Colossians 2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.Paul is exactly right – Christ is the mystery of God. I recently heard someone say that a secret is a truth that is not fully known, but a mystery is a truth that cannot ever be fully known. This means that whoever Jesus truly is, only God will know the complete truth. There is something deeply personal and solemnly sacred between God the Father and God the Son, and even when we dwell with them in eternity, we shall never truly know the infinite depths of their love for one another.
For some people that may sound discouraging because they want to know everything about Christ, but the heart of the matter is this: we will only know of Jesus what God wants to reveal to us about Him. Because we are sinners, we are shown a great grace from God in being allowed to know Jesus from history and from our personal experiences. But that grace, amazing though it is, actually has limits, and there will be things about Christ that will remain eternally mysterious to even the best of His followers.
Does this mean that God is holding back and keeping something of Christ for Himself? The simple answer to that is: Yes. Being a loving parent allows you to treasure things, events, and experiences about your children that you cherish and keep close to your heart. I believe that God is the same: He loves Jesus proudly and personally, faithfully and fiercely, infinitely and mysteriously.
When Paul was writing to the Colossians about the church in Laodicea, he was encouraging them to cherish and remember their commitment to Christ. As young Christians, they wanted to know everything and they were thirsty for the word of God to change their lives. Somehow, they took a wrong turn and ended up following a false gospel spread by elite evangelists who claimed, with fine sounding sermons, that they knew sacred secrets about Christ. They wanted to manipulate the people by claiming to be the chosen mentors of the great mysteries of Christ, (much like some popular novelists exploit their naïve readers by suggesting that the Church has many secrets that only a privileged few know or understand). Paul was warning his own readers not to be captivated by these speakers or secrets; instead he urged them to remember their initial experience with the Spirit of Christ in their hearts when they had truly heard and accepted the Gospel.
So today, let’s reflect upon how we became Christians in the first place. And then let’s look forward to that cherished time in eternity when we will know Christ face to face.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have entered our hearts and claimed our souls for all of eternity. Your words have affected us deeply and Your teaching has changed our lives forever. We praise You for these blessings and we are truly thankful to Your Glorious Father who sent You into this world. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is one John’s latest Smoky mountain prints called “Spring Falls.” If you would like to see a larger view of this drawing, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/5350070427_01e9f1b652_b.jpg
If you would like a signed and matted copy of the print, contact John by email. Only 25 are available and cost $20 plus shipping if necessary.
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