Much of what Christians believe, as accented on many of these pages, is shrouded in mystery. Mystery about God is acceptable through faith that rests incomprehensible truth with God. Mystery relates to truth, but secreted by the unknown in it. Mystery invites mankind to speculate. He wants in on truth and information. He wants problems resolved. Since there is limited evidence in mystery, speculation is usually flawed. Careful analysts and ensuing developments make speculators appear foolish. Analysts warn the public about even very careful predictions.
Some persons turn the tables on God. Because there is so much that is mystery, reserved in the counsel of God, perhaps we may hold our own muted mysteries. We try to keep much of what we believe and do to ourselves, especially in areas we are ashamed to have known and acknowledged. One of the problems with sin is that we try to mute or hide it, so do not deal with it. Gradually, as we age, we learn how to use the hiding process for self-aggrandizement. When we were children we were not so adept. Astute parents ferreted out offenses. We had one child who liked to play with matches until we discovered and dealt firmly with the mysterious aberration.
We learn, unless we deal with that dark side, that we not only wander into the marginal areas of life, but our arrogance leads us to believe we can manage matters outside ethical limitations. It may go so far as to extend beyond our own standards or beliefs. We may feel revulsion inwardly from our own behavior, until we learn to make a game of it. A man, who was a leader in his community, a gracious member of a church, a good neighbor, parent and husband – was found to have committed grisly murders. What he did in secret, unknown to anyone else, was not considered by him to be of any great consequence in his open life and conduct. What he did in secret did not count, for him, in the record of his life. Perhaps the godfathers of the underworld have refined the procedure. Tender, loving, generous to their personal families, they threaten, rob and murder other persons. In the mystery of their own depravity, they believe in a religiosity they identify with God. Family members of the criminal fathers understand that they are not to seek information, or question family members about the nefarious business of the fathers’ society. Life is fragmented, between the family (good) and business (evil). God rejects the bifurcation.
Most persons are not so extreme in the shadowy orientation of their lives, but what they do leads to a variety of problems including ultimate break down of order and faith. Such persons often become crusty, gross, even openly selfish, and self-victimized. They fail life and God. There is sure retribution of their wrongdoing. Christian counselors attempt to help persons who have so destroyed their own sense of right and wrong they can no longer choose the right. They are a mystery unto themselves. They go to their graves not knowing repentance – repentance, the only thing left for reconciliation. It took decades to break away from the light, but God has perfect vision even in the dark. Nothing is hidden. All will be made known, and accounted for. All personal issues relate to qualifications for imputed immortality. It is important for us to acknowledge that we do not understand exactly how all the perceptions of God, and his procedure will appear in the consummation, but it is enough to say that evaluation will occur. It will carry required responses from us in the assurance that all conclusions have been based on truth, justice, and holiness. In those conclusions no one will find fault with God. Judgment from God is best understood as fair, complete, acceptable evaluation with consequences. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020