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The Sacred Secret: God’s Gift to Us (Endnotes)

1. See "Mystery" or "Sacred Secret" for why musterion should be translated “Sacred Secret.” We do not have space here to expound on the fact that the Sacred Secret was in fact a secret hidden in God, but see Romans 16:25 and 26; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:5, 8 and 9; and Colossians 1:26. Close

2. Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible brings out the Sacred Secret more fully. 1 Corinthians 2:7 and 8: “But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret, That hidden [wisdom], Which God marked out beforehand, before the ages, for our glory,––Which, none of the rulers of this age had come to know, For had they known, not, in that case, the Lord of the glory would they have crucified!” Close

3. The book of Revelation is about a period of time after the Rapture, and is not written to the Christian Church. For more on that, listen to our nine hour audio seminar, “The Book of Revelation.” Close

4. The administrations before the Administration of the Sacred Secret are 1) Original Paradise (Garden of Eden). 2) Conscience (The Fall to the Flood). 3) Civil Government (Flood to the Mosaic Law), and 4) The Law. See the chart on page 14 and our booklet Defending Dispensationalism. Close

5. For an exposition of this truth, see our book The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul Appendix C, “The Permanence of Christian Salvation.” The three words are anagennao (Strong’s # 313), apokueo (Strong’s # 616), and paliggenesia (Strong’s # 3824). Also, Bible students need to be aware that although many versions use the phrase “born again” in John 3, the proper translation is “born from above” and it does not refer to the Christian’s New Birth at all. See The Christian’s Hope, Appendix H, “You Must Be Born Again.” Close

6. For a more complete treatment of adoption in the Roman world, see Charles Welch, Just and the Justifier (The Berean Publishing Trust, London), pp. 208-213. Close

7. Some people believe that a Christian can make the freewill decision to repent of his Christian faith and become unsaved, but this is not the case. There are some decisions a person makes that change him in a permanent way, and choosing salvation is one of them. When a person becomes a Christian, his very nature is changed permanently, and he cannot reverse that by another freewill decision. We accept this thinking when it comes to our flesh: if a person makes the freewill decision to blind himself, he cannot then make the freewill decision to regain his sight. The change is permanent. The New Birth permanently changes us, and cannot be undone by a simple freewill decision. Read our booklet 24 Reasons Why Salvation is Permanent for Christians. Close

8. Although Christians will be ministers of the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3:6), that covenant was foretold to, and made with, Israel (Heb. 8:8-10; Jer. 31:31-34). Jesus ratified it in his blood before the Sacred Secret was ever revealed. The covenant blessings that were promised in the OT, such as perfect health, deserts blooming, no war, lions eating grass like oxen, are not yet realized, but will be in the Millennial Kingdom. No specific covenant was ever made between God and the Church. Close

9. Jesus instructed his apostles to pray using “Father” in the Gospels, but in the Eastern culture, “Father” was a term that was used in a variety of ways. Among other uses, “father” showed endearment or respect, or to refer to one who could give help and advice. Joseph was made a “father” to Pharaoh (Gen. 45:8); Micah asked the wandering Levite to be a “father” to him, but the Danites wanted him to be a father to them (Judg. 17:10 and 18:19); Elisha called Elijah “father” (2 Kings 2:12), Naaman’s servants called him “father” (2 Kings 5:13); the king of Israel called Elisha “father” (2 Kings 6:21); etc. The point is that the term “father” in the Eastern culture did not necessarily refer to birth. In the Old Testament God was a God to be feared and obeyed as a God of Judgment. Jesus changed people’s perception of God from that distant relationship to the more intimate relationship of “Father.” However, Jesus never taught that one day God would literally be a Father who would give birth in people and impart His very nature to them, making them part of His family, that was part of the Sacred Secret. Close

10. For the differences between Holy Spirit and holy spirit, see our book The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ. Close

11. For further study, see our 90 minute audio teaching “Saved, Sealed, and Secure in Christ” (Nov/Dec 95). Close

12. The word “guarantee” (RSV), “guaranteeing” (NIV), “pledge” (NASB), or “earnest” (KJV), are the translations of the Greek word arrabon, which originally was a Phoenician word used in their trading. It was a down payment or pledge of the full amount that was to follow. In our case, the holy spirit that we have now is the down payment of all we will get in the future: new bodies, everlasting life, etc. Close

13. Although each Christian receives the gift of holy spirit the moment he is born again, he may not manifest it outwardly (such as by speaking in tongues). Just because a person does not manifest holy spirit does not mean he does not have it. See “Must one speak in Tongues to be Saved?” Close

14. “That 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” (Rom. 10:9-NIV). Close

15. For much more detail on the Rapture, see our book The Christian’s Hope, pp. 21-34 and our booklet 23 Reasons to Believe in a Rapture Before the Great Tribulation. Close

16. To see that the believer’s hope is going to be on earth, not heaven, see our book The Christian’s Hope. For the fact that before the Rapture (for Christians) or the restoration of the Kingdom (for Old Testament and Gospel believers), the dead are dead and not alive in heaven, see our book Is There Death After Life?. Close