The value of tension, paradox and seeming contradictions

Whenever God gives us a truth, there often seems to be an opposite truth that goes alongside it and appears contrary to it. Such as God is sovereign in the affairs of men and man's full responsibility for his choices i.e. the "God is sovereign" vs man has a "free will" debate. 

Many key truths in scripture are in tension. The greatest truths seem to be those found within these greatest points of tension; between apparently opposing or opposite realities; the apparent contradictions and greatest paradoxes - i.e. there is a deeper and fuller truth hidden within the paradox and tension of seemingly opposite truths. If we humbly wrestle with and contemplate these seeming contradictions, God reveals vital truths about Himself and His creation we might otherwise miss. 

I would further suggest that those truths are in tension so we might press further into God in greater humility and trust, to discover the richest and most rewarding realities about Him (and ourselves) within the tension. Not an easy thing but the greatest challenges in life usually yield the greatest fruit.

If you dig into this blog further, you will notice many of the posts attempt to identify and address truths found in tension. 


Paradox easily misunderstood. 

Because the most profound truths and realities are often found in tension, the deeper truths to be discovered within are easily missed, misapplied, or misunderstood.

Like walking a tightrope or fence - i.e. at the apex of truths in tension - if you lean too far to one side or the other you fall off and away from the truth God desires we uncover within the tension.

We prefer an "either-or" scenarios because ironically, it's a form of control (or rather an attempt at a false sense of control). We don't like doing a balancing act. It takes a lot of effort (trust) and can be uncomfortable and even exhausting. The desire to feel settled ("off the fence") versus feeling unsettled creates stress. We don't like stress, we prefer comfort and try to use control via logic to obtain it, which is a false sense of comfort. 

Feeling "settled" is a control thing, tension is a "faith" thing. What we can't control creates tension and requires trust. 


Why denominations

I think these seemingly contradictory truths are also a primary reason there are often strong differences among various groups/denominations within the church at large. We settle on one side of those truths that are in tension to the exclusion of the other side (and gravitate to the group that agrees with us most) when both sides are not just taught in scripture but necessary for our greatest understanding of those deeper underlying truths and our greater advancement in our relationship and walk with God i.e. the advancement of our faith in God. 

I believe humility would go a long way in preventing denominational differences. We must recognize we are finite and only God is infinite, knowing all things. We must submit to him when we have differences instead of dogmatically insisting (out of either a sense of insecurity or a need for control) that we see all things correctly and others don't i.e. we are right and others are wrong. At a minimum, we can recognize that if our understanding of who God is and how he operates is clearer today than it was "yesterday" it is only because of humility and recognizing we were once off the mark on certain things as well and must always listen and learn and recognize we have much yet to see and understand. 


Tension...the result of the fall

I propose however the tension is within us, not the truths themselves. First, it is part of our being finite creatures. Only God knows and sees all. We do not. We don't like this, however. The more we know the more we feel in control. Feeling "out of control" requires trust, i.e. trusting the One who is in control - which isn't us. 

Second, it also goes contrary to our rebellious commitment to independence i.e. to being our own god, trusting ourselves instead of Him who alone is all-seeing and all-knowing. 

Tension is part of being broken and living in a broken world. It is the fruit of death -- separation from God, the source of love and life -- that God warned Adam of. Tension is a kind of pain/suffering. 

When we rebelled, everything came unglued - fragmented. Not just our relationship with God, but with others and even with ourselves. We no longer truly know our own hearts and why we do what we do. As Jeremiah said, the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it?

Trust, not infinite knowledge

When we trust what we can't fully understand - because we are finite - the tension subsides or goes away altogether; though not necessarily the paradox causing the tension. The inability to reconcile the paradox may never go away on this side of eternity, if only because we see through a "glass darkly" (or depending on the translation, a mirror dimly) in this present existence.

Tension is the fruit of our refusal to recognize our limits and ultimately the result of our mistrust in God; in his goodness, wisdom, and power. It is the fruit of placing our trust in ourselves and our ability to make sense out of life unaided, i.e. an attempt to operate independently of God. If we think we can, when we can't, we experience tension. 

However, there is no tension, confusion, mystery, or lack of clarity within God. Everything makes perfect sense to him. In fact, if we believe the claims within scripture, we know he sees and knows all -- is all-wise, is infinitely good and loving, and does everything accordingly; especially the things we don't understand. 

The way God is bringing things about is exactly the perfect way for them to be brought about. It is this reality we are ultimately called to believe/rest in. We are called to believe God is who He claims to be. When we do, the tension subsides or at least doesn't distract us as much or cause as much turmoil. 

Some examples of truths in tension

·      You're totally and perfectly righteous before God in Christ. We are still totally broken and rebellious in our trust of God, and increasingly more aware of both as we mature in our faith. Yet still fully loved and embraced in our lingering rebellious distrust. 

·      To live you must die, 

·      To find your life you must lose your life

·      To be exalted (lifted high) you must be humbled (go low). 

·      "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." True wealth -- not necessarily material wealth -- comes through poverty.

·      "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." The greatest comfort often comes through the greatest sadness.

·      "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" -- conquering comes through surrendering.

·      "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied -- fullness comes through hunger.

·      God is the Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things yet he brings about the advancement of his kingdom only through his people/the church. 

·      God hates evil yet fully incorporates evil in bringing about his perfect plans. 

·      God is perfectly sovereign in our salvation yet we alone are totally responsible for rejecting God's offer of that salvation.

·      Jesus was and is fully God while also fully man  

·      God is one in essence but also three distinct persons.

In wrestling with these and many other truths in tension, we come closest to truly knowing God and his ways -- though not necessarily fully. 

There is always mystery. If there were not, God would cease to be the infinite, "bottomless," all-knowing God, and we would cease to look to him and trust him for greater understanding. We would depend on our reason alone, the same lie Adam and Eve bought into in Eden.

And it is only in our looking to Him -- not just to our logic, and resting in him we find our greatest joy, contentment, rest, and peace -- lack of turmoil/confusion. If we seek these through perfect clarity of all mysteries, we will never have them because we are finite and broken, living in a broken world. To use a biblical description, we now "see through a glass darkly..." That will not change this side of eternity. We won't know as we are known until we see him face to face. So we must trust God and Christ are everything they claim to be.

That we are feeling tension in any given area, be it in our understanding of truth or our challenging circumstances -- and not being able to understand them and why we are experiencing them, is because there is an underlying reality yet to be discovered in or through the tension, and a place of trust we have not yet reached. 

It is this reality we must ask God to help us learn well. The tension requires us to do so.


Pain, tension, and spiritual advancement

It is in wrestling with the balance/tension between vital truths that we grow most.

CS Lewis alluded to this when he said truths (and lies) come in pairs and we must be careful to not back away in reaction to one error and fall off the cliff on the other side into another.

Our points of greatest pain, tension, and/or confusion are often our greatest times of epiphany and spiritual advancement.

This doesn't mean we should seek pain found in tension, but neither should we avoid it through some diversion when we can't. Some tensions we cannot eliminate and should not. Rather, we need to delve in and wrestle with them to discover the great truths God has for us within them. When tension comes, embrace it and learn from it. It always has something to tell us about God and ourselves that is important, if we are listening.


Beauty is greatest when found in the harmony of diversity and tension

The beauty of God is not physical but has to do with his nature; with harmony in diversity - a key aspect of the Trinity - and how God makes the apparent contradictions of his being work and harmonize together; how there is no conflict within God; everything fits perfectly together.

And the greater the contrast (tension) and variation of the parts, the more unique, amazing, and beautiful it is when they harmonize.

This is true of God's being, purposes, and plans. 

Who among us doesn't think "how beautiful" when we see things we wouldn't normally think would work together, harmonizing? The greater the contrast, the more harmony is required and the more beautiful it is. 


An example: the tension and the interplay of choice and the sovereignty of God.

Are we "free" to choose? 

God respects our ability to choose, so much that he lets us make poor decisions so we will figure out how bad they are and not make them again but turn away from them and make excellent ones next time. 

That way, when we do, it is our choice and no one else's. And not only are they our choices but we made them because we have come to love and trust God's direction and choose him by our "free" choice not because we were programmed to choose him. For true love to happen it must happen freely. 

However, this "figuring out" the right choice only occurs by God's Spirit. Our ability to choose is only because God sustains us and gives us this ability. If not, we would never see or figure this out i.e. God is sovereign in our choices. 

Because we tend towards control versus trust, we avoid tension and try to relegate the mysteries of life into nice, neat, logical boxes and miss the full value of truths in Scripture that are in tension. 

The challenge is we like things -- including and maybe particularly God -- to fit in neat packages. This gives us a sense of control and requires less trust/faith. 

Tension, paradox, and apparent contradiction always require trust. We don't like trust, we like control. This was the essence of the serpent's appeal in the garden...you shall be like god -- in total charge of your life by -- knowing good and evil... i.e. you will no longer need to depend on God. He will no longer be necessary to help you figure out what is right or wrong, good or bad etc. That will be up to you now. You can make life work without him. 

How wrong we were and how right God was in his warning. We truly died i.e. broke away from the source of love and life...God himself, resulting in spiritual death which eventually led to physical death and ultimately to all the brokenness in the world we now see. 

So we tend to fall on one side or the other of truths held in tension. In so doing we miss the deeper truths and riches that lie within that tension.

The irony is the more we trust God, the more he reveals to us and gives us a fuller understanding of those mysteries, even if not a complete understanding. 

Faith is about relationship, not faith

   

God is after growing our faith because he's after strengthening our relationship with him. All relationships require trust. This in large part is why I believe truths are in tension. Learning is found in the tension. Humility -- a key aspect of faith -- precedes learning. 

The fact that we are feeling tension in any given area, be it in our understanding of truth or our challenging circumstances, is because there is an underlying reality yet to be discovered in or through the tension and an opportunity to increase our trust in and strengthen our relationship with God. 

It is this reality we must find and ask God to help us learn well. When we do, the tension -- but not necessarily that which is causing the tension -- will subside or go away, possibly even altogether on occasion -- or at least more frequently. The degree to which we trust God is the degree to which we will have peace amid struggle/tension and also the degree to which God will give us a fuller understanding into those mysteries; a peace that "passes" - goes beyond or outside of understanding i.e. that is beyond logic and reasoning. 

·        For a discussion on the necessity of choice for love to be real, click here

·        For some posts on the freedom of choice, click here

·        For a discussion of the Calvinist/Arminian debate, click here

·        For a discussion on the necessity of humility in seeing truth, click here