Ephesians chapter 3 records the Apostle Paul’s second prayer for the church at Ephesus (his first prayer is in Chapter One). It has many superb phrases relating to the “mystery”, or “sacred secret”, that was “unknown in human history” but “revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets”.
These include such marvelous phrases as “the unsearchable riches of Christ”, “the fellowship of the sacred secret”, “the multifaceted wisdom of God”, “the eternal purpose of God accomplished in Christ”, and “filled with all the fullness of God”! We could spend much time in every one of these.
Then there’s “the whole family of God in heaven and earth”, “the riches of His glory”, Christ “dwelling in our hearts by faith”, and believers being “rooted and grounded in love” and growing to “comprehend the width, length, depth and height” [immeasurable dimensions of the love of Christ], and to “know the love of Christ that passes knowledge”! Whew!
Maybe you can recall the story of the widow woman in 2 Kings 4, and her capacity to receive God’s supply being not only the jars she had in the house but also all those she could gather. It was only when the limit of her capacity was reached that the miracle supply of oil ceased.
In Ephesians 3 the Apostle Paul is describing the capacity of believers to comprehend (grasp) the love of Jesus Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God. There are four “that’s” near the end of the chapter that accompany great expansive phrases, such as “above all that we can ask or think”! Then there’s the superb doxology with its expansive phrases, which end the chapter in a crescendo of glory to God!
I love doxologies! I love being lifted spiritually to who and what and where we are in Jesus Christ! Expansive phrases defy the reader’s ability to express things that are comprehended by the heart alone. How high is the love of God in Jesus? How wide? How deep? All are immeasurable and unfathomable!
We need to increase our capacity to receive, so that God can fill us with much more than we currently contain. The reason for all this is the “sacred secret” revealed in Ephesians 3:6, which we should read repeatedly and prayerfully! Whenever the Apostle Paul mentions a mystery, he reveals its meaning. God wants us to understand this and other Sacred Secrets.
Glory to God! Thank you, Lord Jesus!