THE CROSS OF CHRIST MINISTRIES †Exposition of Scripture THE KEPT SECRET Romans 16:25 25 Now to Him Who is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel (Paul didn’t receive it of man, neither was he taught it, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ [Galatians 1:12]. This was Paul’s Gospel [Romans 16:25] and it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified [1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2]), and the Preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the Revelation of the Mystery (Paul Preached the Message of the Cross [1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2], but he Preached it according to the Revelation of the Mystery. Not only as God’s Plan of Redemption for man, but the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus effectually Working within the Believer’s life through Grace as he or she exercises faith in that Finished Redemptive Work of Christ [Romans 6:3-5; 8:2, 11]. This will make the Believer free from the Law of Sin and Death and enable the Believer to overcome, grow in holiness and personal Sanctification in his or her daily walk in Christ [Romans 8:2, 11, 13, 14, 15&16]. This is God’s Prescribed Order of Victory [Romans 8:2]), which was kept secret since the world began [Ephesians 3:3-9; 1 Peter 1:18-20]), 26 But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the Prophets, according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God, made known to all nations for the Obedience of Faith: 27 To God only wise, be Glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 2:1-8 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom (Revelation from God does not come through the wisdom or intelligence of man), declaring unto you the Testimony of God. (The Testimony of God always will be Christ and Him Crucified.) 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you (the mind of man has, and always will try to replace the Revealed Wisdom of God by making a thing in place of the Operation of the Holy Spirit. For example; contemplative prayer, writing your sins down on a piece of paper and nailing it to a cross, group confession, 40 days of purpose, seed faith tithe a breakthrough, etc. These methods are devised in the mind of men, and are a doctrine of devil’s to replace the Holy Spirit Working through faith placed in Christ Jesus Finished Work), save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified. (The only Power afforded to us today is the Holy Spirit effectually Working in us through Grace by faith exclusively exercised in Christ and Him Crucified, which is the Gospel [1Corinthians 1:17&18].) 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. (Paul postured himself in this manner, for he understood the profound magnitude of this Message of the Cross; because it is Ensconced within the full Gospel of God.) 4 And my speech and my Preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of The Spirit and of Power (the Apostle Paul clearly states the manifestation of The Holy Spirit is not based on his Preaching or wisdom, but on the object of his faith [Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12-15] Properly placed faith will evidence the Power of God): COPYRIGHT © 2008 Published by, and the sole property of, Daniel E. Armour: All rights Reserved: TCOCM, The Cross of Christ Ministries. † Commentary by Daniel E. Armour; unless otherwise noted. Page 1 THE CROSS OF CHRIST MINISTRIES †Exposition of Scripture THE KEPT SECRET 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men (so many today follow the wisdom of men, and their human psychology, positive thinking programs, renewal seminars, rehabilitation methods, watered down feel good messages and the doctrines of devils that even seem good, but have and appearance of godliness and deny the Only True Power) but in the Power of God (to believe that the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Operates upon faith in Christ and Him Crucified “and that alone” is and offense and foolishness to those who do not receive the Truth through unbelief. There are those even today who proclaim they’re Christians but deny the Power of God Operating through Grace by faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ as the means of all victory and personal Sanctification in their daily walk in Christ; so to them Cross is of none effect [Galatians 5:11; Philippians 3:18]. But to us who are saved it is the Power of God). 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect (mature): yet not the wisdom of this world (God the Son Christ Jesus came to be made in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin to become the Once for all Vicarious Atoning Sin Offering upon the Cross [Romans 8:3]. And by His Shed Blood and the Death of His Body on that Cross Redeemed mankind, removed the penalty of the Moral Law [Romans 3:25; 5:9; 7:4; Galatians 1:3&4; 4:5; Titus 2:14] and Destroyed the powers of darkness [Colossians 2:12-15]. Today; right now! Through Grace by faith in His Shed Blood we have the Forgiveness, and Remission of our sins [Romans 3:25; 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14&20]. Therefore by the one man Adam sin entered the world [Romans 5:12]; but now by and through the Death of Jesus Christ Holy and Sinless Body on the Cross the powers of darkness were destroyed that the body of sin we were born into through the fall of Adam might be destroyed [Romans 6:6]. Yet we who are alive in this physical body “though born again” can be dominated by this body of sin [Romans 6:12; 7:8-23, 24]. Our freedom from the sin is without question contingent on our faith resting in the Body of Jesus Christ’s Death on the Cross [Romans 6:3-6; 7:4;]. It is only when we exercise faith in that all encompassing Event of Jesus Christ Finished Work that we die here and now [Romans 6:3-5; 2Corinthians 4:10-12; Colossians 1:22; 2:11&12; 1Peter 2:24]. †The word might is used by the Holy Spirit simply revealing the potential for the body of sin “the sin nature, the body of this death” to manifest in our mortal body [Romans 6:12; 7:8-24] because we are not in our glorified body yet [1Corinthians 15:53&54]. You’ll see this in Romans 8:4 as well. If the object of faith is in anything other than the Finished Work of Christ, the Believer will feel the guilt of the Moral Law. The wisdom Paul is speaking of here is the Gospel of God [†Romans 1:1] The Apostle neither received it of man, neither was Taught, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ [Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 3:3-9]. It is the Apostle Paul’s Gospel [Romans 16:25], and this gave Paul his authority in Christ to deliver this form of Doctrine [Romans 6:17&18] of the Gospel of God. Which is not only God’s Plan for the Redemption for man, but the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus effectually Working in the Believer’s life through Grace as he or she exercises faith in that Finished Redemptive Work of Christ [Romans 6:3-5; 8:2]. This will make the Believer free from the Law of Sin and Death and enable the Believer to overcome, grow in holiness and personal Sanctification in his or her daily walk in Christ [Romans 8:2, 11, 13, 14, 15&16]. This is God’s Prescribed Order of Victory within the Gospel of God; anything less is and incomplete Gospel. The Apostle Paul is expressing this wisdom to be spoken to and among the mature because the carnal mind cannot understand it [Romans 8:7; 7:8-23]), nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought (the princes of this world will never be able to surrender to the wisdom of God): COPYRIGHT © 2008 Published by, and the sole property of, Daniel E. Armour: All rights Reserved: TCOCM, The Cross of Christ Ministries. † Commentary by Daniel E. Armour; unless otherwise noted. Page 2 THE CROSS OF CHRIST MINISTRIES †Exposition of Scripture THE KEPT SECRET 7 But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery (†it is impossible even for the mind of the born again believer himself to delineate into a Law this form of Doctrine [Romans 1:1; 6:3-6; 17&18; 8:2, 4, 11, 14, 16; 1Corinthians 1:17&18; 2:2; Galatians 1:4; 2:20&21; Colossians 2:12-15; 1 Peter 1:18-20; etc.], this is why the Holy Spirit Penned through the Apostle Paul “form of Doctrine.” Yet it is the Law of Faith [Romans 3:27&28; 8:2, 4, 11-16; Colossians 2:12], and holds within it the Holy Wisdom and Working of God Ensconced within the Gospel of God. And within its scope is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Working through Grace as he or she exercises faith in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ and His Obedience unto death, even the death of the Cross.