by Randy Bushey, December 28, 2016
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).Theologians talk about the
Incomprehensibility of God.It sounds complicated – and maybe you’re thinking it’s something belonging to a dry seminary lecture from a disheveled professor – you know the one: ill-fitting jacket with neck-tie knotted too tightly?
But, it really is
practical and
foundational to authentic Christian thinking and living.
Essentially the doctrine says this:
- God is unknowable by anyone,
- except to the degree, and in the manner, He chooses to reveal Himself.
In other words, if He chose not to disclose anything of His existence, Person or character, we wouldn’t know Him.
At all.
Without Him revealing Himself to us, He would be totally
incomprehensible.
But the great news of the Gospel, is that God has chosen to reveal Himself:
- in nature (The heavens declare the glory of God;the skies proclaim the work of His hands – Psalm 19:1).
- in the Bible (I remember,Lord, your ancient law and I find comfort in them…I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart...You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees - Psalm 119:52,57,58,68).
- and, ultimately in Christ (He is the image of the invisible God – Colossians 1:15).
The late American theologian Carl Henry observed, “God loved us so much that He forfeited His own personal privacy to reveal Himself to sinful creatures that we might know Him.”
That is the Gospel.
That is the glory of the mysterious Incarnation.
That is eternal doctrinal truth: the
Incomprehensibility of God.Takeaway: in this new year, might our understanding of the Person and work of the Tri-une God be more closely and accurately aligned with the precise truth of Who He is, as disclosed in His self-revelation.
~photo credit Cristiano Galbiati, freeimages.com
