OUR FATHER WHO KEPT THE MYSTERY OF THE PROVISION OF SALVATION FOR THE GENTILES UNTIL CHRIST COMPLETED THE WORK THAT INCLUDED THEM

The Apostle Paul, continuing with the theme of the inclusion of the gentiles into the body of family of God through the universal work of Christ completed on the cross, begins the  book of Ephesians chapter 3 telling the believers in Ephesus, in verses 1 - 7, that this astonishing expansion of those who would be adopted in to the family of God, was the revelation of the ancient mystery that God made known to Him, was why he was called as a minister to Gentiles.

Paul, speaking of the mystery of the gentiles being made co-heirs in the same family, explained how it had been hidden from the people living in the ages past but now, with Christ having secured the the means of salvation for all men, was being made known through the apostle and prophets.

The gift of grace to the the gentiles was the purpose for which Paul became a minister through the deliberate work of God's power in his life.

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Amen.

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