IN CHRIST
A Study of Positional Truths

Let us continue our study of Positional Truths in Ephesians 1:9-10. In our study of the Word of God, we must study the ‘words’ in the Word of God. It is only then that we can say we have studied to show ourselves approved and rightly divided the Word. 

Our first verse of study says, “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”  The phrase, “Having made known…,” has the idea of causing to hold in the possession of ones understanding. The Lord through our mental capacity has caused us to understand the mystery of His will. The word, mystery, is the revealing of a previously hidden secret. The secret has been hidden in His will.  The word, will, means a desire based on the emotions of the heart. 

Their revealing is according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself. The word, according, means to dominate. Our Lord has been dominated by the good pleasure of His will to reveal this mystery to His people. The word, good pleasure, means to do that which will contribute the most blessed well being to another. This mystery which will be such a blessed revelation was purposed in Himself. The idea of purposed, is to originate and determine before hand in the mind.

In verse ten we are confronted with the mystery. The Bible says, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth even in Him.”

The word, dispensation, is made up of two words, house and law. The thought is one who administrates or has the oversight of all the house. 

The Lord is seen as having the oversight of the fullness of time. This word sees a period in time after a long slow ripening, without observation of others, has come to maturity. This maturity gives birth to a grand and decisive event. 

The event will be the gathering together in one of all things in Christ. The phrase, to gather together, has the idea to bring again to the original state. In Paul’s writings he speaks of this gathering as of being caught up together. There will come a ripeness when time will give birth to a catching away of God’s people. We will ever be with and in the Lord. Just think, to be in Him. There will be only one in heaven, Christ our Lord. All of us who are saved will be in Him.  All through the ages, Christ has been beside himself with anticipation, to reveal this mystery of oneness with Him. 

We know not when time will ripen to maturity. The clock of fullness is ticking. Let us remember our Lord’s admonition from the gospels. “Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”  Then our position in Him will not be by faith but by actual sight. We will be literally in Him forever. Tick Tock!