Unveiling the Mystery of the Gospel (Part 2 of 5)

Unveiling the Mystery of the Gospel (Part 2 of 5)

The Revelation of the Mystery

"...according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest..." — Romans 16:25b–26a

The Transition of Ages

In this portion of the passage, Paul introduces the concept of the "mystery" (mysterion). In the context of Romans and the wider New Testament, a mystery is not a confusing riddle to be solved by human intellect, but a sacred secret that was once hidden in the counsel of God and has now been revealed by His decree. The doctrine here is one of Progressive Revelation: the truth that God did not reveal His entire plan for humanity at once, but unfolded it over time, reaching its peak in the person of Jesus Christ.

Extracting the Truth in Context

Paul emphasizes two distinct timeframes: "since the world began" and "but now." By stating that this mystery was "kept secret," he is acknowledging the period of history where God’s plan was present in seed form but not fully understood. To understand this in context, one must contrast it with the nature of prophecy; while the Bible records that "prophecy was spoken since the world began" regarding the coming King and His earthly kingdom, this specific "mystery" was strictly "kept secret since the world began." This distinction reveals a dispensational shift: prophecy dealt with what was foretold to man, whereas the mystery dealt with what was hid in God. This manifestation is not a change in God’s mind, but the scheduled fulfillment of His eternal purpose. In the context of the whole passage, this revelation is the very content of the "preaching of Jesus Christ" mentioned previously. While the entire plan of God is to preach Jesus Christ, we must recognize that we today are to preach Him according to the revelation of the mystery, which is a very specific gospel. This provides the intellectual and spiritual substance that God uses to "stablish" the believer; we are made firm by understanding that we are part of a plan that spans from eternity past to the present day.

The Office of an Apostle: Rightly Divided and Rightly Understood

The Office of an Apostle: Rightly Divided and Rightly Understood

In a world where titles are freely claimed and spiritual offices are often misunderstood, it’s vital that we return to Scripture and rightly divide the Word of truth. One such office that has been widely misapplied in modern Christianity is that of the apostle. What does the Bible say? Who qualifies? And most importantly—is the office of an apostle still active today?

Let’s walk through this biblically, thoughtfully, and with reverence for the Word of God. You can also watch the video of this lesson here.

What Is an Apostle?

The word apostle comes from the Greek apostolos, meaning one who is sent or a messenger. It refers to someone specifically commissioned and sent by Jesus Christ with a divine message and mission. See the following scriptures for reference: 

• The 12 apostles under the Kingdom dispensation: Luke 9:2; John 20:21; Mark 16:15. 
• Paul under the Grace dispensation: Acts 9:15-16; Acts 26:16-18; Romans 1:1; Romans 11:13; Galatians 1:1; Galatians 1:11-12; 1 Timothy 2:7.

Paul opens his letter to Titus with this declaration:

“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness” (Titus 1:1, KJV).

This is not a casual title. It is a divinely appointed office, not a self-assumed role.

Is Dispensational Truth Heresy? Or Is It the Key to Biblical Understanding?

Is Dispensational Truth Heresy? Or Is It the Key to Biblical Understanding?

For generations, those who rightly divide the Word have been accused of heresy. The moment we assert that the Apostle Paul was given a distinct revelation—the mystery hidden from past ages—alarm bells sound, and accusations fly. We are labelled a cult, a fringe group that negates the words of Jesus Christ. But what is the truth? Why does dispensational teaching cause such controversy? More importantly, why is it necessary to approach the Bible this way?

Why Do People Think It’s Heresy?

When someone hears a doctrine they have never encountered before, their first reaction is to question it. If their pastor or teacher has never presented the dispensational distinctions found in Scripture, it naturally sounds foreign, even suspect. The accusation often follows: “You are negating the words of Jesus!” But nothing could be further from the truth.

Jesus Himself declared: "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." (Matthew 10:5)

Every word spoken by Jesus in His earthly ministry was in accordance with God’s prophetic plan for Israel. To recognise that Paul was later given the revelation of the mystery does not diminish Christ’s words; rather, it confirms them.

Paul—The Chosen Vessel

The first disconnect many people face is an unwillingness to accept that God gave a distinct commission to Paul. He was not one of the twelve, yet Scripture declares: