Dear Partner,

In 1 Cor 4:1, Paul said he had been made a steward of the "mysteries" of the gospel. For a long time I wondered how that happened because I knew that Paul was as one "born out of due season." That is, Paul was not one of the twelve, like Peter or John, who were trained personally by Jesus while He was on earth in the flesh. At first I thought perhaps Paul had learned these "mysteries" from one of the twelve, but I soon discovered that was not the case.

Gal 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul was not taught the gospel by any man. He was taught "by the revelation" of Jesus Christ. Paul is giving us a great insight into the Teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had said,

John 16:13-15 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.

What was the great error of the Pharisees and Sadducees in that day? They rejected the Son who had come to reveal the Father. What is the great error of many of the religious leaders of our day? They have rejected the Holy Spirit who has come to reveal the Son. More specifically, to reveal "Christ in us."

"Christ in us" is the greatest mystery of all, yet this is the very revelation that the Holy Spirit so thoroughly taught to Paul in order that he might preach it among the Gentiles.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

When I say that many of the religious leaders of today have rejected the Holy Spirit, I do not mean that they declare He does not exist. Most of them do acknowledge the Holy Spirit as being the third member of the Godhead. But many of them have rejected the primary tool the Holy Spirit uses to teach the mysteries of the gospel, especially the mystery of "Christ in us." What is that tool? The simple gift of praying in other tongues.

Again, how did Paul learn "the revelation" of Jesus Christ? He didn't learn it from man. Paul reveals his source of revelation knowledge in the book of 1 Corinthians. Notice what he said concerning praying in tongues:

1 Cor 14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Paul explains that when we speak in other tongues, we are actually communicating with God concerning the "mysteries" of the gospel. Could this type of praying have anything to do with how Paul learned these mysteries? Did Paul make a practice of praying in tongues himself?

1 Cor 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.

Does Paul ever tell us anywhere in the bible that it was definitely the Holy Ghost who taught him these mysteries? Yes he does, in this very same book:

1 Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Putting this all together then, we see that Paul had been made a steward of the mysteries of the gospel by "the revelation" of Jesus Christ. He did not learn these things from man, but plainly says that the gospel he was preaching was taught to him by the Holy Spirit. He openly declared that He spoke in tongues more than all of the members of the Corinthian Church put together, and that while praying in tongues he was communicating those very mysteries. By turning himself over to the Holy Spirit during many hours of praying in other tongues, the Holy Spirit was able to teach Paul "the revelation of Jesus Christ," especially the revelation concerning "Christ in us, our hope of glory."

PRAYING IN TONGUES IS A REVELATION GIFT! Our Father has made it so simple for all of us to be taught directly by the Holy Spirit. He has been sent to reveal "Christ in us." We may not be well educated. We may not be mentally "quick." But this supernatural prayer language of other tongues was designed by God, on purpose, to bypass our intellect so we could be taught directly by THE Teacher ... the Holy Ghost Himself! He teaches us directly ... Spirit to spirit ... the mysteries of the gospel. As we come to understand these mysteries in our spirit, then line upon line, those same mysteries are then revealed to our minds. That, my friend, will result in permanent change!

Thank you for your gift to GCM. Sue and I love you and appreciate you. We thank God for your generous and giving heart. God bless you!

Your friend and co-laborer,

Gary Carpenter

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