It would at least seem reasonable to address the “It” in the title, though I am convinced most have some sense of their opinion. Is “It” the gospel? Is it the faith? (As we are told in one place of our “faith which worketh by love”) Is it more? Something other? Life? Jesus Himself? (it would seem less than savory to refer to Him as an it though, wouldn’t it?) Might it be the whole of creation as a man might perceive it? Even extending to what he doesn’t see of it but senses its being “out there”…somewhere.
Here might be the place where what is called theology (even if described as a sort of discipline of thought or mind by which we express our sensing of reality) and philosophy (also a discipline, so to speak) happily exist. Even co-exist. For we find no prohibition in scripture against thought, meditations upon, nor consideration of the things expressed. Indeed, we are told to think (and who avoids it, anyway?) upon certain matters. “Consider the sparrows…” “Consider the lillies…” And who, if thinking himself a believer, can avoid thinking in terms of significance…of some drive to apprehend/understand matters presented as to their full meaning?
But our thinking is to be informed. Informed of matters whose end is always God and His Christ in light of any matter presented. In other words, to what end are we told to consider the sparrows? To the end that, in all of their lack of labors to sustain those things that sustain them (they neither plant nor reap) they are being cared for and fed. And that even beyond such observable activity (or lack thereof) there is an unwinking observer and carer, who not only provides…but is entirely aware when even one falls to the ground.
Yes, philosophy informed of God is not excluded nor proscribed in the strict sense of its meaning “love of wisdom”. That wisdom we are told that “comes from above”. (We are even warned of those who refuse to receive the love of the truth). The short summation might well be:
Think of all things in terms of the love of God shown us in Christ so that by such thinking/meditations, yes…even philosophizing of such end as found in God…we might also apprehend to the knowledge of God; not merely that “He is” (that must be settled), but how, in His being and expression of that being…He is. And here it must also be settled that this God, our God, Person of all person cannot be known apart from His willing of it. He cannot be observed, much less understood, in any way “at will” but by His own will.
And here we discover that no matter our seeming labors in either thoughts or considerations, it is a gift (of a will) to be invited to them, to be provided with open access to them (not forbidden) and such are ours made so by Christ. Ask, seek, knock…be “on the hunt” with a promise that in so doing one will never find disappointment…only abundance of joy. We are learning someone is making themselves known to us without reservation, without reproval for our “need to know”, no shaming of our ignorance as we investigate the obedience of God’s Christ to be seen in a man, even a man made like as we in all respects, but without sin. Even a man who, having come to be amongst us in a body and live out that life before us, made plain His own total dependence to be “shown” things. As He was unashamed of declaring this utter dependence (with manifest consequence made by the resurrection of His approval) likewise, we too, are unashamed of our not yet knowing for we are unashamed of whom we seek to its fulfillment. The Christ of God. Jesus.
But, yet again, even as so much of plainness is spoken of in the above: of Christ’s coming to live and abide amongst us, let us not forget what Jesus declared that “no man knows the Son but the Father and those to whom He chooses to reveal Him”. There is a seeing that is not true seeing; despite its sounding either too elitist, arcane or esoteric. It is not to the end of directing to gurus nor the spiritually adept, but rather that any sight of understanding be deeply appreciated as the gift it is and not taken for granted.
Here “To him who has, more shall be given…” is found working in a gratitude that is neither feigned nor can be manufactured. One is sharing in the Father’s delight in the Son, and the Son’s delight in His, and even our, Father. We are called into that relationship. And nothing else, nor less; for certainly it becomes clearer to us as we see that anything of else…would be less. No, we can never make too much of this union. We might at times hold it as less in some esteem, but it can never be over esteemed. For it is in this eternal union that all has flowed that we might know, or come to know both in creation of things seen and all those things we are instructed to look into that are beyond creation, even this very relationship. From atoms to nebulae (such as we apprehend them) all has flowed through and from this (our) God’s good pleasure in Himself. Even to be made known to us by His very spirit. No, “it” cannot be made less of. But all is open to the believer, even the “it” of it, to the believer for knowing, seeking, asking of grateful entreaty to see rightly. Clearly. Fully. Our God is not a tease. He withholds nothing nothing from the Son of His love; and to see Him “as He is”, our fervent hope in all, is to know both that indeed “all things have been given of the Father”, and no less, that He has done as promised, to make all things known to us in His showing us the Father. By taking us to Him, in Himself.
If we are warned against becoming dull of hearing, let us show ourselves sons by taking such word to heart, not casting off instruction and by such show ourselves His children and not bastards. God forbid we succumb to a casualness that prevents both our true hearing of what our Lord asked in prayer while in His days of flesh, nor the conviction of how our Father responds to the Son’s entreaties. (Yes and amen!) Even in this matter recorded (as all has been for our benefit) here:
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (KJV)
And though I am tempted to highlight certain verses in the above, perhaps to the even making of a “point” I find salient, thankfully the spirit forbids. And am made content in seeking to answer my own proposal as to what is the “it”. To know the this of it.
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