The
Mysteries of God
A
tablet from the on-going INTERNET BOOK,
"The Doctor's Terrific Tablets"
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http://www.terrific-tabs.com
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by John
N. Todd III, M. D.
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your thoughts to the author
1 Corinthians 2:
12 (NRSV) Now we have RECEIVED not the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit
that is from God.... so that we may
UNDERSTAND the gifts bestowed on
us by God. 13 And we speak of these
things in words not taught by
human wisdom -- but taught by the
Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to
those who are spiritual.
14 Those who are unspiritual do
not RECEIVE the gifts of God's
Spirit.... for they are foolishness to them;
and they are unable to understand them --
because they are spiritually
discerned.
Daniel 2: 20 (NRSV) Daniel said: "Blessed be the name
of God, from age to age -- for wisdom and
power are His. 21 He changes times and
seasons; deposes kings; and sets up
kings. He gives wisdom to the wise --
and knowledge to those who
have understanding. 22
He REVEALS deep and
hidden things. He knows what is in the
darkness.... and light dwells with Him. (See
link
Darkness
to Light.)
Deuteronomy 29: 29 (KJV) The secret
things belong unto the LORD
our God: but those things which are
revealed belong unto us, and to
our children forever.... that we may do all
the words of this Law.
Same -- The New English Bible (1976) 29: 29
There are things hidden, and they belong to
God; but what is revealed belongs to
us, and to our children,
forever....
Jeremiah 33: 2 (NRSV) Thus says the LORD, who
made the earth -- the LORD who formed it, to establish it --
the LORD is his name: 3 "Call to me, and I
will answer you; and I will tell you
great and hidden
things.... that you have not known.
John
Calvin, in "The Institutes of Christian
Religion", chapter 7, says: "Since God has
chosen to reserve the treasure of true wisdom for
His
children
(link),
it is not surprising that there is so
much ignorance and stupidity
in the majority of men.
"If, at
any time, we are troubled at the small
number of those who believe,
let us remember that no one
can understand the
MYSTERIES of GOD
except those to
whom it is
GIVEN."
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The above
quotation, from John Calvin, encapsulates a
major spiritual point, to me. It
pleases me that a great spiritual mind, like that of
John Calvin, should have stated this point, so dogmatically,
and so succinctly -- and so clearly. It pleases me
even more, naturally, that the same point is
established in the Bible, by no less a spokesman than the
Lord Jesus, God-Incarnate, Himself --
as follows:
Matthew
13: 3 (NRSV) And He (Jesus) told them many
things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to
sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the
path; and the birds came and ate them up. 5
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did
not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly,
since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the
sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had
no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell
among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked
them. 8 Other seeds fell on good
soil; and brought forth grain, some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone
with ears listen!" 10 Then the disciples
came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in
parables?" 11 He answered, "To you it has been
GIVEN to know the secrets
of the Kingdom of Heaven; but to them
-- it has not been
GIVEN. 12 For to those who have,
more will be given; and they will have an
abundance; but from those who have nothing, even
what they have will be taken away. 13 The reason I
speak to them in parables is that 'seeing, they do
not PERCEIVE; and hearing, they do
not LISTEN; nor do they UNDERSTAND.'
14 With them, indeed, is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah that says: 'You
will indeed listen, but never
understand; and you will indeed look,
but never perceive. 15 For
this people's heart has grown dull, and
their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their
eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears, and understand with
their heart and turn -- and I would heal them.' 16
But BLESSED are your eyes, for they
see; and your ears, for they
hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many
prophets and righteous people longed to see
what you see, but did not
see it; and to hear what you hear, but did
not hear it.... 23 But as for what was sown
on good soil, this is the one
who hears the word and understands
it.... who indeed bears fruit -- and
yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and
in another thirty."
I do not
know the basis upon which God chooses to
"reveal" His mysteries to certain individuals.
That "mystery", itself,
remains with God. Or (repeated from
above), as is said in Deuteronomy 29: 29:
"There are things hidden, and they belong
to God; and there are things revealed
-- and they belong to us, and to our children,
forever."
It does seem, though, that there are indeed those
individuals who "perceive" more about God, and
about spiritual matters -- than others. Some people
seem to be more "drawn" to knowledge of God.... than
others. I certainly can't explain it....
can you? Thankfully, you and I don't have to
"explain" it!
Now, see what
Jesus (God-the-Son) said about the "few" who "get the
message":
Matthew 7:
13 (NRSV) Jesus speaking: "Enter through
the narrow gate; for the gate is
wide, and the road is easy that leads to
destruction..... and there are many who
take it. 14 But the gate is narrow,
and the road is hard, that leads to life; and
there are FEW who find it....
Then, Jesus adds
this powerful statement of
truth:
Matthew 7:
21 (NRSV) "Not everyone who
says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter
the Kingdom of Heaven, but
only the one who does the WILL
of my Father in heaven."
22 On that day, many will say
to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your
name, and cast out demons in your name, and
do many deeds of power in your
name?' 23 Then I will declare to them, 'I
never knew you. Go away from me, you
evildoers.'
(JNT note: I
consider the "will of my Father", as used in the
above quotation, to be an expression of God's
pre-ordained "will"
-- concerning those whom God has accepted to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven [the "chosen",
God's
people,
God's children,
linked]. The "Kingdom of Heaven" [see chapter on
The
Kingdom of God]
is not attainable by human "choice". We humans
cannot "work" or "will" our way into "Heaven".
We mortals do not "write our own ticket", and
"choose God".... whenever we may flippantly
deign to "make up our mind". The "will of God"
is not something that we humans mull
over, and then "make a decision" to
accept, or reject. No.... the "will of God" is
a determination that GOD has
ALREADY mandated.
Isn't it absurd to consider that the "will of
God" is impotently proffered to us earthly
creatures -- by God.... the Almighty
Creator of Heaven-and-Earth-and-Universe....
as an "option" for us worldly
human-animals to "accept".... or refuse.)
Now, see what Paul says, in 1 Corinthians, about the
mystery of knowing God :
1 Corinthians 8:
6 (NRSV) Yet, for us there is one God, the
Father, from whom are all things, and for whom
we exist -- and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom
are all things, and through whom we exist. 7
It is not everyone, however, who
has this knowledge.
Note also the
following "Old Testament" reference about "understanding "
God.... a scripture which I "discovered" after all of the
above was written:
Job 32: 9 (NRSV) It is not the old that are
wise, nor the aged who understand what
is right -- 8 But truly it is the Spirit
in a mortal..... the breath of the
Almighty -- that makes for
understanding.
What needs to be added to the "Word of God" ?
Afterthought
-- by the author (Dr. John Todd):
( The author of this book makes no
claim to have been given special
knowledge -- from God. In every word that I have
written in this book, I am expressing my
own personal understanding of what
God has proclaimed in the Bible.... and what
God has demonstrated through God-Incarnate; and
through God's people.... and I am
sharing with the reader that which I
perceive to be God's message -- to
me.
(My opinions rest on my hope that God
has inspired me, for my own benefit --
and possibly for the edification of those who happen
to read any of my compositions.
( As I have expressed in other "tablets", I have
no interest in trying to
persuade or convince anyone to "see" or
"hear" what I consider God to have allowed
me to perceive. In
that regard.... if a reader and I disagree on
"spiritual" matters -- who can say which one of us is
correct -- in the eyes of God?
The answer to that question can come only
from God-the-Creator.... and certainly not from
recondite religious claims and churchy superstitions.... or
from doctrinal hostility,
hell-threatening, wrangling, fighting, and
killing.)
8/25/05
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