In the plan of God revealed in “The Revelation
of Jesus Christ” there is this promise: but
in the days of the sounding of the 7th angel, when he is about to
sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the
prophets (Rev. 10:7). What a grand theme: the mystery of God.
Before we speak of this, let us consider the
phrase in 1 Cor. 15:29 to those who are “baptized for the dead”. Does this refer to being baptized in water for
people who are already physically dead as Mormons claim? Such a view is contrary to many major
teachings in the Bible. The faith of one
person cannot accomplish the salvation of another. Salvation comes to the one who believes (e.g.
Rom. 10:13; Jn 3:16). Also, one’s faith must
be expressed in this life; there is no possibility of faith after death. And water baptism never saves but is the
testimony of one who has already believed.
A careful reading of 1 Peter 3:21 makes this clear. We are saved by a genuine faith, with water
baptism testifying that we have a good conscience in the exercise of that
faith.
The phrase is difficult. Some think it may be the way a person’s
testimony in water baptism influences their spiritually dead friends and
family. Others see “baptism by fire”,
suffering for the sake of the spiritually dead.
Both fit the context as Paul speaks of his own sufferings and of the
value of a righteous life.
The mystery
of God begins in eternity past when God declared to His Son the promise of
ruling over His enemies (Psa. 2:7-9; 8:6-8; 110:1). This is the driving force of the history of
the universe. Jesus Christ, who IS Lord
of all (Acts 10:36) must properly bear the title “Lord of lords” (Rev.
19:16). He will be Lord of the Jew and
the Greek (Rom. 10:12), the dead and the living (Rom. 14:9), and those in heaven, on
earth and under the earth (Phil. 2:10-11).
He is the Firstborn (a term indicating His ruling over all the Father
gives Him) over creation and of those resurrected from the dead that He might
be preeminent (Col. 1:15-18).
But Christ is not in that position yet. His exaltation over His enemies began
immediately after His death (Phil. 2:5-11).
Christ was raised from the dead, abolishing death (2 Tim. 1:10) a
confirmation that He is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4). His Lordship is secure, but it is not yet realized
(Heb. 2:5-9). Thus we come back to Rev.
10:7. In the future, when the Church is
in heaven, and national Israel
is saved (Rom. 11:26f), then the way will be prepared for the return of Christ
to rule from David’s throne for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-6). After that, as Paul says, Christ will then
submit all things to His Father, and God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28).
Christ sits at the Father’s right hand waiting the
fulfillment of His promise. But there
need not be, nor should there be, any hesitation in our own submission to
Christ today. “If you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the
dead, you will be saved (Rom. 10:9).
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