LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Christ, the Mystery of God
"...making known to us the mystery of his will ... to gather all things together in Christ ... both things in heaven and things on earth" (Ephesians 1:9-10).
The epistle to the Ephesians has as its main theme God's eternal purpose. In Ephesians 1:9-10 is the summary of this purpose, which is also the summary of our faith. God made known to us the mystery of his will, that which was hidden for ages in God, the purpose for which he created all things.
God wanted his purpose to be also our purpose, and so he wanted to reveal it. And this is something that we should not take for granted, that is, not because we talk about it, not because we use the expression "the eternal purpose of God", does it mean that this purpose is understood in our hearts. It has to be revealed by the Spirit, and become the matter that governs the totality of our lives.
What is that purpose, that mystery, as Paul calls it? "To gather all things together in Christ". Now, the word "gather" does not just mean to gather things together around Christ, but it has a much deeper meaning. The Greek word basically means to set the Lord Jesus as the head, so that, under his authority, all things are gathered together, he being the center of everything; that all things converge to him, and find their reason, their purpose, in him. In short, that Christ be all and in all.
The blessed purpose of the Father is to reveal himself in fullness through his Son, showing him to be the supreme manifestation of his will and eternal purpose, so that all things may honor the Son, so that all creation may love his Son and have him for its center and head, its foundation and purpose. That all may be gathered together in him and be consummated in him. God willed to gather, sum up and recapitulate everything -what is in the heavens, what is on earth, and even what is under the earth- in his Son Jesus Christ.
The mystery of God's will remained hidden until the time when the Lord Jesus came and became incarnate. Man had fallen, and God could no longer relate to him or reveal his purpose to him; but the Father had already foreseen that situation and, in the fullness of time, sent his Son.
The Word was made flesh and came into the world, and the secret of God, which had not been revealed in the heavens, began to be manifested on earth. On that day, the heavens opened, and even the angels beheld what they had never seen in the heavens: the eternal purpose of God's will, revealed in the incarnate Son.
When the angels saw the incarnate Word, they also began to understand why they themselves had been created. God created everything for Jesus Christ! Everything was created to be given to the Son in the fullness of time. Blessed is our Lord!