Romans – God’s Timeline XXIII: The Purpose of the Eons – Differences Between the Readjustment and Secret Administrations (Part 7)

 

The Ninth Administration

At the beginning of this “purpose of the eons” consideration, I noted that we in the body of Christ have three separate gifts reserved for us before times eonian – grace, expectation of life, and wisdom. Of these three, two are revealed in full in the eighth administration.

The truths presented by Paul in Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Galatians, should be rooted in the heart and mind of the believer. The truths presented so early on should be every believer’s common ground, and deviation from this (or refusal to be corrected through them) is the mark of a minor, who is still being blown about by every wind of teaching.

In other words, they lack the maturity reserved for them in the future. This maturity is the destination of those who have received the first two gifts of grace and expectation. This maturity is a deepening of the realization of God, which is explicitly tied to the gift of wisdom (Eph. 1:18.) As Paul said to the immature ecclesia, the wisdom of God is spoken in a secret among the mature (1 Cor. 2:6-7.) The mature wisdom on which Paul’s letters are pointing toward are unveiled in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians – the three letters which compose of the secret present administration.

This administration began at the close of the book of Acts, and differed from the dispensation of justification (Acts 13:1-2) and conciliation (Acts 19:21-23.) This “secret” administration is first revealed until Ephesians. Observe Eph. 3:8-9–

To me, less than the least of all saints, was granted this grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God, Who creates all…

From this statement, first and foremost, we can be confident in our assertion thus far, as these eons which have had the secret of the Christ concealed from them must have been prior eons. Christ was, prior to Paul’s letters, only considered the prophesied Messiah of Israel. He was, indeed, prophesied to bless all the other nations through Israel, but there was, up until this point, no intimation that He would be dwelling among those of the nations to the same extent (Eph. 2:11-13, 3:3-7.)

We see this again in Col. 1:26–

I… am filling up in my flesh, in His stead, the deficiencies of the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the ecclesia of which I became a dispenser, in accord with the administration of God… the secret which has been concealed from the eons and from the generations, yet now was made manifest to His saints…

Since we are, then, in a secret administration, which is exclusively for the body, it follows that it is only when our expectation is fulfilled (when we are snatched off the earth, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, Rom. 11:25, 1 Cor. 15:51-53,) and we are vivified, that is, given life beyond the reach of death, that this administration is accomplished.

What is Special About this Secret Administration?

We touched upon the beginning of the administration (at the end of Acts) and its conclusion (when the body of Christ’s expectation is fulfilled.) But what specifically are the contents of this administration?

Earlier, when discussing Luke 1:33 in article 14, I briefly discussed the concept of “parallelism.” I had written that parallelism cannot truly be “restating the same thought” in a different way, for that is not parallelism, but redundancy. The former thought is typically a stepping stone to some greater and higher revelation, amplifying it and developing it to its highest expression.

We may readily apply this concept to Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. These are the highest unfoldings in all of scripture. Romans to Galatians discusses the salvation of a believer – but it is Ephesians through Colossians which build upon that foundation, explaining why. In Romans, we receive information concerning the evangel and its secret. In Ephesians, we receive information concerning the ascended Christ and His secrets. In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, we are said to be “snatched away into the air.” In Ephesians, we are given information concerning the destination.

In these cases (and more, which we will discuss in a moment,) we see that concept of “parallelism,” in regards to how these two administrations jointly function. The former thoughts of Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, and 1 Timothy, which unveil in full the gifts of grace and expectation of life eonian, are stepping stones to the greater and higher revelations of Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.

All of this is, again, aptly summarized in wisdom. Our secret administration reveals the highest truths in the wisdom of God, through the spirit of Christ. This, naturally, deepens our understanding of Him. It is the highest honor to ask, “Who are You?” We grow, in this method, into the Image of His Son which He is making us to be.

The good news? This maturity is, indeed, for all in Christ. It will inevitably be imposed upon all who are in this body of believers. The better news is that some can experience this maturity now. For many, this maturity will be attained at our snatching away. For others, this maturity is graciously provided with a spirit of wisdom now, which Paul evidently prayed for all the saints to attain toward.

The wisdom established in Christ is finding its fulfillment in the maturing of His body, the ecclesia of which Paul is the dispenser. Upon the body’s completion, the complement of the story – the indignation, the judgment, the kingdom of Christ, the new heavens and the new earth, the heading up of all in the Christ, the reconciliation of all, and, ultimately, the glorification of the Father, can finally reach its fruition. Since this is God’s express goal of the universe within this secret administration (Eph. 1:9-11, Phil. 2:9-11, Col. 1:20,) it is of prime importance that we seek a growing relationship with Him, as it will only increase the enjoyment of our allotment, and free us from the elements of this world in preparation for the future bliss with Him (Gal. 4:1-2.)

This maturity in wisdom is twofold – that we may attain to the unity of the faith, and realize the Son of God. Understanding on both of these fronts conforms us to the image of His Son, making us holy and flawless in God’s sight, adjusting us to a mature man (Eph. 4:13,) with a spirit of wisdom (Eph. 1:16-18.) Each point that Paul brings to the table further unfolds to us a proper realization of Him, through His Son. The secret of the Christ, then, is critical in unfolding a further realization of the Son of God, for the mature to appreciate. It is unfolded in Eph. 3:3, 6-7–

…since you surely hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given to me for you, for by revelation the secret is made known to me… in spirit, the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the evangel of which I became the dispenser…

First, let it be known that the secret Paul speaks of is made known by revelation to him. It was not revealed or hinted at anywhere prior in the Hebrew scriptures, or intimated at any point in the preparatory epistles. This is confirmed for us when we recall that the secret has “been concealed from the eons in God,” Eph. 3:9.

Note, also, that the evangel revealed in the eighth administration is the channel through which the maturing believer can apprehend the secret of the Christ. As it stands, this secret is one of the most obscured passages in the New Testament, unknown to all but a select few today (I’m not sure I grasp its full import.)

It is apparent from this passage that the nations, in Christ, have a new relationship to Him and to each other. No individual is supreme over the other. When we considered Rom. 1:16, for example, as Paul began intimating the evangel, we read that Paul unfolded the evangel “to the Jew first, and to the Greek as well.” Sure enough, from Acts 9:20-19:20 he would first enter the synagogue, wherever he went, before then taking to the streets and imparting the same revelation. The Jewish kingdom was still in view in the preparatory epistles (Rom. 14:16-17, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 15:50, Gal. 5:19-21, 2 Thess. 1:4-5.)

Contrasting the Administrations

As we have progressed through Romans, I have pointed at undeniable distinctions among the evangel and its conciliatory effects which Paul taught, and the Pentecostal administration which Peter manned. From the conceptual to the grammatical, we have seen that the two, while complementary, differ clearly in scope.

Now, however, I wish to take it a step further and properly distinguish eight individual contrasts between the Pentecostal and Readjustment Administrations, which are past, with the present day Secret Administration, with a view to emphasize the highest dispensed truths which we are to apprehend concerning our Lord today. This will help us realize the reason for our salvation, and further contextualize the rather nihilistic era in which we live, full of confusion and strife, and finally secure us in our expectation which we would not have otherwise been shown. Through this, we can continue, in our Romans study, to consider the evangel in light of the information provided in the secret administration.

I.              The Arrival/Timing of Each Dispensation

The Pentecostal dispensation, and the Readjustment dispensation both find their start during a definite period in Acts – during “that era” (Eph. 2:11-12.) Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians were not written until Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, well after the fact (Eph. 2:13.)

II.           The Location of Each Dispensation’s Origin

The Pentecostal administration began in Jerusalem (Acts 2,) the Readjustment at Antioch (Acts 13:1-2.) In contrast, Paul is practically alone, imprisoned at Rome (Eph. 3:1,) when he revealed these secrets.

III.        Old Testament Deference

The Pentecostal and Readjustment administrations were promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy scriptures (Acts 2:16, Joel 2:28-32, Rom. 1:2.) In contrast, the secret administration was “concealed from the eons in God” (Eph. 3:9.) It could not have been promised beforehand if no one but God knew of it.

IV.          The signs

During the Pentecostal administration, the “holy spirit” was dispensed with power, for performing signs, miracles, and wonders. These signs are called, in the foundational Hebrews epistle, “the powers of the future eon” (Heb. 6:5.) The goal was to confirm the word spoken to the sons of Israel (Acts 1:8, 2:43, ch. 3-4, 5:12-16, 8:6-7, 13, 12:7-10, 13:10-12, 16:23-26, 19:12, 28:3-4, 8-10, Mk. 16:17-20.)

Furthermore, in the Readjustment administration, there are notable portions of each letter which cannot fundamentally be true for today. In Romans, the “Jew first, then the Greek” claim at the beginning may be abrogated. In 1 Corinthians, there are a wealth of specific spiritual gifts which cannot relate to us today – notably, in chapter 12, Paul refers to graces of healing, operations of powerful deeds, the ability to prophesy, the ability to discriminate spirits, the ability to speak other languages, and the ability to interpret other languages at will.

That these gifts were temporary is apparent in Paul’s later claim, in 1 Cor. 13, where he explicitly states that some parts of it would be abrogated: “whether prophecies, they will be discarded, or languages, they will cease, or knowledge, it will be discarded. For out of an instalment (part) are we knowing, and out of an instalment are we prophesying. Now whenever maturity may be coming, that which is out of an instalment shall be discarded.”

Sure enough, later in 1 Tim. 5:23, Paul does not say, “use graces of healing to solve your stomach problems, Timothy,” but “No longer drink water only, but be using a sip of wine for your stomach and your frequent infirmities.” The secret administration, which is now, is the “maturity” which Paul had in view. With the advent of Colossians, Paul thematically completes the word of God (Col. 1:26.) Throughout the entirety of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, there is no intimation of signs which we may look forward to, either in the doctrine or our conduct. Instead, we are said to be “hidden together with Christ in God,” which would implicitly bar signs from being apparent, lest men cease being hidden.

V.            The restoration of all/the spiritual blessings of the saints

“The restoration of all” is presented in Acts. The gifts presented in the previous point had a specific goal in mind – to provide an intimation of the regenerated world, the kingdom (Acts 3:19-21, Heb. 6:5.) These gifts will be commonplace in the upcoming government ruled by Christ.

In contrast, the present administration is specially noted by spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3.) While “spiritual grace” is, of course, present in the prior administration (Rom. 1:11, 2 Cor. 4:7-18,) the natural death of the saints, and their inability to heal during the present administration (2 Tim. 4:20, Phil. 2:26-27,) and the transference from signs into solely faith, expectation and love (1 Cor. 13:13,) indicates for us the solely spiritual nature of this administration, highlighting the transcendent grace which will not solely restore, but save all.

VI.         Terrestrial/celestial

The Pentecostal administration deals primarily with the terrestrial blessings for Israel – their promise covenants, and blessings. Even when the Romans epistle was written, the terrestrial kingdom of God was in view for the believers, to either dwell or rule in (Rom. 5:17.) In contrast, this present administration looks toward celestial blessing (Eph. 1:3,) and celestial rule, for us to be roused, vivified, and seated together among the celestials (Eph. 2:5-6.)

VII.      Contrasting the authority of the Jews

The Jews had an authority over the gentiles during the Pentecostal and Readjustment administrations. They could fairly subject the gentiles to decrees, or “the handwriting of ordinances,” which had to be kept (Acts 15:23, 28-29, 16:4, 21:25.) In this administration, however, the law of precepts in decrees has been nullified (Eph. 2:15,) and erased (Col. 2:14-15.) Per the aforementioned secret of the Christ, Jews and Gentiles now have the same social and spiritual standing before God.

VIII.   The central barrier

The Jew and the Gentile did indeed have a central barrier separating the two of them during the Pentecostal administration. Seven years after Pentecost, Peter was still a Jew, and it would have been unlawful for him to keep company with those in another nation (Acts 10:28.) Seventeen years after Pentecost, Peter was, again, still a “Jew.” Paul regales us with his exposure of Peter’s hypocrisy in eating with proselyte Gentiles, yet retreating in fear of the Jews (Gal. 2:11-13.) And, finally, twenty-five years after Pentecost, “the central barrier” was still raised between even the believing Jews and Gentiles, as they had sought to kill him for leading Trophimus into the sanctuary (Acts 21:20-21, 27-29,) and for proclaiming that he was sent to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 22:1.)

Of course, today there is no such distinction between the Jew and Gentile in Christ, per the secret which we have briefly considered in the passage above. Today, it is almost as though this secret is taken for granted, but alas, such is the nature of transcendent grace. Let us praise Him in thanks for removing such subordination to the fleshly nation, and for lifting us to the great heights of the universe!

The Juxtaposed Administration

The ninth administration’s complementary pairing is the fourth administration. In the fourth administration, faith was firmly introduced to the story, but it was perfected over the course of its entire duration. By the end of each patriarch’s life, down to the twelve sons of Israel, faith is used to educate man as to the transcendent grace of Yahweh. Abraham’s offspring grew knowledgeable concerning their promise and allotment to God, under a loving Administrator (as God demonstrates through Joseph’s account.)

During the fourth administration, the Israelites were locked up in servitude under a foreign government, though they belonged to the promised kingdom of Abraham. So also, we are locked up in servitude under a foreign spiritual principalities, the current wicked world ruled by wicked celestial sovereignties (Eph. 6:12.) The fourth administration concludes with Israel’s deliverance from their captors, in expectation of their promised land. However, their journey pressed on in ignorance toward God’s power and character. Ours is meant to juxtapose theirs (1 Cor. 10:1-11.) It will conclude with our deliverance from our spiritual captors, in expectation of being seated among the celestials, taking our place in the celestial kingdom of the Son of His love (Eph. 2:6-7, Col. 1:13-14,) in recognition of the power and character of God, with proper, righteous glorification.

The First Completed Administration

At this point in time, none of the administrations considered so far have “reached their fullness,” or “been completed.” The problems and/or blessings which have been dispensed in each prior administration have yet to receive their complement. In fact, at this point, the administration of Israel’s promise is now paused (or abated, depending on how you wish to see it,) the law has been fulfilled and is not God’s present operation, Jesus’ evangel is not presently in effect, the Pentecostal administration is presently in stasis, and the Readjustment administration is no longer doing its “readjusting” business. Indeed, only the secret administration, founded on the backs of the first three administrations, are truly in view, here.

That makes this ninth administration all the more special, for it will be the first administration which God completes in the entirety of the Divine Calendar.

Take time to dwell on the true blessing of this fact – that we get to enjoy being a part of God’s first completed administration! This will occur when our expectation finally comes to pass. In Romans 5:2, this “expectation” is introduced as an expectation of the “esteem of God.” A little bit of light is shined on this expectation in Romans 8:10-11, where our mortal bodies are promised to be given life beyond the reach of death (“vivified,” which you may read about here.) Paul elaborates upon this rousing of the saints in 1 Cor. 15:36-53, ending with a secret that we will not all die, but that some of us will be living when this change from mortality to immortality naturally occurs – at the tossing of an eye. This truth is finally unfolded in its highest sense when it is revealed that the place we are going is among the celestials (Eph. 2:5-6.) When this snatching away occurs, the dead in Christ will have been roused, and we will all meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18.)

Thus, when the complement of the nations should be entering into the body (Rom. 11:25-26,) and the saints are assembled to Christ in glory, this administration will come to a close, and the era of the transcendent grace of God will be closed. No other humans will experience the transcendent bliss of the body of Christ until the eons come to a close, and the rest are justified, conciliated, and vivified.

But first…

- GerudoKing