I’ve heard this statement many times, “The mystery of the Trinity.”
When I hear the word “mystery” I think “unknowable.” Paul describes the mystery of Christ in Ephesians 3. At first, I considered giving up as I can never solve mysteries.
Then I realized that the word in the Greek translated as “mystery” can better be translated “secret.”
A secret I can know, I can find out. I am good at getting others to reveal secrets. A secret can be known – you just get the person to tell you!
A mystery is too difficult, either intellectually complicated like the theory of relativity, or a life conundrum, like why my washing machine gives back only one side of a pair of socks.
I want to know God, understand Him, follow Jesus. A God that I cannot know seems distant. A God who reveals Himself, increasing revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament to my daily interactions and throughout eternity, is exciting.
A secret can be complicated, but catching a glimpse motivates a continued effort. Like love, a scientific theory, or why bad events happen to good people. A God who reveals the secret of who He is and why He does what He does is infinitely attractional.
I could be playing with word nuance with this Interruptions. I apologize. God gives gifts. James writes that He gives good, if not great, gifts (James 1:17). The greatest gift of all is Jesus. Jesus says:
You are my righteous Father, but the unbelieving world has never known you in the perfect way that I know you! And all those who believe in me also know that you have sent me! I have revealed to them who you are and I will continue to make you even more real to them, so that they may experience the same endless love that you have for me, for your love will now live in them, even as I live in them! John 17:25-26
Jesus came for salvation and to reveal the secret of the Father. What is this secret? That you can know, experience His presence, and love Him. This does not happen in any other world religion, in science, or when you exchange yourself for God.
I did not convince God to tell me His secrets; He sent Jesus to reveal them to me and to you!
The Trinity is relationship – the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit – for all eternity. We are invited into this relationship.
The greatest of all secrets revealed!
The extent of your power, glory, and fulfillment of your Christian life, depends upon understanding this secret. If God is knowable, you can converse with Him, understand His ways, and ask for great answers to your prayers.
Relationship is giving and taking. Stop taking and start asking. Listen to God and follow. God is excited when you learn to cooperate with His will. He then reveals more of His will, which means abundant answers – and adventure along the narrow path.
I have learned that the secret to prayer is a God who loves me.
He has a plan for my life and that plan is intertwined into His eternal glory. Wow, I’m big stuff! And when I humbly accept my role as a c0-heir with Christ (Romans 8:16-17), I can command mountains to be moved into the sea. But I still can’t find my lost socks.