Isn't it kind of annoying when your check-engine light turns on? I usually have no idea why it turns on which is why I need some help from my mechanic.
Imagine, I take my car to the mechanic, tell him my check-engine light is on, and he says he'll take a look at it. Three days later he gives me a call and says my car is ready. I show up to the shop, turn my car on, drive away and hear, "CLUNK, SQUEAK, BONK!" coming from my car. My car is worse than when I first brought it in. I immediately drive back to the mechanic to confront him on the shape of my car.
What would you think if his reply to me was, "Sorry, Mr. Fries. I guess it's a mystery," and did nothing about it?
DOCTRINE #12: MYSTERY
In the Old Testament, there was doctrinal knowledge and understanding that was kept from humans. Once the Holy Spirit was made available to all on Pentecost, we have the ability to know and understand this doctrine. When the Bible used the word "mystery", it told us we ought to know these mysteries if we are believers. People who say we can't know these mysteries or encourage us not to know these mysteries are Gnostics. This is No SAY with a Wrong DO.
Question: Do you believe your words and action are discouraging people from finding answers?
Next Doctrine: Doctrine #13
Table of Contents
If you need it, here is the support from the Word of God...
SCRIPTURE
"1 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 And thou shalt stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children." (Hosea 4:1-6)
(Human Thinking involves remembering and imagining, animals cannot do either. If we forget what God has done for us, then we can slowly drift into Animal Thinking. If we lack knowledge we are less than animals and God knows His people are destroyed if they lack information. )
"25 And he said into them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:25-27)
(Jesus opened all the scriptures that referenced Him. Do you think Jesus wants to do the same for us today?)
"44 And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures;
46 and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day;
47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 Ye are witnesses of these things." (Luke 24:44-48)
(Jesus explained everything from the Old Testament that referred to Him. Jesus wanted the people to understand Him.)
"14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;
15 but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:
16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ." (1 Peter 3:14-16)
(Peter stated we should be able to give a reason for our faith. We need to understand our faith well enough to explain it even if it appears to be a mystery to others.)
(The rest of this post is a list of usages of "mystery" in the Bible. Notice how each example told us we can know or ought to know the mystery.)
"11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (Matthew 13:11)
"11 And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them." (Mark 4:11-12)
"9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." (Luke 8:9-11)
"25 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;
26 and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer; He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins." (Romans 11:25-27)
"25 Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,
26 but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith:
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen." (Romans 16:25-27, conclusion of the Book of Romans)
"6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory:
8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:
9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:6-9)
"1 Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)
"1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-2)
"51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
"7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
10 unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth;" (Ephesians 1:7-10a)
"1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,--
2 if so be that ye have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;
3 how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,
4 whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
5 which in other generation was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
6 to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
7 whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him." (Ephesians 3:1-12)
"32 This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church." (Ephesians 5:32)
"19 And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Ephesians 6:19-20)
"24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
25 whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,
26 even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
29 whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1:24-29)
"1 For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,
3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." (Colossians 2:1-3)
"2 Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
3 withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak." (Colossians 4:2-4)
"7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way." (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
"8 Deacons in like manner must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." (1 Timothy 3:8-9)
"16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." (1 Timothy 3:16)
"19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;
20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches." (Revelation 1:19-20)
"5 And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6 and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer:
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets." (Revelation 10:5-7)
"4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,
5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns." (Revelation 17:4-7)
What Gnostics are saying is that God is a mystery. What does that allow them to DO? ANYTHING!
What would we have to believe in order to see the value of God and His word? We would have to believe that He actually exists!
