06 The Great Mystery—What It Is

The Great Mystery—What It Is The great mystery was that the "Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body" (Ephesians 3:6), and that it is "Christ in you" which is "the riches of the glory of this mystery" (Colossians 1:27). This is the Church, the called out from both Jew and Gentile, making one new man, a new body in Him. (Ephesians 2:10-18). The Church as the bride in the Gospels has the Bridegroom, Christ, Who will build His Church (Matthew 16:18). The Church as the body is not composed of two, like the bride and Bridegroom, but is one new man, one body, of which Christ is the Head. In this Church of the body the work of reconciling men and women to God is not the work of Christ, but the work of the believers who have been given The Word and the ministry of reconciliation.

II Corinthians 5:18-20 reads, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. The Church of the bride is built by the Bridegroom; the Church of the body of Christ is built by the born-again believers.