The Gospels and the Mystery

If Paul had been sent out to preach the same Gospel as the eleven after his conversion, then there would NOT have been any reason for anything to be revealed to him by the Lord, namely the MYSTERY.

What this means is He already knew what the eleven were preaching because he was persecuting the Church on the basis of that very theology of the Church already at play. If he didn't know that already, then he was persecuting the Church on no basis whatsoever other than simply being a big meanie!

So, intellectual honesty demands that we all think through these things before claiming that Paul's Gospel is the same in content as that preached by the eleven, which makes no sense. They absolutely are NOT the same.

MM

What you stated here is the solution to the crisis behind the desire so many have in adding works to their salvation. Far too many people remain confused enough to constantly put into the foreground of discussion about our salvation the presumed requirement for salvation. James addressed that to a people who were under a different Gospel than what we are under today.

You made a very good point in that, under the Gospel of Grace, good works are a natural outflow of true salvation. It is impossible for anyone to enhance, perfect, strengthen or establish their salvation on any basis of good works.

We are justified and saved by grace, not works. James was not speaking to us today. All of scripture is FOR us, but not all scripture is TO us. If anyone out there is confused over that, then go and study the Mosaic Law...and answer the question as to if that was written TO us. Hebrew Roots folks think it is, and their many, many errors in theology remain the cancerous constructs that keep their theologies in the outer deserts rather than mainstream.

MM

If Paul had been sent out to preach the same Gospel as the eleven after his conversion, then there would NOT have been any reason for anything to be revealed to him by the Lord, namely the MYSTERY.

What this means is He already knew what the eleven were preaching because he was persecuting the Church on the basis of that very theology of the Church already at play. If he didn't know that already, then he was persecuting the Church on no basis whatsoever other than simply being a big meanie!

So, intellectual honesty demands that we all think through these things before claiming that Paul's Gospel is the same in content as that preached by the eleven, which makes no sense. They absolutely are NOT the same.

MM

What does 'Mystery' mean by paul especially when considering his theology of 'fulness of time' ?

A mystery that is revealed doesn't have to be something new. It could simply be revealing something that was present and true all along.
Salvation has never been appropriated by sinful man through the law. And it has always been by grace through faith.

Paul’s mystery that was revealed to him, my gospel, was kept secret since the world began. It was truth that had not been made known before it was revealed to Paul. Jesus and his disciples did not make it known.

Romans 16:25 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,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Paul’s mystery that was revealed to him, my gospel, was kept secret since the world began. It was truth that had not been made known before it was revealed to Paul. Jesus and his disciples did not make it known.

Romans 16:25 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,
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Paul has no gospel. There is only one gospel. Paul received all he shared from Christ. That makes it the gospel of Jesus Christ...Romans 1:16.
Notice it is 3 things:
1. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ,
2. It is the power of God unto salvation,
3. It is for all who believe.
That is the gospel of grace. Jesus is its source, God is its power, and grace is its means. When Paul refers to the gospel as his gospel, he is both personalizing his appeal and aligning himself with Christ.

I guess you would believe Paul is lying when he stated that what he preached was never made known before, but now it is made known.

The Greek term from which "mystery" was translated, within the context of Paul's words and meaning, is "hidden wisdom." Where that wisdom was hidden is of the greatest importance. Given that this particular mystery was hidden in God from the creation of the world, and given that we are told WHY it remained hidden in God, in that the demons would never have sought the crucifixion of Christ had they known the mystery, the impact of this wisdom makes a huge difference for us all.

In other words, if Paul's Gospel were the same as that of John the Baptist, and of Christ Jesus, and of the eleven, then it was not a mystery revealed to Paul since Paul knew what they had been preaching. So, if it had not been a mystery, then that would make Paul a liar, and Israel being cut off, and therefore unable to be the means through which Gentiles found salvation, the entire world would be lost had it not been GRACE through faith that became the new means for salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.

So when someone demands that works are still necessary as something they think that they can use as an additive to grace, they are fooling only themselves. If they think that their tithes, water baptism, works through sacraments and religious vigor, et al, can in any way add to the GIFT of salvation through faith, it's ludicrous. They know not the scriptures.

Therein is why such things as "tradition" had to be thrown into the mix by those religions out there because they know that scripture doesn't back their dogmas. They know that historic and modern departures from the word of God can only stand in the hearts of men by supplementing and even replacing the word of God with the inferior teachings of men. Get men to doubt their salvation on the various basis of man-made teachings out there, and they have a following like no other. Jesus illustrated this nicely:

John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

How many men have there been throughout history who come in their own name or title who have enjoyed almost absolute reception and accolade from the world of religion and even the secular world? Many. One of them is today teaching that all religions have the same access to the path to God and salvation without having to change their beliefs. That is ecumenicalism gone wildly rampant!

MM

Hidden doesn't mean not present; simply not revealed.

Therefore, Jesus and the disciples did not preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as Paul preached. They preached the gospel of the kingdom.

hidden in God, not the scriptures or the prophets:

If Paul was only preaching what the others had already been preaching, then all the scriptures stating otherwise make no sense.

1 Corinthians 2:7-9
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

the same preached to Adam and to Abraham.

one gospel of one Christ, singular, to the Jew and then to the Greek.

the same preached to Adam and to Abraham.

Jesus didn't preach His own gospel? That's what you are going with?

He's been preaching it since Genesis 3.