Delight in the Lord—Especially the Parts We Don’t Understand
I delight in the reality that there are aspects about God I don’t understand, of things I can’t comprehend. I savor the wonderful mystery of God.
So does the apostle Paul. In many of his letters, he talks about aspects of God as mystery.
If there were any biblical writer who should be able to understand and explain God, it would be Paul. He is perhaps the most learned of all the writers of Scripture, certainly in the New Testament.
Yet sixteen times, Paul’s best explanation of God’s supernatural existence and eternal purpose is to use the word mystery.
Celebrate the Mystery of God
There are aspects of my wife I don’t understand. Though I know her a bit better as each year goes by, I expect there will always be some parts of her that remain a mystery to me. And this isn’t a bad thing.
It’s part of the allure. If I could ever know her fully, I worry I could become disillusioned, perhaps even grow bored. And that would be a bad thing.
As a result, I relish the parts of her I know and appreciate. At the same time, I also celebrate the aspects that remain a mystery to me.
So it is with us and God. While I relish the parts of God I know and appreciate, I also delight in the aspects that remain cloaked with mystery.
God is too marvelous, too grand, and too unfathomable for me to fully know as long as I reside here on earth in my human form (1 Corinthians 13:9-12). I delight in that reality; I celebrate the mystery of God.
Paul Speaks of God’s Mystery
Paul’s sixteen uses of the work mystery appear in eleven passages in five of his letters: Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, and 1 Timothy. Though it’s not possible to explain this mystery in a short article—even in a long book—here are some key points to ponder.
Hidden from Long Ago: This mystery of God existed at our creation; it was there before time even began (1 Corinthians 2:7).
The prophets foresaw it and it came through Jesus (Romans 16:25-27). This results according to God’s good purpose, to fulfill his plans and bring us to unity through Jesus (Ephesians 1:7-10).
Jesus the Christ: Jesus came to us in physical form, was proven by the Holy Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to everyone, was believed throughout the world, and was taken into glory.
From this great mystery, true godliness springs (1 Timothy 3:16).
For Both Jew and Gentile: This mystery of God is not only for his chosen people—the Jews—but also for Gentiles, which includes everyone else (Colossians 1:25-27).
Though Jesus came first for the Jews and then for the Gentiles, many of his chosen people have not yet turned to him. But this is a temporary condition, for all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:25-26).
Comes by Revelation: Paul’s longest teaching on the mystery of God occurs in his letter to the Ephesians.
He says it was made known to him by divine revelation to explain to others. It’s the good news of Jesus for both Jew and Gentile to make it plain to everyone (Ephesians 3:2-9).
Results in Change: For those of us who are alive when Jesus returns at the end of time, we will be changed. And those who have died and then buried will rise again.
They, too, will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). This is another aspect of the mystery of God.
Share with Others: Paul explains that the mystery of God is manifest in the person of Jesus. Paul’s goal is for everyone to know about him as the Messiah (Colossians 2:1-3).
Furthermore, Paul’s prayer is that he and his team will be able to tell others about Jesus, to explain his mystery to the world who needs him (Colossians 4:3).
We should follow his example.
Embrace What We Can’t Know
Instead of being frustrated over the things we don’t know about God, we should rejoice in the fact that he is too awesome for us to ever totally comprehend.
He is our infinite Creator, and we are his finite creation. Don’t ever forget this.
Let us embrace and celebrate this marvelous reality. May we tell everyone about the mystery of God.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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