Mystery is a New Testament word that carries its largest meaning in silence. The word is translated from that meaning, as noted in concordances. In Romans the Apostle Paul addresses both the ignorance of mankind relative to God in mystery, and the revelation of God’s message to the extent he makes himself known. God will never be identified in nature, but nature will never be fully identified without God. God is silent about much of what we would like to know. What he is silent about we are left to leave the matter there and in faith accept the silence of God or conjecture about what the silence covers. (Romans 11:25) The conjectures, noted by the Apostle, may turn into conceits. Such arrogance is found commonly enough in mankind’s play with the existence and meaning of God. After reciting a list of names of persons known well contributing to the mission of Christ during his own sojourn of ministry, the Apostle stated in closing the magnificent and profound Epistle to the Romans: The preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but is now made manifest . . . by the scriptures . . . . for the obedience of faith – 16:25-26. The revelation referred to specifically began in the Old Testament and continued, but secrets can only be interpreted to the extent of the revelation – not by the prognostications and rationalizations of persons working from nature’s limited base guessing about God.
Mystery is a major factor in any religion that has a god in it. This factor is asserted a number of times for Christianity in the New Testament and illustrated in the Holy of Holies in the Old. In the cleaving of the veil in the Temple on the death of Christ some of the mystery, the important part that would minister to the world, was revealed. The mystery is perceived as being large or great but made manageable for the needs of mankind through Christian faith. With mystery the human being is protected from bearing greater responsibility than is the case. Knowing more than is available and manageable by the human brain and body, our situation would place an impossible burden for us. It might be likened to a mathematician insisting that his loved pet dog should understand the laws of physics. The dog can’t perceive the laws so we don’t hold the creature to either understanding or performance in conduct. We have enough to negotiate life to find fulfillment and God, and escape additional duty through natural laws and spiritual faith. The need of man, as relates to earth and hope, is met. To evade the process is to invite some peril.
For the skeptic the resort to mystery related to any revelation of God may be an excuse to escape analysis, and to defend one’s position in a world much taken by verifiable evidence in the natural system. The expectations of the natural mind are not met in the claim of spiritual faith. The Christian ought to acknowledge the problem, and humbly accept the intellectual conflict of the soul. Christianity cannot be explained in scientific terms and conclusions. Individuals asking for and receiving the gift of faith, and then acting on it, add another sense to their physical senses. Balance for Christians in society is found in the consistency in which all persons in the world are to be treated. The system is one of service to all persons not only those who share the faith that permits silences in areas we might like to probe. That system of Christian life is enhanced in that service offering only good to recipients. Right or wrong as judged in human values there is only good and no evil offered in it. A major objection to Christianity is generally found in the insistence that persuasion, without hard (nature replication) evidence, is an integral part of Christian faith. Gospel is to be witnessed. Proof is in the model of the witness. The apostles made clear that Christ’s commission and prayer were the only factors that they wanted for their lives so leaving management of other church business to laypersons of the same faith. Speaking in some countries, I was instructed that there were only two issues that I could not publicly espouse: my Christian faith and criticism of government authority. I could talk about Christianity to those sponsoring my appearance, but it had to be requested without my initiation. If Christians were to adopt a passive position relative to gospel persuasion they would violate the Great Commission of Matthew, Chapter 28. God’s mystery is gospel. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020