… he made known to us the mystery of his will …
Summary: Some mysteries can be solved with good detective work. Others, like the mystery of God’s will, is beyond us, until God, in his timing, decides to explain.
Rabbit trails are fun! In our last meditation, “Monumentally Gullible,” we started talking about the “mystery of his will” and ended up talking about the mystery of our invisible nature. Both are related, but one is a rabbit trail, and the other isn’t. So let’s get back on the main trail, and talk about God’s will.
Why is, or was, God’s will a mystery?
God doesn’t have to explain himself to us, but he does. The problem is that talking with God is like trying to have a squirt-gun fight with Niagara Falls. He knows way more than you or I can wrap our heads around. So almost everything God knows is a mystery to us. Until he ‘splains things.
Another reason for the mystery is that since Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, mankind has been “dead” to God spiritually. Only after Jesus ascended from the grave and sent his Holy Spirit on Pentecost did we enjoy being born again into a living relationship with the Living God. In between times, after Adam and Eve got evicted from paradise and before the King of Kings arrived, there were very few people who enjoyed a relationship with their Creator.
A third reason has to do with timing. God is eternal, and we are too, but we tend to look at life through our physical eyes instead of our spiritual eyes. Our physical eyes see death all around, and the body knows that it, too, is doomed to die. Since God operates in the eternal, he functions outside our time constraints. That is why he can predict that Jesus will thump Satan while Adam and Eve are still in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15), and four thousand years later, Jesus deals death a death blow by rising from the grave.
Throughout history, some predictions and prophecies pointed to Jesus. Beginning with Isaiah 52:13, the prophet reveals the mystery with a mystery. He speaks of God’s “servant” and then, two verses later, tells us that people will not understand until the servant arrives.
And why is that?
Understanding of God comes from God. As John explains:
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.” (1 John 5:20)
The invisible world of our spiritual nature is largely a mystery to us for many reasons. God has made himself known to us through his visible creation (Romans 1:20). He also made himself known to us through his Son, Jesus.
Application: Make use of the knowledge God has given us.
Food for Thought: If God is giving us understanding, why is there so much disagreement among Christians?
I believe that if it were capable for people to perfectly align their will with God’s Will, there would be no disagreements, but as we are not able, we tend to gravitate to the areas that God does speak to our hearts. We tend to believe that everyone does (or should) have the same relationship with God, but our relationship with God is personal. We bring to God the knots in our lives that we have tied ourselves. God helps us untie those knots, and we understand more our own sinful nature, and how abundant His grace is for us.
I believe sharing our walk with the Lord can bolster our faith, I also believe that viewing what God has done in your life as the only way it should be for everyone can cause strife. Reading His scripture, praying to God that His Holy Spirit guides us on how to apply it to our life personally, sharing our testimony, and again praying when someone tells you something you don’t agree with or understand, I believe is a better way to go.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
I think there is a difference between two believers being in the same room, and two believers gathering in His name. I believe if you are talking with a fellow believer, and talking about spiritual matters, then you should invite the Spirit into the conversation.
Nicely said, Chris!
I especially like your point about inviting God’s Spirit into our conversations. Oh what a difference that makes!!
Thank you Chris. Good perspective.
First, are you sure there is disagreement among Christians? I disagree 😊.
The reason for disagreements even between well intentioned believers could be a number of factors – not listening to the Spirit, a misunderstanding of God’s word, pride, other sin, how we were raised, different cultures, etc. The world is confusing and chaotic. Confusion and chaos are not from God. So someday we will live in perfect harmony. But that will happen when sin is removed and we see our Creator and Savior face to face.
Rich,
LOL! I am only sure of disagreement on days that end in “y.” 🙂
I see two categories of misunderstanding in your answer. One is putting self above others (pride, etc), and the other is honest misunderstandings. The cure for misunderstanding is open discussion, listening, loving others as we love ourselves.
02-04-2023, If God is giving us understanding, why is there so much disagreement among Christians?
Good stuff Guy’s!
In our wisdom, we will cherry pick the portions we like and these will become the foundation for our faith. We will gather with like minded people and have a church, which could become a Mega church or even a denomination.
We can’t read/study our Bible alone. God himself gives us understanding as we study His word, and without His help, we can do nothing. The same Spirit who moved men to write His words, moves in the hearts of men and women to bring about an understanding that demonstrates itself in repentance and faith and action.
We must treat our Bible studies as any other area of our sanctification process. We believe that God is great, good, and true and has great, good and trueful purposes for our struggles in all areas of our lives. We do this as we study, read His Word righteously. We ask the Lord to give us clarity the way we ask him to give us faith, hope, love, and any other virtue. If one day we “come to ourself” like the prodigal son and realize we have misinterpreted some portion of scripture, you confess and repent. Thank God for revealing truth to us and drive on.
Jesus tells us, When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13, He is here NOW.
Zephaniah 2:3, 1 PETER 5:6-7, 1 Corinthians 1:27, James 4:6, 4:10,
Tell us we are to trade our foolish wisdom and pride for humility, allowing God to lift us up according to HIS DESIRES.
1 Corinthians 2:10, 2 Timothy 2:7, 2 Peter 1:3-5, Tell us our understanding will come by the Holy Spirit according to HIS PRIORITIES. Stay open, knowing we will never achieve total understanding of the mind of God.
Ron,
Thanks for putting the emphasis on humility! That is such a crucial characteristic of a Christ-follower. If we approach our God, the Word, and each other in humility, there is really nothing to stand between us.