Your mind might be drawn to long lectures and lots of note taking. You might think of a doctrinal discussion with lots of big words and many controversial positions.
Or, if you are really familiar with the Bible, your mind might run to 1st Corinthians 2:10 where we read, "...the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." That's a great place to start. But my mind is drawn to 2 other places in the Bible.
First: Romans 8 tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God "...which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." What could be deeper than the love of God? Ephesians 3:17-19 adds to Romans 8. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God." Here Paul even says specifically that God's love is deep. Also broad, high, and long. But deep.
Second: Hebrews 6:1-2 is the other biblical section that comes to my mind (when considering the "deep things of God" and what it might mean to delve deep into the Scriptures or to live a deeper spiritual life). "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." So these are the basic things, right?
- Repentance
- Faith
- Baptisms (in the blood of Christ, in the Spirit, in water, & in fire)
- Blessings (healing, impartation of the Spirit or of spiritual gifts, & ordination)
- Resurrection
- Judgment
These are elementary truths. The most immature Christian should be a master of these realities, right? This is the milk of the word. This is the Christian alphabet. Good stuff for sure! But simple; beginner's truth.
Now, the author of Hebrews runs immediately (in chapter 6) to the doctrine of apostasy. Apostasy is the abandonment or renunciation of one's belief. True children of God can never become apostates. And apostates are not and never were true children of God.
Apparently the nature of apostasy is a "deep truth" that immature believers can't grasp. Again, the Scripture continues in verse 4-6, teaching that a person can experiment with quite a few spiritual realities without ever experiencing regeneration. A lost individual can experience all of the following:
- Enlightenment (Oh, I see it now!)
- Comprehension of the gospel (Wow, that's a good deal!)
- Conviction by the Holy Spirit (Oof, God is right indeed!)
- Appetite for truth (Whoa, tell me more!)
- Some supernatural change, such as healing or even moral victory (Ah, that's so much better!)
Still, without true repentance and genuine faith, the old nature will inevitably prevail and the lost condition of the individual will eventually be revealed. And according to Hebrews 6 and 10, apostasy is irreversible.
What are other deep things? Rather than answer authoritatively, I want to lay out some possibilities. Redeeming love is deep, for sure. And the fact that love can be inadequate in any case is also deep. Beyond that, I would love to hear back from you on what you believe the deep things really are.
Are deeps things hard things? Hard to find; obscure? Hard to understand; complicated? Hard to do; demanding?
Are deep things just enduring things? In other words, shallow things could be temporary things. Eternal things then might be labeled as deep. For example, current fashion fads are just about as meaningless and transient as anything you can come up with. Your immaterial soul is at the other extreme end of the spectrum. Your soul has infinite value and will endure as long as God does. So, anything revealing truth about the nature of the soul could be considered deep, no?
Are deep things simply things that are rich with meaning. If you can just keep on unpacking more and more layers of significance in a saying, or in a person, or in a work of art - is that what makes it deep?
Is a thing deep because it is very serious, or significant, or moving?
There are some answers that I'm stealing from another, but that need to be included as possibilities. Godly wisdom is surely deep. So also is forgiveness, mercy, grace, and glory. Do you agree?
And be honest, do you really want to delve into the deep things of God? Do you want to know the deep truths of the Scripture? Do you want a spiritual life that is deep? Even these questions reveal something, do they not?
We should assume that someone with a deep spiritual walk would be immeasurably resilient in the face of suffering, oppression, injustice, and danger. Someone with a deep relationship with God should be very sensitive to God's leading; should be a wide open spigot from which God's present priorities flow freely.
A person whose roots are deep; who draws continually from the resources of God's nature, should be unswayed and unmoved by the attacks and allurements of Satan. What wise man would choose a few pieces of old butterscotch candy over a fine meal of steak, steamed vegetables, a hot buttered dinner roll, and fine wine - followed by warm blackberry cobbler and hot coffee? God's deep truth satiates the spirit and strengthens the soul. Satan's dainties leave us empty and full of regret.
Our infinite, transcendent, holy, eternal, invisible, invincible God is in no way shallow. In every way, He is deep. Let us drink deeply and dive deeply into Him. It is the reason that He made us.
