How to Experience Brazen Christianity (Part 1 of 2)

Reviewing the Mystery Revealed

Last week, we examined the first seven verses of Ephesians chapter 3 and saw a revelation of a mystery. Biblically, a mystery is a truth from God—a glimpse into the mind of God, specifically relating to your life. God has a specific ministry and plan for us. It's something previously hidden, now revealed, beyond human comprehension, requiring God to explain it.

Understanding a mystery produces an advantage in your life—it radically changes you. Humanity gropes for God in darkness, even if unaware. We were created as worshipers, designed to enjoy God, but sin leads us to seek fulfillment elsewhere. These mysteries fulfill our deepest longings eternally through a relationship with God.

We saw that Gentiles become heirs of the same promises as Israel in the Old Testament. The Old Testament shows sinful humanity's judgment and glimpses of an incredible community living under God's direct influence—a living God who guards, protects, strengthens, and satisfies.

Idolatrous nations pursued lifeless gods, becoming blind and deaf themselves. Israel received promises of eternal bliss, a heavenly city, and victory over empires like Egypt and Babylon. Ephesians reveals that by pursuing Christ, Gentiles are included in these promises: forgiveness of sins, fellowship with believers, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Psalm 23: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

This promise is yours—God with you provides confidence through any trial.

The Result: Brazen Christianity

Tonight, we examine the direct result of knowing this mystery: it produces brazen Christianity. "Brazen" means bold and unashamed—confident, in-your-face about your faith, like David facing Goliath.

I'm not addressing the boldness of evangelism here, like Paul's declaration in Romans:

Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes."

Shame comes from not seeing the gospel's power. But this text highlights a specific boldness from the mystery.

Ephesians 3:8-12: "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."

Benefits of Brazen Christianity

Ephesians overflows with benefits—riches essential for life, enjoyment, satisfaction, and victory over sin. Brazen Christianity is a lifestyle receiving these benefits, displaying God's eternal glory.

Paul preaches not just against sin but for the unfathomable riches of Christ. "Unfathomable" means beyond comprehension—a depth that takes eternity to explore. Christianity is like Christmas morning, unpacking eternal truths: how to suffer, what sin is, your need for God.

Our nature must change to grasp these riches fully. In eternity, God unveils endless grace—never boring, ever intensifying.

These riches include:

• Forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).
• Kindness leading to repentance (Romans 2:4)—repentance brings enjoyable life.
• Supplies for needs from God's glorious riches.
• Assurance, understanding, wisdom, knowledge—enabling endurance under pressure (2 Corinthians).

Moses and the Greater Riches

Moses saw Christ's riches as greater than Egypt's treasures—the pinnacle of worldly power and wealth. He could have been next Pharaoh but chose reproach for Christ.

Hebrews 11: "He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt."

Moses left luxury for desert life with grumbling Israelites, facing persecution. Yet recipients of Christ value this lifestyle more—worth dying for. Those with God dwelling in them know it's incomparably valuable.

Lives of True Value in Suffering

The closing portion of Hebrews chapter 11 talks about those people who experienced suffering, individuals the world was not even worthy of. Their lives were on a level so much higher than others—not because they were more righteous in themselves or better persons, but because they experienced lives so much lower, so much more humble. That's true value.

In fact, of the Christian, the Psalmist says that when a holy one dies, when a saint dies, it is weighty to God. The life lived that experiences death as a Christian has impact, has value—as if weighing things on a scale where something heavier tips it. This was a measuring system for determining value. When God weighs the life of an individual who dies in Christ, who dies as a believer, it tips God's scale, and He says, "That's what's weighty, that's what's valuable to Me."

Persecution and the Riches of Christ

Persecution brings greater riches—the riches of Christ, which are replete throughout nearly every passage of Scripture. These riches are yours if you believe in Christ.

As we examine these things, we understand there are responsibilities beyond the implied ones: repenting from what this world offers and diving headlong into anything Christ says we should do.

Gold Mining in Scripture

These riches and truths, as verses 8, 9, and 10 express, are revealed by God. The place to find them is within Scripture, creating utter diligence on our part—not just reading the Bible, but gold mining. Go into Scripture with the attitude of finding valuable things.

It's like Psalm 119, which some reduce to routine Scripture memorization to combat sin. But the Psalmist says,

I have treasured Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. I have treasured Your law... Your commandments... Your promises within my heart.

When we pull out these truths from Scripture, we take them into the recesses of our heart as a treasure house, a storehouse for gold and valuables, locking them away because we value what God says.

Seeking in the Church, Not the World

These things are made known through the church—the church universal. Now is the time to stop looking for things in the world that we should find in the church. Stop valuing relationships with the world. Friendship with the world is enmity with God—hostility with God.

That doesn't mean joining a convent or locking yourself in a wilderness castle. You evangelize, preach the gospel, engage the world in conversations. But don't seek in the world what you should seek in the church: yoked relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ, not unequally yoked ones.

An unequally yoked relationship is like the yoke on oxen—a wooden beam that controls direction. It's locking yourself to someone who pulls you away from God.

Amos 3:3—How can two walk together unless they are agreed?

They can deceptively, dishonestly, inconsistently—but true walking together requires common purpose or goal. What union do you have with someone who doesn't care about your salvation, holiness, or sanctification—synonymous with experiencing these riches? Those are lesser pursuits, and pursuing sin outside these concepts degrades life into unsatisfying things.

The Manifold Wisdom Made Known

Notice verse 10: the unfathomable riches, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places—angelic beings.

Manifold means multi-colored—like a beautiful painting of God's wisdom in all its facets, for greater enjoyment of how wise God is. Angels get glimpses of God through our lives that they wouldn't see without Him acting in our hearts.

No angel in heaven can sing "Amazing Grace" and mean it—they haven't experienced saving grace like we have. That's why Peter says angels long to look into these things. What we experience increases their understanding of God's glory and magnificence.

Angelic beings, magnificent as they are, having experienced nothing but God's presence, look down on our lives as Christians and see multi-colored wisdom of God. You have more reason to glorify God because of what's taking place in your life.