The Four Mysteries of Ephesians

In Ephesians we see four mysteries relevant to the called out Church of today. (Mystery; MUSTERION Greek. Primarily that which is known to the initiated: made known only by Divine revelation). Colossians 1:26 Ampl. Version

26. The Mystery which was hidden for ages and generations (from angels and men), but is now revealed to His holy people (the Saints).

2. THE MYSTERY ECONOMY. Ephesians 3:9

This mystery was first revealed to Paul, who met Christ after His resurrection 'outside' the boundaries of Israel. A point which should not go unnoticed, God was calling a Church and moved from Israel to the Gentiles. He was to enlighten all as to the mysterious administration, that the Gentile nations were to be joint partakers of the promise of Christ Jesus. The Gentile Nations were to be joint partakers in the promise of God. Ephesians 3:8 - 11 (New Living Translation).

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The New Dispensation

God has brought in a new dispensation, and through the revelations to Paul has readjusted the ages to suit the conditions brought about by the apostasy and refusal of the messiah by Israel. Hebrews 11:3. (Greek)

3. By faith we are apprehending the ages to have been readjusted to a declaration of God, so that what is being observed has not come out of what is apparent."

Many interpretations of this verse say that ‘the worlds were framed’ and many think the reference is to creation. The Greek brings us back down to the real meaning which is to the ordering by God of the dispensations. God was ordering a new dispensation due to the apostasy and refusal of the messiah by Israel.

The Spiritual Kingdom

Those associated with this new dispensation, the dispensation of grace find that, in SPIRIT, not the earthly kingdom, the Church as a new creation has come 2 Corithians 5:17.

17. So that , if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo,! It has become new!

Therefore, in spirit, the Church (or called out ones) soars so far ahead of the Hebrew kingdom, beyond the regeneration, into the new creation Ephesians 1:3-12

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

This is the dispensation of God's grace when He is pleading with all mankind to accept His offering. It is for everyone who will listen and accept His word. Free salvation to all who will believe. Romans 10:9,10 Then look at Ephesians 2:19-22

9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.