The Mysteries of God: Is God a Mystery and does He have Mysteries?

By Pastor Ric

Did you know that God has a plan already determined for your life? You may or may not have heard it many times. Many people have heard that God has a plan, but don't know what that plan is. Many people who have never heard that God has a plan, will be amazed at how thorough God's plan for you really is

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pastor Ric
• Release date: Feb 9, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224150977

Pastor Ric

Having Pastored a mainline Christian Church for many years, I am now producing Mobile apps, ebooks and paperback books on many Christian subjects, you can download them from https://noprisoners-ministry.com/.

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Is God a mystery?

Chapter 2 - Does God have Mysteries?

Chapter 3 - The Mystery of Christ in us.

Chapter 4 - The Mystery of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 5 - The mystery of Christ, that the Gentiles are now joint heirs in Christ.

Chapter 6 - The mystery of the kingdom of heaven.

Chapter 7 - The mystery of the seven stars.

Chapter 8 - The mystery, that we will not all sleep.

Chapter 9 - The mystery, of a partial hardening.

Chapter 10 - The mystery of lawlessness.

Chapter 11 - The mystery of false religions.

Chapter 12 - The mystery of two becoming one.

Chapter 13 - The mystery of His will according to His good pleasure.

Chapter 14 - The natural carnal mind

Chapter 15 - Deception

Chapter 16 - Understanding Sin

Chapter 17 - Talking about the 'r' word

Chapter 18 - Logos Word and Rhema Word

Chapter 19 - Before time began the plan of God was conceived.

Chapter 20 - Building an image

Chapter 21 - Anchor for the mind and soul

Chapter 22 - Living Stones.

Chapter 23 - Casting your care.

Chapter 24 - The real you

Chapter 25 - The spirit man

Chapter 26 - Leading and guiding into all truth

Chapter 27 - God is Love

Chapter 28 - Receiving the wisdom of God

Chapter 29 - The mystery of Grace

Chapter 30 - When the word of God is in you, it will guard and govern your soul

Receiving Salvation

Receiving the Holy Spirit

appendix1_about_backsliding

Landmarks

Body Matter

Table of contents

Cover

Chapter 1 - Is God a mystery?

Did you know that God has a plan already determined for your life? You may or may not have heard it many times. Many people have heard that God has a plan, but don't know what that plan is. Many people who have never heard that God has a plan, will be amazed at how thorough God's plan for you really is.

Why are so many confused about God?  There are so many questions, why do bad things happen to good people, why do babies starve, why do millions of people in third world countries continue to die each and every minute of every day?

If God is truly a loving God why would He allow this, why does He not reveal Himself if He truly is in control, why does He seem to remain a mystery in our lives?

When I was young, many times I would hear my mom say God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform meaning you cannot ever understand what God is up to and you are not supposed to, hence there is no point in questioning.

But that phrase is not in the Bible, it's real origin is that it is a line from a well known hymn by William Cowper and was penned in 1773.

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform, He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

This line appears to suggest that sometimes God appears to do things and even perform miracles, then at other times, which appeared to be most of the time, it seems as though we are living in a world of chaos and random chance and God moves in a mysterious way, sometimes He does things and sometimes He doesn't, whatever happens, we just need to accept it, because we cannot understand God.

But is this really true of God, is God really a mystery? The Bible, God's word, says that God does indeed have mysteries, His main mystery is discovered in Colossians 2

 [For my hope is] that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in [unselfish] love, so that they may have all the riches that come from the full assurance of understanding [the joy of salvation], resulting in a true [and more intimate] knowledge of the mystery of God, that is, Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [regarding the word and purposes of God]. Colossians 2:2-3

But does this mean that God Himself is mysterious? Look at this verse from the book of Job.

Can you discover the depths of God? Can you [by searching] discover the limits of the Almighty [ascend to His heights, extend to His widths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]?  His wisdom is as high as the heights of heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). What can you know?. Job 11:7-9

This verse in Job appears to suggest that God is unfathomable, but is this the case? Firstly we need to know that God did not say this, Job said it and there are many things that Job said that have been attributed to God such as Job 1:21,  the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, but again God did not say this, Job said it.

And yet for generations this scripture has been quoted at funerals. It is as if we accept what we cannot understand as part of God's will. When someone dies, many accept that God must have taken them. When there are hurricanes and devastation, insurance companies still call it an 'act of God'. As if anything that is taken away is a part of God's will.

However, in reality God is a giver, He adds to, but He does not take away.

Prov 2:6 for the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 

John 3:16 for God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Let us look at what Jesus said about mysteries and God.

Luke 8:10 he said to them, to you it has been given to [come progressively to] know (to recognize and understand more strongly and clearly) the mysteries {and} secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that, [though] looking, they may not see; and hearing, they may not comprehend. 

This was Jesus speaking to His disciples, He tells them that they are to come to know the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God and that it will be a progressive series of revelations to them. However, for others, He gave parables, why is that, that seems a little unfair, that some can come to know this mystery, but some cannot comprehend?

The answer is, there are natural things, that can be understood with natural thinking and there are spiritual things which the natural mind cannot comprehend. A person who is outside of God, who does not believe Him, cannot understand spiritual things, with his natural mind, only a  person who is spiritually alive to God can understand.

But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15

Does that mean I have to be spiritual?

I am not a spiritual person, how can I understand? A person in their natural thinking, is neither spiritual nor unspirtual, they think and reason with their mind. But God is a Spirit, He does not have a spirit, He is The Spirit, and the way to understand Him, is to approach Him in spirit and in truth, not with a natural mind.

God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24.

When we are born, our human spirit is dead to God, so we can only use our natural mind, we must be 'born again' in our spirit, for our spirit to come alive to God.

 Jesus answered him, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot see and experience the kingdom of God." John 3:3.

A person who is spiritually transformed, is a person whose spirit has been 'born again', this is called salvation (meaning to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free, source the Bible Dictionary)

Salvation

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God appears complicated and hard to understand?

Ephesians 3:10 [the purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety {and} innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

Did God do this on purpose and make Himself complicated and hard to understand, so that we will stay in the dark, like so many mushrooms, does God want to remain a mystery to us, so that we have to have a kind of blind faith?

A good way to find out if this is indeed the case would be to ask Him, but does God even communicate with us?

God has given us a manual for life, the Bible, but for many that too seems complicated and hard to understand, many Christians in seeking to get an answer from God use their Bibles like a sort of game of roulette, or a game of chance.

For example, many years ago, there was a fad going around, I call it Bible roulette, here is how it went:-

You pray and let your Bible fall open, then you look on the page at the first paragraph that catches your eye and that is your answer from God.

Sounds crazy doesn't it? But sadly for many Christians their walk with God is very much like that, for them there seems to be a randomness with God to the point where He is hard to fathom, hard to understand, sometimes He will and sometimes He won't.

Sometimes, when things go right in our life, we praise God for His goodness, but then when things go wrong, we are confused and we wonder why did God let that happen. The common remedy for this is to 'just accept whatever happens' as God's will. God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. He is sovereign and He can do anything He pleases.

It is almost as though people get to the stage of praying 'God if you are not too busy can you stop by and help me with this situation'.

Playing roulette with the Bible may even seem to work, particularly if you get one of the scriptures that seems like an answer, it seems like, wow God you are really speaking to me.

The catch is, if you play it long enough, you will end up getting a word like 'woe to you hypocrites!', then it feels like 'oh Lord, you made a mistake today, I'll just quickly turn the page here for a moment, maybe it was somewhere else you wanted me to read'.

We cannot play roulette with God, nor does He intend for us to be kept in the dark like so many mushrooms.

Galatians 6:7 be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

We cannot play games of chance with God, God is not to be mocked in this way, how is He meant to be understood?

Many Christians go through life, either never reading the Bible, or, if they read it, they never really understand what it is saying, but they read it out of obedience.

Why is this? Why does the Bible appear so difficult to understand?

Part of the reason is that some versions use language, some of which we hardly use anymore, many other versions attempt to translate scripture into modern English and provide commentaries and notes, in an attempt to simplify comprehension and understanding.

Take the book of Luke, he was a physician a doctor, have you ever read a doctors prescription? There's nothing more difficult to understand.

Luke used complicated language, The Apostle Paul's writings were even more difficult to understand, even Peter said his writings were difficult,    so you may think, what chance do we stand? But Peter then went on to say that they are difficult, but that they contain truth, the content is God breathed.

However, the main reason the Bible appears difficult to understand is that it needs interpretation from the one who is the author, the one who inspired men to write the books of the Bible, that person is the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature].

This is a key scripture, because it reveals to us that the natural man cannot understand, the Word of God, but the person whose spirit is alive to God can. The difference between these two is the Holy Spirit, He reveals the Word of God, because God is Spirit   and His Word is Spirit and Life.  So only by the Spirit can we understand the Word.

The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike). Psalms 119:130.

Firstly, it is important to understand that the Bible tells us that we are a three part person,    spirit, soul (mind, will and emotions) and body. Before we know God, our spirit is spiritually dead to God, how when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, our spirit is 'born again'    totally new and perfect in God, this is where God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit reside, in our 'born again' spirit. 

But our soul, our mind, will and emotions remain the same and need to be renewed by the Word of God. 

Another reason is that we try to read the bible without being born again, using our natural understanding.

But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:15-16

Natural understanding is what we employ when for instance, we read a newspaper article and have to concentrate to understand the article. natural understanding is receiving information. Spirit understanding is receiving revelation, the revealing of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is Spirit, soul and body    and is the Word of God. 

We cannot understand God with our natural understanding, because God is Spirit.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [n more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

This explains why the Bible appears difficult to understand, it is because our mind is not being renewed. If we are try to read the Bible like a novel, with our natural understanding, we cannot understand, because the Bible is not natural, it is Spiritual, so we need the Holy Spirit to discern it for and to us, we need spiritual understanding, not natural understanding.

In my early Christian life, I could never understand the Bible, yet I heard great preachers speak about the Bible as being the word of God, which gives us everything we need for everyday life.

For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3.

But this scripture tells me that His power (His Holy Spirit) has given us everything through true and personal knowledge of Him. This means we can know God and His mysteries will be revealed.

As a result, I asked God to show me how to read His Word. It was then that I believe God gave me a word, He gave me a place to start, The Holy Spirit said, in my spirit, 'get the beginning and I will give you the rest.' 

I was so excited that at last I had a beginning, which I want to share with you, as we begin this journey. I believe that God gave me a beginning, but what a beginning, the most exciting place to be in God!

And here is the beginning, which the Holy Spirit gave me 

"The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]! And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]. Proverbs 4:7.

One word from God will change our life.   and here it is

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

Notes Section

2 Peter 3:16  speaking about these things as he does in all of his letters. In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. John 4:24 God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 6:63 It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. 1 Thessalonians 5:23  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:3 Jesus answered him, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [r] see and experience the kingdom of God. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you]. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know and understand that you [the church] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells [permanently] in you [collectively and individually]? Luke 24:39 Look at [the marks in] My hands and My feet, [and see] that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have." John 1:1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. Proverbs 4:5 Get [skillful and Godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Chapter 2 - Does God have Mysteries?

What is a mystery?

The word mystery in the Greek is mysterium which means a secret, in the sense of hiding, shutting or concealing. A profound secret is something wholly unknown or something kept cautiously concealed. The Bible tells us that God's ultimate mystery is Jesus Christ, Christ in us our hope of glory.

God's mystery, now revealed.

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge".  Colossians 2:2–3)

God has revealed this, His main mystery, through Paul, that He has given His Son Jesus Christ, to live in us and through the Holy Spirit bring to us 'the full riches of complete understanding of wisdom and knowledge.' This is a spiritual mystery now revealed to us.

The mystery of lawlessness, now revealed.

For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work, [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8.

When Adam and Eve  chose to accept satan's temptation, they chose to accept his rebellion against God, this was satan's corrupt knowledge of how to disbelieve God and rely on themselves instead. This is called the sin (sin means to miss the mark in God), of rebellion and unbelief, the ability to disbelieve God. This corrupt knowledge, then spread from them to all generations and is operating today. The Bible calls this original sin,   this phrase refers to Adam’s sin of disobedience, in receiving from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and its effects, spreading sin to the rest of the human race. 

Original sin manifests as behavior which is totally self centered, focusing inwardly on self and ignoring God. even if we still regard God's existence, the effect of original sin means that we cannot please God on our own. No matter how many good deeds we do, we still commit sin, and we still have the problem of a corrupt nature within. This keeps us enslaved to satisfying the desires of our own thinking (In the bible this is termed as the desires of the flesh.) 

The flesh can never be satisfied,   no matter what material possessions we acquire, fame, money, lifestyle, no matter what we do, the flesh will always want more and leave us unhappy, disillusioned and unfulfilled. Jesus Christ can set us free from the endless cycle of wanting, but not receiving, we must have Christ; we must be born again.    God deals with the effects of original sin in our hearts (soul, mind, will and emotions) through the process of sanctification (setting us apart from sin). 

Progressive sanctification (sanctification means to set apart) is what gradually separates the people of God from the world and makes them more and more like Jesus Christ and (our soul begins to mirror Christ in our perfect spirit), the mystery of all that is in Christ,  the full riches of complete understanding of Him, which was laid up for us (those who are born again believers), before the foundation of the world. 

This mystery, conceived and hidden in God, before time began,   it was hidden even from principalities and powers of the air (satan and his demonic realm)  but  is now made manifest. 

Notes Section

Colossians 1:27 God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realizing the] glory. Ephesians 2:1-2 And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

Galatians 5:17 For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are