filled with all the fullness of God.

This is the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, that you would know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God. In Philippians 3 Paul said,

“14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are you pressing towards this mark? Are your works driven by charity? Do you love your enemies? Do you bless them that curse you? Do you do good to them that hate you? Do you pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you? Are you willing to take wrong for your brethren? Are you willing to lay down your life for your brethren?

I may not know the love of Christ but I sure know what it takes. I’m going to give it my best shot. I’m going to press towards that mark just as the apostle Paul did. What about you?

This is the fellowship of the mystery, God’s eternal purpose, that you would know the love of Christ and this is the unsearchable riches in Christ. This is that which is unsearchable.