𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗬 ?

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗬 ?

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Part of making all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery is clearing the confusion on what it is

The term “mystery” is often used across Christian denominations, but few truly understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he spoke of “the mystery” and “the fellowship of the mystery” (Ephesians 3:3, 9).

While a number of churches acknowledge the word, they either misdefine it, minimize it, or merge it into existing theological systems that miss its uniqueness.

In this article, we’ll explore:

What denominational Christianity often teaches about “the mystery”

What Paul actually revealed about the mystery committed to him

Why this truth matters for rightly dividing the Word of Truth today

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 "𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆"

a) 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Many assume the mystery is simply that Gentiles can be saved.

But this was not a mystery — the Old Testament already foretold it.

> “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
— Isaiah 49:6

> “In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

— Genesis 12:3 (God’s promise to Abraham)

Gentile salvation was always part of prophecy.

The mystery goes far beyond that.

b) 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀

Some denominations teach that Gentiles are now “spiritual Jews” or have been grafted into Israel's covenants (like the New Covenant).

But Paul says the opposite:

> “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise...

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
— Ephesians 2:12–13

Gentiles were without Christ, being strangers from the covenants of promise the channel of access to God

But notice Paul doesn't say that they are now part of the covenants.

Rather, they are brought nigh to God by the blood of Christ.

While Israel's Covenants were the means of accessing God in time past

God has a created a new way of access through the blood of Christ. Both for Jews and Gentiles

Rather than Gentiles becoming part of Israel and their covenants , the old creature

Both Jews and Gentiles are made into a new man distinct from covenants and the law ( Ephesians 2:15)

C) 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱

Others treat “mystery” like a divine riddle — unknowable and shrouded in eternal secrecy.

But Biblically, a mystery is something once hidden but now revealed.

> “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.”
— Colossians 1:26

Paul said that we can know the mystery by reading

Ephesians 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

d) 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗖𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺)

Calvinists often read “mystery” as God’s secret will — unconditionally choosing who gets saved

But Paul’s mystery is about what God is doing with those who are saved:

Forming a new creature called the Body of Christ, apart from Israel’s program.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 “𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆”

Let’s now turn to what Scripture actually reveals through Paul:

> “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God...”
— Ephesians 3:9

a) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻 -𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁

The fellowship of the mystery is Jews and Gentiles joined to the Body of Christ by the Gospel.

No longer separated by covenants, ceremonies, or law.

Through the blood, Jews and Gentiles are joined to the Body of Christ ( 1 Corinthians 12:13). We are identified with Christ's Body by the Spirit.

We become a new man or new creature as a result.

Ephesians 2:15

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Paul refers to this new reality as a new man (Eph. 2:15), a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), (Gal. 6:15).

This isn't a rebranding of Israel or a spiritualization of Old Testament promises.

It is something never before revealed.

> “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature...”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17

This new identity is not based on covenant membership or religious works, but purely by grace through faith.

> “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works...”
— Ephesians 2:8–9

Unlike Israel, whose blessings were tied to covenants and obedience, the Body of Christ receives all spiritual blessings in heavenly places the moment a person believes the gospel (Ephesians 1:3).

b) 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁.

By the Gospel of Grace

Gentiles are joined to Christ's Body. They are of the same Body with Christ. Identified with Christ's Body by the Spirit

They become fellow-heirs with Christ ( Romans 8:17)

They receive eternal life. The promise made in Christ ( Titus 1:2)

> “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”
— Ephesians 3:6

No longer do Gentiles have to go through Israel's covenants or the law to be saved and blessed

By the Gospel, they are joined to Christ's Body, receiving an inheritance and eternal life as a result

𝗞𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 – 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹.

The mystery was not known to Moses, the prophets, or the twelve apostles during Jesus’ earthly ministry.

It was revealed directly to Paul by the risen Christ.

> “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”
— Romans 16:25

This means that the doctrines of the mystery cannot be found by reading the Old Testament or the four gospels.

They must be learned from Paul’s epistles.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

Understanding the mystery is not just about head knowledge — it changes how you:

Interpret your Bible (right division)

Understand your identity in Christ

Preach the gospel of grace clearly

Avoid confusion between prophecy and mystery

Find your calling in God's program today

Failing to distinguish between Israel’s prophetic program and the Body’s mystery program leads to countless doctrinal errors — from Sabbath keeping and tithing, to covenant confusion and false guilt.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

The “fellowship of the mystery” is not a vague, mystical concept — it is the glorious truth that God is forming a new creature, the Body of Christ, made up of both Jews and Gentiles who are saved by grace through faith, apart from the law, and outside Israel’s covenants.

Let’s not water down the mystery or mislabel it.

Instead, let’s make all men see what it truly is — just like Paul.