Satan has the great majority of church leaders so interested in their denominational programs that they are utterly ignorant of the fact that there is such a truth in the Bible as "the mystery of God's will," "the dispensation of the mystery," "the mystery of Christ" and "the mystery of the gospel." And so they never "open their mouths boldly" or in any other way, to make known "the mystery. "
Other Fundamentalists, who are looked up to as spiritual leaders, and authorities on dispensationalism, are like the lawyers of whom Christ on earth spoke. He said: "Ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that are entering in ye hindered" (Luke 11:52). These brethren make little or no effort to open their mouths boldly to make known the mystery, but on the other hand they help the devil by opposing the servants of Christ who are seeking to do God's will in this respect.
Then there are some dear brethren who call themselves "diplomats." They are like Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night, or like Peter who practiced duplicity at Antioch because he feared them that were of the circumcision (Gal 2:11-15). These brethren keep their mouths dosed concerning their knowledge of the mystery to keep peace in the camp, and incidentally to keep themselves in good standing for speaking engagements and financial offerings.
Of course Paul could have been such a diplomat compromiser-or coward-and kept out of jail; but his motto in Christian service was Gal. 1:10: "For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." He fought a good fight. He kept the faith. In 1 Tim. 1:16 the Holy Spirit presents Paul as the pattern for believers. In the midst of his afflictions and bonds, Paul wrote from jail: "Brethren be followers together of me" (Phil 3:17).
Used by permission of the Berean Bible Society. |
