What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?

    "The mystery of the whole universe is God is working Himself into His chosen ones." That was a line from Program #8  on an Ephesians Life Study of the Bible  radio broadcast that I was listening to yesterday. This message went along with Chapter 7 of the  Life-Study of Ephesians that I had read earlier last week. I've enjoyed following my reading of these eye opening messages with the radio programs. I attended this particular Life-Study when I was in college, and it's great to hear again the selected excerpts from brother Lee's spoken messages. 


     In the opening part of this chapter in the Life-Study of Ephesians on pages 64-65 he touches something that has puzzled people for centuries:

"In this message we come to the mystery of God's will.  God's will has a mystery, a mystery that has been hidden through the ages (3:5; Col. 1:26). The universe is a mystery.  Why is there a heaven, and why does the earth exist?  Why are there so many millions of items in the universe?  Why is man here on earth?  All these questions are mysteries and have given rise to many different philosophies.  The mystery, which is the will of God, has been made known to the church through the apostles.  A will is an intention, and the will of God is God's intention...Some may say that God's will and intention is to have the church and that the church is the desire of His heart.  This is correct, but we need to ask what the church is...The only way we can become the church is for God in His Son to work Himself into our being" (Lee, Witness, Life-Study of Ephesians, Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1978, Print).  

      How does God to work Himself into our being? That is the story of all the circumstances and events of our life!!  At this point brother Lee says:  "Everything is working together for this purpose (Romans 8:28).  All things serve this goal.  Everything is for God's working of Himself into our being" (Page 67).  He gives an illustration towards the end of this chapter that has come back to me many times.  He compares the practical church life to that of a kitchen with situations that "cook" and "bake" us. God's intention with all the situations that involve us is to work Himself into us. We can cooperate with the Lord's working Himself into us in the middle of our circumstances by calling on His name, praying, singing,  and reading the Bible. This fellowship puts this prayer in my heart--Lord, work Yourself into all of Your chosen ones more this week!

On  the New York City Young People's CD called Higher Ground there's a song called There is a Great Mystery that shows that as God works Himself into us He's making the believers his spiritual bride which is brought out by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5.

Other blog posts on the Life Study of Ephesians:

What is the Subject of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians?
What is the Mystery of God's Will Revealed in Ephesians 1:9?
How Does God Head Up All Things in Christ in Ephesians 1:10?
How Does the Spirit Seal us in Ephesians 1:13-14?
What is the Surpassing Greatness of His Power in Ephesians 1:19?
From the Life Study of Ephesians: How Electricity Illustrates God's Purpose to Reach Man
What is the One New Man in Ephesians 2:15?
What is the Stewardship of the Grace of God in Ephesians 3:2?
Do You Know What the Multifarious Wisdom of God is in Ephesians 3:10?
What's God's Calling for in Ephesians 4:1?
What Does It Mean to Learn Christ in Ephesians 4:20?
Seeing the Church as the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5:32
Seeing the Church as the Warrior in Ephesians 6
How Do We Apply the Armor of God in Ephesians 6?
What are the Seven Aspects of the Church Seen in Ephesians?
Why Did God Abolish the Ordinances in Ephesians 2:15?
Why is the Spirit Mentioned in Every Chapter of Ephesians?