The "mystery" (Ephesians 3)

The mystery of God's plan was made known to all Jews who would listen. God pretty much had to make some listen because the Jews had been made very stubborn. Maybe God loves and doesn't love that about them. Maybe He loves that about them, looking for a challenge? Verse 6 of chapter 3 of Ephesians spells it out,"...the gentiles follow heirs and members of the same body..." Paul is making know a hidden thing. I'm not sure why it was hidden. Maybe because God's revelation for all at once wouldn't automatically be accepted by humanity, He knew that it would be rejected. We humans aren't much more than dumb sheep. We march right over a cliff, if we see the steps right in front of us. We just take one step after the other and evidently fall off the cliff or walk into the wolves teeth. We don't take ahold of what is promised to us(i.e. safety, food provided, that we're going the right direction), unless we know the leader/shepherd. I believe that's the reason why God let us humans in on the mystery a bit at a time, because we "need" to be able to trust our guide before we take steps. It's an annoying challenge God has taken up but His patience and love are beyond what we can imagine. I have alot to learn, I still fall into that pattern of trusting what I see. -Matthew

True Meaning of Grace (Ephesians 2)

We are a fallen people, all of humanity. We've fallen into the passions of our fleshly desires, wealth,sex, etc. (fill in the blank). Not wealth and sex alone, those aren't sins of course...Now, I'm going to go a little further. This sounds right inside logic. I've learned before the definition of sin within the meaning of Genesis 2:17b, "or you will surely die." I think that eating the fruit wasn't necessarily against God's will. The quality of the fruit had the ability to unlock a part of the mind that had been locked, eating the fruit was forbidden until God had found humanity ready to have this part of the mind unlocked. That "sin" causes death in humanity I.E. sex feels good so we think we should do it,it's only really "good" for as long as we constrict it to a single partnership, otherwise it would cause disease (aids), sexual mistrust (general mistrust), illegitimate children, and strife. That is the reason that I believe God wants us to wait. Not because of that weird "rule" you had as a child from your parents with only the reason, "because I said so." There is an actual reason behind it. It's like a warning sign of "no bridge" across the gorge. There is alot of hope for us though. We have grace through faith in God, He makes us new again. By choosing to believe God's life is the right way to take. He offers us life in Himself, and forgiveness and He gives grace!