"What is the Mystery of God?"

- Introduction

Paul uses the word "mystery" six times in this letter. When you hear
this word, you might think of something very vague and unclear. It is
vague and unclear, but at the same time, if you read the entire letter,
you will find out that "mystery" is revealed so clearly to the people
who believes in Christ. And in this letter Paul is teaching us to walk
as the people who were revealed what the mystery of God is. It is not a
difficult order to walk like that, it seems even normal to do so. But by
looking at "how we should walk" through "the mystery of God", you will
be able to find out the significance of this simple order.

- The Mystery of God

So what is "the mystery of God"? As Paul described about it in the first
half of this letter, the salvation of Gentiles is the mystery. So
Gentiles also became a part of Christs body. And the body of Christ is
the church and Christ himself is the head. Not only that Gentiles were
given the salvation but they also became an heir of the Lord's kingdom.
So there is no difference between their salvation and the Jews'
salvation. They are no more strangers and foreigners but the fellow
citizens of God's kingdom with all the other Christians.

- Death and Resurrection of Christ

We were once gentiles, before Christ died on the cross and resurrected.
But by his death and resurrection, we became the member of His body and
the family in Christ. Because His death also is our death and
resurrection. So we have no grouping of Gentiles and Jews between us. We
all are the people who were revealed the mystery.

- How should we walk?

And now we know what the mystery is and who is the people who made known
the mystery. Than how should we walk? This is what Paul is writing about
in the second half of this letter. He is encouraging the church to walk
in love and unity. As you can tell by reading through the chapters, the
word "walk" can be found 7 times in Ephesians.

- The Family in Christ

Us the body of Christ is also called "the family in Christ(2:19)". So as
the family in Christ, wives have to submit to their husband and husband
have to love them, because that is what Christ did to us in love.
Children are ordered to obey their parents and fathers were told not to
provoke their children. Servants have to serve their their masters with
good will and masters are ordered to do the same to their servants. Paul
is writing how we should walk so specifically because those are what
Christ did to us in love. So we have to do those things in love and in
unity. And these are the concrete orders on how we should walk. We have
to walk as one body of Christ in unity and in love.