Christ as the Mystery of God vs. The Church as the Mystery of Christ

 

Christ as the Mystery of God vs. The Church as the Mystery of Christ 

Colossians 2:2: "That their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ"

Ephesians 3:4: "By which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ"

Ephesians 1:22-23: "And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all" 

Item	Christ as the Mystery of God	The Church as the Mystery of Christ
Meaning	1. Christ is the manifestation and embodiment of the invisible God 2. The hidden riches of God are fully revealed in Christ 3. Christ is the center and substance of God's mysterious plan	1. The church is the body and expression of Christ 2. Christ is corporately manifested through the church 3. The church is the fulfillment and continuation of Christ's mysterious plan
Biblical Basis	1. Colossians 1:15: "Who is the image of the invisible God" 2. John 14:9: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" 4. Colossians 1:19: "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell"	1. Ephesians 3:6: "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel" 2. Colossians 1:27: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"
Distinctions	1. Focuses on the relationship between God and Christ 2. Reveals how God manifests Himself in Christ 3. Emphasizes Christ as the embodiment of all God's riches 4. Primarily revealed in Colossians	1. Focuses on the relationship between Christ and the church 2. Reveals how Christ is expressed in the church 3. Emphasizes the church as the continuation and expansion of Christ 4. Primarily revealed in Ephesians
Explanation	1. Christ is the image of the invisible God, making God visible and knowable 2. All the fullness of God dwells in Christ bodily 3. God makes Himself known to His creation through Christ 4. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge	1. The church is the body of Christ, the continuation of Christ on earth 2. The church makes the invisible Christ visible on earth 3. The church is composed of believers from different backgrounds, manifesting the riches of Christ 4. The church is the mystery of mysteries, the continuation of Christ's mystery
Application	1.      Seeking to know Christ is to know God 2.      Finding all God's riches and wisdom in Christ 3.      Knowing God more deeply through the revelation of Christ 4.      Christ-centered focus, as He is the center of God's economy	1. Living the church life to express Christ 2. Experiencing the riches of Christ in the church 3. Building up the body of Christ for His expression 4. Revealing the mystery and glory of Christ in church life
Interrelationship	1. The mystery of God (Christ) brings forth the mystery of Christ (the church) 2. Christ is God's expression, the church is Christ's expression 3. These are three stages of one mystery:  God → Christ → Church 4. God is found in Christ, Christ is found in the church	1. The church is the continuation and unfolding of Christ's mystery 2. The church makes Christ's mystery manifest on earth 3. The church is the corporate entity produced from Christ 4. The church is the body of Christ and also the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16)

  

Conclusion:

From the scriptures and information provided, we can understand these two vital spiritual concepts: "Christ as the Mystery of God" and "The Church as the Mystery of Christ." This is actually a progression of three stages of one mystery: God is the mystery of the universe, Christ is the mystery of God, and the Church is the mystery of Christ.

The tables above detail the comparison of these two concepts in their meaning, biblical basis, distinctions, explanation, application, and their interrelationship. From this we can see: 

1.      Progressive Unfolding Mystery: God reveals Himself through Christ, and Christ reveals Himself through the Church, forming a process of continuous unfolding of mystery.

2.      Expression and Manifestation: Christ is God's embodiment and expression, making the invisible God visible; similarly, the Church is Christ's body and expression, making the ascended Christ still visible on earth.

3.      The Progress of Divine Economy: These two concepts demonstrate the progression of God's salvation plan—from God Himself, to God's embodiment in Christ, then to Christ's corporate expression in the Church. 

Through these three stages of mystery, God fully reveals and expands Himself, allowing His riches to be experienced and expressed by His people.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 21 The Mystery of the Church