Healthy believers are drawn to mystery and paradox. Consider the truth that Jesus Christ was, and is, the infinite God and yet a human who needs to find food. The doctrine of the Trinity is that God is seamless yet three. The three are actually ONE. God is sovereign, all knowing, and all powerful, yet leaves us free to choose. God is holy and just and yet loves the sinner. Consider that God speaks to us - something along the lines of Albert Einstein playing in a sand box with 3-year-olds. "Look at my truck - vrrrooommm," says Albert.
Sometimes people feel more comfortable making our faith less mysterious by reasonably changing it. Thomas Jefferson cut out of the New Testament all the miracles of Jesus Christ. He liked Jesus' moral teachings, but the paradoxes and mystery were too much for his rational mind.
To this, let's ask one simple question: if religion is to be less mysterious then are we left with a tragic world and a moral, yet powerless response? If my neighbor lies in a coma after a tragic car crash, is my reasonable religion of any use? But, if at the grave we hear that our God cares, He loves, He died, and He rose for us, then this makes more real sense than any other sense of reason. "Love has reason that reason knows nothing of" - Pascal.
Let's walk in love, embrace the mystery, and walk in faith. Best of all, God is with us.
Our Convention in Baltimore is right around the corner! We are excited. We are addicted to the mystery!
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