For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

The mystery of God goes deeper than first purview. To be sure, God’s plan can be articulated in theological and logical terms. In fact, a non-believing theologian can repeat Paul’s summary, Christ and Him crucified, as a statement of fact that Christians believe, and can even write great essays expounding traditional, orthodox Christian beliefs. One could even give a nuanced understanding of it—yet not believe it. Universities and liberal seminaries are filled with such purveyors of religious studies.

But for the true believer, there is a spiritual nuance, a knowing, that passes beyond the logical and theological. As Paul says, it comes from the depths of God. There is a connection that defies full comprehension, yet is grasped by even the youngest, newest believer, even the carnal believers like the Corinthians. How can this be?

The mystery of God’s truth, the real essence of Christ and Him crucified, cannot be forcibly attained or apprehended, no matter how much studying and searching a person does. It is not attained through moral living or religious observances. It comes in no other way than through revelation. It comes because God reveals it to those who believe. To put it simplistically, the Spirit is our research assistant who does all the work for us, and presents us with the results.

The analogy Paul uses is interesting. Multiple biographies can be written about the same individual, each attempting to capture the essence of that person. Yet only those closest to him can really convey what he is or was like. In fact, only the man himself can truly know himself and his motivation, not any expert on human behavior or historical analysis. The same is true of God. How could anyone possibly write an accurate biography of God? Only God Himself can tell us what He is like and what He wants us to know.

What sets apart Judeo-Christian religions from all others is that they are built on truth God has revealed. Christianity focuses on the truth that trumps all others, the truth that gets to the core of God and what He is doing in the world, and that is, in Paul’s terms, “Christ and Him crucified.” This is what is deep in the thoughts of God. And only the Spirit of God can convey the profound nuance and full meaning of this.

Lord, help me go deeper in understanding Christ and Him crucified.