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The Simple Complexity of Complex Simplicity
The Gospel is as simple or as complex as you need it to be.
Cole F. Watson
February 08, 2024
“What is 3R Thursday?”
3R Thursday is a short devotional that contains Ramblings, Ruminations, and Reflections published most Thursdays to equip Christians with practical theology and worship-inducing philosophy.
Previous devotionals can be found here.
Now up, forward, and through 🤝
3R THURSDAY: The Simple Complexity of Complex Simplicity
The Gospel is as simple or as complex as you need it to be.
Simple understanding of the Gospel:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Complex understanding of the Gospel:
Gardner A. Sage Library of New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Each one of these books—in its most simple summary—is about the Bible, in one way or another.
The Bible, in its most simple summary, is about the Gospel.
Go back to John 3. ☝️
Here is Nicodemus, a Pharisee, “a ruler of the Jews” (3:1), a/k/a “Nic at Night” a/k/a Ol’ Nic.
Ol’ Nic had heard about this Jesus character—but he didn’t get it.
It = Jesus, his teaching, his life, his proclamations, his parables, any of it.
But Ol’ Nic was an educated man. *Insert serious professor face contemplating reality*
He had probably read at least ~one~ scroll by now (if not all the scrolls (a/k/a the Law™️)). Heck, he may have even written a whole scroll himself and memorized the Law™️.
Ol’ Nic was a smart dude who loved complicating things.
In the Pharisaical world within the Roman Empire, complicating simple things was called “job security.” (Search for the term “lawyer” in the New Testament, and you’ll see what I mean. For example, Luke 10:25-37).
Ol’ Nic knew that Jesus was a “teacher from God” because no one else could do the things that Jesus was doing without God. (3:2) (Ya think??)
So what did Ol’ Nic want to know?
How to make sense of Jesus’ miracles
How to understand Jesus’ teaching
How to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior
Simply put, he wanted to make the simple…complex…
And what did Jesus say before Ol’ Nic had the opportunity to complicate the simple?
“You gotta be born again to see the Kingdom of God.” (3:3, CFW)
Simple, right? What’s so hard to understand about that?
WRONG.
Ol’ Nic’s mind scrambled for ~absurd~ things like
“reason”
“clarity”
“certainty”
“meaning."
Ol’ Nic asked, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (3:4) (Sidebar: Do you know any “literalists” in your life? Dads—that includes you with the best dad joke ever: “Dad, I’m hungry.” “Hi Hungry, I’m Dad!”)
Jesus then hits Ol’ Nic with that ~razzle-dazzle~; that “you gotta be born of the Spirit” (3:5-8, CFW) and don’t complicate this by asking for “clarity” when there are complicated things like the wind blowing around that no one thinks to question. (3:8)
So Ol’ Nic gives up at this point. Exasperated, he asks, “How can these things be?” (3:9)
The simple complexity of this complex simplicity was too simple for his complicated mind.
So Jesus brings the thunder and smacks Ol’ Nic between the eyes:
“Nic, don’t you teach about this stuff? How can you teach something you don’t understand? Not much of a teacher, huh? Yet how am I supposed to explain the complicated nature of heavenly surrealities when you can’t even grasp earthly realities?”
“I’m telling you that God loved the world so much—which includes you, Nic—that he sent his only son—his only son!—you got kids, Nic?—to die for you, for everyone. That’s how much he loved you. He was willing to give up his only son so that you wouldn’t have to die, so that you could have life everlasting.”
“So if you believe in God and believe that he sent his Son to die for you, then you’re saved; it’s that simple! Yet people love the darkness; they want to make this truth so complicated so they do wicked and evil things instead.”
“But I’m telling you, Nic, if you love truth, seek truth, and do what is true, you’ll come into the light and find God there; and in turn, you’ll be born again.” (3:10-21, CFW)
The Gospel is as simple or as complex as you need it to be.
Need simplicity?
The Gospel is revealed in a single verse. (John 3:16) ☝️
Need complexity?
There are entire books written about the truth found in this one verse. ☝️
Need simple complexity?
Peruse any philosopher’s library and discover the theological thoughts of the Apostle Paul, Justin Martyr, Augustine, Boethius, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John (Calvin, Knox, Edwards, and Locke), Immanuel Kant, Hegel, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, C.S. Lewis, and Dallas Willard.
Need complex simplicity?
God loves you and offers life everlasting.
The Simple Gospel
The simpler the Gospel is, the more profound it becomes—the more significant the cross becomes.
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Hope you have a blessed week.
See you next Thursday,
CFW