Saturday, July 4, 2009

Lesson 8 – Unio Mystica: am I alone?

I. Introduction – What is a Mystery?
What’s a Mystery: It is something hard to understand or explain.

The social sphere that characterizes the heart and soul of Christianity: The Mystical Union between God and Man.

Is it possible for the infinite, eternal Creator to dwell within the heart of an individual? The implications of this great mystery, which represents the very core of the Christian faith. Who can fathom this mystery?

II. The Mystical Union

A. Between a Husband and wife: “Therefore a man shall leave his mother and father and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church. – Ephesians 5: 31-32

B. Between Christ and His Church: “…the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hop of glory – Colossians 1:27

C. Between God and man – the Unio Mystica


Trinity and God & Man: Intimacy, Union, Oneness

The God of the Universe dwells (lives) in me?!?
The God of the universe has come to make His dwelling both with us and in us.
It’s not just a fraction or a small piece of God, but the infinite God dwells in us.

  1. John 15:5: Jesus’ discourse on the vine and the branches and the importance of “abiding” in Hm.
  2. John 14:16-17: “for he lives with you and will be in you”
  3. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: “God’s Spirit lives in you”


D. Unique and particular social laws and the blurring of spheres

Social Institutions (systems): Family, Labor, state, community, Church, God & Man.

We must be careful not to “blur the spheres” by applying the unique and particular social laws of one realm to another realm.

We need to understand each one of them.

Don’t assume that we can meet our need for Christian fellowship by worshiping God individually, or that we can enter into a wonder of Unio Mystica simply by attending services at the local church.


III. Unity – The Body of Christ – Making the many one
Romans 12: 4-5

A. Mystery = many members but one body – we form one body with unique gifts and roles - Ephesians 3:6 / Galatians 3:28-29

B. The Mystery of Christ: “…for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Romans 16: 25- 25 / Ephesians 1: 9-10

C. Jesus vision for the Church: The flock of God

  1. John 17: 20-23 “…that all of them may be one… so the world may believe that you have sent me…may they be brought to complete unity…”
  2. Oneness – the many reciprocal or “one-another” commands

No racial barriers (nor Jew nor Greek)
No economic or class barriers (nor slave or free)
No gender barriers (nor male or female)

He is the Groom
We are the bride – Mathew 23: 1-7 (*Jesus and Tassels*)


IV. Hunger for Significance
What keeps us from intimacy or deep fellowship?
There is potential for the emergence of dysfunctions and pathologies as the effects of the Cosmic Battle make themselves felt at the very core of man’s relationship with God.

A. Why Tassels - Numbers 15: 38 – “… so you will…not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes” Also see

The Lord warns His people many times against the dangers of “prostituting” themselves or “going a-whoring” after other gods and idols.

B. Jesus teaching reminds us – “everything they do is for men to see” – We want to be noticed and gain recognition from others – Matt 6: 1-4 “The praises of men” and “They have received their reward in full” Matt 6: 1-4 “The praises of men” – reward. We should instead seek significance from God. (Matt 6: 5-6 / Matt 6: 16-18)

C. Source of significance drive – should be from God just like the drive for sex was given to us from Him. But it should be fulfilled within the correct covenant relationship; ultimately only by Him.

D. The Post Game Party – Saul’s jealousy of David after the victory over Goliath – 1st Samuel 18: 6-10

Buyer’s remorse – Isaiah 55:12!!!


V. Conclusion
Revisiting the simple question: What is eternal life?
“…that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 1:7

Augustine – The true perspective of man’s need:
“God has made us for himself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him.”

Our greatest desire:
“God has made us Himself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him” – Psalm 42:1-2 “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for these summaries. Do you have summaries for 7, 9, 10, 11 & 12?

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    Replies
    1. Hi, I do have them online but you can't click on these links, the rest came up and I printed out and these 7,9,10,11,12 doesn't work, the links can't be click on, I do not know what happened, I turned off the computer, came back and it is the same, those can't be click on. Please send the outline for these anytime when you have time. Thank you in Jesus love: Nick

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  2. Hi Lou,
    How do you do? If you or anybody read my comment please help me. I am taking a course in the "The TruthProject" at Parkview Baptist church, Palm Coast, Florida. I found your outlines for the truth project course, I was able to print out 1,2,3,4,5,6,8, and I am not able to open 7,9,10,11,12.
    Would it be possible for someone to copy these 7,9,10,11,12 outlines, excellent source to understand the course since they do not give you any materials to prepare yourself for the next class and I do like to study a head.
    Could you be so kind and copy these lessons, send it to me to Nick1978@aol.com
    Thank you so much, God Bless You in Love in Jesus:

    ReplyDelete