Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.  I Timothy 3:9

What is this mystery?

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Yet, this is not what makes up the substance of the mystery of the faith. 

So what are the elements of this mystery?

A pure substance has a constant composition and can not be separated into simpler substances by physical means. This element is being likeminded to something.

It is a deeper substance than just faith. It is a truth that can be apprehended, yet not comprehended. It is a truth revealed to Paul, a truth Paul who once persecuted Christians, apprehended after he trusted Christ. It is a truth he held to dearly up until his death and one that didn’t die with him but continues to live even up until now in the year 2020.

Paul who seems to be the author of Hebrews wrote, “Hold fast to the faith”. He warns of a time that there will be a falling away. He warns to keep the faith during that time.

What have we lost over the decades? 

How much more have we lost in 2020?

In 2020 everyone was summonsed to their homes, to stay away from their families and friends and hunker down because anything that comes out of anyone’s mouth could be deadly.  COVID was the name, but the enemy seemed to wear that mask to cover his true identity. Satan moved through this land with vengeance as suicides surged, drug and alcohol abuse skyrocketed, and abuse to children raged ravenously though the world. Yet everyone was to be silent, ignore the pain, ignore the grief and just stay in and stay quite.

If you were an essential worker, the enemy was following closely behind demanding you give your all but to do so while wearing a specific mask, even if you were asthmatic.  No time to hesitate lest the companies completely collapse. 

If you remained at home, be sure to stay filled with fear, the entire time. Be sure to change the way you process information because the rioters and looters on TV were peaceful protestors. You should be filled with compassion and send your money to them instead of attending church and giving a tithe. These poor children had grown up in a horrible society causing this raging anger to manifest itself.  I mean,it’s peaceful setting fires, robbing, stealing and killing don’t you know?

Paul proclaimed, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together and so much the more as you see the day approaching.”  

In the bible days, believers didn’t have the scripture written down, so they verbally proclaimed the word by scripture memory. By the time a child was seven he had memorized much of the scripture.  They sang it daily and people gained strength and comfort from those words. It was the verbal proclamation that gave life.

Just as in the beginning, God breathed and it brought life and the beginning of a great and wonderful world. The act of proclaiming the words of God can also bring life and liberty to the broken and defeated. 

There are many who are physically and emotionally broken due to the lockdown. I had friend who was among so many that have committed suicide during the lockdown. Many have become seriously ill but not COVID related.  Doctors say that many illnesses are caused by sadness and depression. 2020 has confirmed this to be true

It is time we get back to breathing – breathing the Word of God, voicing our praises, singing with joy unto the Lord God of Creation. Let’s lift up our heads and our hearts, and sing with all our heart, soul and mind.

There are open fields where we should be setting up old fashioned tabernacles and places to worship.  There are so many ways to worship other than in a beautiful sanctuary. 

It’s time Christians understand the “Mystery of the Faith”, instead of only the “History of the Faith”. 

The “History of the Faith” is held in the mind.  The “Mystery of the Faith”, is far deeper, as it is held in the heart. 

The “Mystery of the Faith” is so deep that though the storms come, though everyone else turns away and you stand alone being persecuted you can endure it and flourish once again. Though the fig trees fail to bud and there are no grapes on the vine, the faith is grounded so deep it still holds and grips the solid rock, Jesus.

Apprehend this mystery of the faith and hold fast to it.

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