it is written, he is the 'mystery of iniquity', (the ego or 'self' is that mystery or VAIL put on us to overcome) but how?

through the "mystery of godliness' (which is the gospel, that tears down the vail in us);

but we can know all mysteries..........and if we have not love, if we don't love, we are still nothing.....meaning we are being formed by love to overcome the ego or self, hence he who looses his life (ego) for my sake shall find it (the soul filled with the mystery of godliness) but he who keeps his life (his ego) will loose it......but why? because the ego is the great idol that is nothing in the world: that is why Paul explains, first know you are nothing........meaning we are born dead in the first Adam and we only "think" we are alive (ego) without Christ in us:

Christ is the light that is the LIFE of Man......hence it is Christ in us who lives, not us.......but God in Christ reconcilles the world (antichrist spirit) to himself and overcomes this spirit with the brightness of his coming and the truth of his appearing.......within us, where the great darkness or emptiness is discovered:

some used to say, we all have a GOD SHAPED HOLE (emptiness) that only he can fill.......that is the emptiness revealed by Christ and he fills it once it is revealed in us:)

it is written the holy spirit (he who lets will let it remain) the vail over that emptiness) till that vail is taken away and then we will know why Christ had to come to save his people from darkness

till we see the darkness, we don't really understand why we need salvation; we may feel a need for it but the darkness comprehends nothing.........not even the light which is why it must be filled to "know as we are known":

Christ fills the darkness made for God to fill............a darkness we are born into and need salvation from: