Truth Be Told: A Blog by Pastor Bill Alderson

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [ musterion ] which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested [ phaneroo – made visible].                                 Romans 16:25-26   Upon Paul’s conversion, the Lord began to reveal many things to him that were utterly unknown to the religious community as a whole at the time of Christ’s appearance in the world. Since Saul of Tarsus was a renowned student of the Law of Moses, having studied under Gamaliel, he had a deep understanding of the old covenant relationship to God. However, the Messiah’s first coming, His rejection by the Jewish leaders, and the suffering He would endure leading to His death on a cross were not commonly expected. Yet the Old T...

The Apostle Paul used the terminology “in Him,” or “in Christ” more than 160 times to describe the new covenant relationship with God. It defines the perfect position Christ has accomplished on behalf of each believer and the foundation of an intimate connection between man and his Lord and Savior. More than just a description of a relationship, in Christ alludes to an organic, even an emotional connection between the believer and God. In John 14:11, Jesus said, Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. This organic connection is patterned and empowered by the intimacy between the Father and the Son. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing [ gnosis – knowledge by experience rather than intuition] Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him , not having a right...