An Inkling
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.
If you were to pick a verse to summarize the good news of our approaching Holy Week celebration, which verse would you choose? Many would choose the verse above, John 3:16. It is about as basic as our faith gets. Yet at the same time it expresses some central mysteries of our faith.
Often we think of “the basics” as something we do so that we can move on to more advanced levels. We begin with basic grammar so that we can move on to competent writing; with basic math so that we can move on to calculus; with basic science so that we can move on to chemistry. But the basics are not lost – they are just assumed. For example, one cannot solve a problem using a derivative equation without the assumptions of basic math.
So it is with our faith. We begin with the basic understanding that God so loved..., only we never really move beyond that. We go on to study complex issues: theological questions about the nature of God and humanity, and ethical questions about war, abortion, and so on. Sometimes the complexity of such matters causes us to lose our awareness of the basics. But if faith is a component of our understanding, then we can never move far from those basic truths.
In fact, one factor that persuades me of the truth of Christianity is that its deepest mysteries are found in its simplest truths. It is not as if we ever move beyond John 3:16. We need not, for it holds both enough mystery for a lifetime of pondering, and enough good news to make life worth living. Thanks be to God!
Simply thinking,
Keith
