Granted we should not cop-out by calling something a "mystery" when God's word clearly states a particular doctrine. My point was that some want to beat a subject to death trying to put into words a concept that cannot be explained completely or even adequately at some point. There are things we MUST take by faith because God says it regardless of whether we understand it fully. I think some of the theologians of yesteryear, and even today, pontificate in tome after tome trying to explain what is impossible to humanly explain. Their endless ramblings have even been accepted by some as truth on par with Holy Scripture because it just sounds so intellectual. I read some of them and it's enough to put me to sleep. How many words can be used to explain what is humanly impossible to comprehend? I think some just liked to hear themselves talk - not that I am ever guilty of that ;o).
Wait, you mean that's not supposed to happen? I kinda thought that was what Kierkegaard was aiming at. I just open Works of Love and five minutes later ... zzzzzzz.
MB: I do think one can, in fact at some undetermined point, one has to say, "I can only go so far. The rest may not be a mystery in some objective sense, but it beats the heck out of me."
I think then the MAIN point is to know where those points are in one's own theological efforts. Some stuff, at the very best, I just have to come back to later.
But that point is not a proof (and no substitute for a 'current proof'). It's also nothing to be ashamed of. It is what it is. However, the fact that such points exist for most of us constitute a great shame on threads that are so contentious and laced with insult just barely on the windy side of the law.
How anyone can think that the gospel is well-preached by repeated condemnation utterly escapes me. and when thee condemnations are obviously false, well, it's pretty much the end of any possibility of conversation.
BB AND MB: While I think what I just said, I do think there is room for looking at prima facie cases. That is as if I were to say,"Okay so you can't explain why you think thus and such. well would this that and the other thing be consequences of such and such, and do we think that's good?" So just hitting a conceptual brick wall doesn't mean we're done with the investigation.
FWIW. I'm going to bed. Bless you all.