Christ: True Wisdom, Knowledge, and Mystery

In Colossians 2:1-4. Here the apostle Paul says:

V.1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

Note here what Paul was doing. The apostle is actually contrasting his position with those of his opponents (his opponents would be what Biblical scholars would call proto-Gnostics). They valued mystery, wisdom, and knowledge, and these, Paul says, can only be found in Christ. As one who feels called to teach and educate Christians the importance of worldview thinking, I find Paul’s comments here most helpful. I also find that what Paul is saying here addresses some of the most basic questions that people have, and roots there answers firmly in Jesus.

So, many of our churches are still addresses challenges posed to the faith by the modernist mindset. These challenges would include the rationality of the faith, the possibility of miracles, the exclusivity of Christ, and modernism’s devotion to scientism. And, while remembering these answers is crucial (because the challenges never fully go away), we must be very cautious not to miss the newer forms of critiques against the faith. Sadly, many of the postmodern challenges to the faith are on target. One critique is that with the desire to refute modernist attacks Christians (evangelicals largely) have over-responded and squeezed all mystery out of the faith. We have desired to show that no contradictions exist in Scripture (and there are none), and in the process have flirted with epistemic arrogance, not acknowledging when we simply cannot reconcile a difficultly (though surely there is no actual contradiction). In apologetics, we have lowered the bar of what we seek to defend to that which is plausible and possible in the mind of the unbeliever.

To the postmodernist, we need to reaffirm that there is mystery, true mystery, in Christ. Something greater than ourselves exists, Someone that transcends our finite ability to comprehend Him.

To the pragmatist, we affirm with Paul, that in Christ, we find true wisdom. Christianity “works.” Christ provides us with the tools to living a productive life (though, we may often have to challenge our standards of “productivity”). In Christ, and through His Spirit in us, we now see the world as it is, and He prompts us to live out His story in a manner that befits citizens of his kingdom.

To the rationalist, we affirm with Paul, that only in Christ are hidden all the treasures of knowledge. Christ supplies us we genuine categories for understanding man, God, sin, redemption, the world around us, and our neighbor. While we cannot have exhaustive knowledge, Christ does provide us with truth knowledge, knowledge granted by God Himself.