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Mystery was a significant
factor within Christianity up until Constantine negotiated the
alliance between the Church and State, ending 300 years of conflict. Jesus: Matthew 7:6 Give
not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn
again and rend you. Mark 4:11 And he
said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the
kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these
things are done in parables: Paul: 1 Cor 2:6
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the
wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come
to nought: 7 But we speak
the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of
the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would
not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them
that love him. 10 But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all
things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man
knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of
God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God. 13 Which things
also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but
which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. 14 But the
natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is
spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath
known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have
the mind of Christ. It comes as a
shock to many that there was a large degree of hiddenness about
Christianity for the first few hundred years, and this begs the
question of whether there were significant aspects of Christianity
that were not written down or that if they were written down were
obfuscated. Beyond the NT in
the writings of the Fathers there are numerous references to mystery
and secrecy. But for those with ears to hear the Holy Spirit
speaks. |
