God transcends all human comprehension, right?
Keeping in mind that God clearly reveals to us, but He has sovereignly chosen not to reveal some things:
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
When I come up with a good anaology to describe something I always think, WOW, that was pretty good. Then I am schocked back into the present and realize that God was probably thinking--"it's about time you got that."
God wants to reveal himself in a way that we understand. He has created things to be a picture of Himself. He designed us to reflect Him--before the world was formed. The revelations we receive, God put into place a LONG time ago; HE meant for it to be that way. NOT that we discovered something new. God's not coming up with new concepts: He WAS and always WILL BE, the SAME, YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER. We just get the "FUN" of discovering those new things.
The most awesome thing is that believers are priveleged to more information than non-believers. God is confusing to the world. Those remaining in their sins have no "light," and cannot "understand" They have only the barest comprehension of God (Rom. 1-2). God's creation can reveal a lot of who He is. Nothing beyond the general truths can be received apart from God's intervention. The world comprehends things in a way that is "earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:15). If the unbeliever would know anything at all of God, this ability must be received of Christ according to His grace.
Again, we cannot completely comprehend God; we do not have that ability. Why? Because He alone is "excellent" in His attributes; how can we possibly comprehend attributes that we cannot even fully define. Again, we cannot uncover what God has hidden, unless He chooses to uncover it. But who wants a God that is perfectly understood? What kind of a "god" would that be? Men "fear" God because much about Him remains a mystery.
I don't mean this to sound like we cannot "know" God; in the New Testament, salvation itself is often referred to as "understanding," "being enlightened," or being "made to see." Jesus, himself, defined the term "eternal life": "And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).
Still further, I do not mean that believers cannot understand doctrinal truth. God does not desire ignorance (Romans 10:3; 1 Corinthians 12:1; etc.). The Apostle Paul even gave a rebuke to a group in Hebrews 5:11-14 for not not digging deeper. Anyone using God's mystery as an excuse for unbelief or laziness has gone beyond the teaching of Scripture.
Was that a heavy Saturday post, or what???
Keeping in mind that God clearly reveals to us, but He has sovereignly chosen not to reveal some things:
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
When I come up with a good anaology to describe something I always think, WOW, that was pretty good. Then I am schocked back into the present and realize that God was probably thinking--"it's about time you got that."
God wants to reveal himself in a way that we understand. He has created things to be a picture of Himself. He designed us to reflect Him--before the world was formed. The revelations we receive, God put into place a LONG time ago; HE meant for it to be that way. NOT that we discovered something new. God's not coming up with new concepts: He WAS and always WILL BE, the SAME, YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER. We just get the "FUN" of discovering those new things.
The most awesome thing is that believers are priveleged to more information than non-believers. God is confusing to the world. Those remaining in their sins have no "light," and cannot "understand" They have only the barest comprehension of God (Rom. 1-2). God's creation can reveal a lot of who He is. Nothing beyond the general truths can be received apart from God's intervention. The world comprehends things in a way that is "earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:15). If the unbeliever would know anything at all of God, this ability must be received of Christ according to His grace.
Again, we cannot completely comprehend God; we do not have that ability. Why? Because He alone is "excellent" in His attributes; how can we possibly comprehend attributes that we cannot even fully define. Again, we cannot uncover what God has hidden, unless He chooses to uncover it. But who wants a God that is perfectly understood? What kind of a "god" would that be? Men "fear" God because much about Him remains a mystery.
I don't mean this to sound like we cannot "know" God; in the New Testament, salvation itself is often referred to as "understanding," "being enlightened," or being "made to see." Jesus, himself, defined the term "eternal life": "And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).
Still further, I do not mean that believers cannot understand doctrinal truth. God does not desire ignorance (Romans 10:3; 1 Corinthians 12:1; etc.). The Apostle Paul even gave a rebuke to a group in Hebrews 5:11-14 for not not digging deeper. Anyone using God's mystery as an excuse for unbelief or laziness has gone beyond the teaching of Scripture.
Isn't God awesome? I can never learn enough about Him. The "mystery" is always there.
Was that a heavy Saturday post, or what???
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