The Mysteries of Christianity

Revealed Truths Expounded and Defended

Author

T. J. Crawford

Category eBooks, Theology Books

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Weight	1.2 lbs
Dimensions	8.75 × 5.6 × 1.1 in
ISBN	9781848717152
Binding	Cloth-bound, eBook (ePub & Mobi), Cloth-bound & eBook (ePub & Mobi)
Topic	Apologetics, Theology
Original Pub Date	1874
Banner Pub Date	Oct 20, 2016
Page Count	344
Format	Book

Book Description

From the Introduction by Sinclair B. Ferguson

‘Mystery’ is a biblical word that over the years has been reduced in meaning. Taking on an atmosphere very different to the sense in which it was used for example by the apostle Paul. It is important therefore in opening these pages to realize that in discussing Christianity’s mysteries Crawford is dealing with realities that can be known by us only if God himself reveals them. They come to us recorded in the pages of Scripture, not as a result of our own abilities to engage in reasoning. Thus The Mysteries of Christianity is in essence an exposition and defence of Christianity as a supernatural, Trinitarian faith at the heart of which lie the mysteries of the incarnation, the atonement, the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, and the marvels of divine providence.

Table of Contents Expand ↓

	Introduction by Sinclair B Ferguson	xiii
1	Subject of Discussion stated	1
	Mystery defined; misconceptions of it rectified	1
	Order of discussion proposed	8
	I) Doctrines which are mysterious from want of internal evidence	9
2	Recapitulation	27
	II) Doctrines which are mysterious from the transcendental nature of their subjects	30
3	How God may be said to ‘hide’ while revealing himself	58
	Any revelation from God may be expected to treat of mysteries	60
	III) Doctrines which are mysterious from the limited extent of their disclosures	63
4	Like mysteries emerge in philosophies and in theology	81
	IV) Doctrines which are mysterious from their apparent inconsistency with other doctrines	83
5	That ‘Where mystery begins, religion ends,’ is true in one sense	103
	But not true in the sense intended by those who allege it	104
	V) Mystery arising from the inadequacy of human language to express revealed truth	106
	VI) Mystery arising from the incapacity of fallen men to discern spiritual things	112
	Bearing of mystery on the interpretation of Scripture	123
6	The Doctrine of the Trinity	133
7	Union of Divine and Human Nature in the Person of Christ	153
8	The Doctrine of the Atonement	173
9	The Work of the Holy Spirit	197
10	The Purposes of God—the doctrine stated	227
11	The Purposes of God—the doctrine vindicated	251
12	Cautions against prying into things unrevealed	285
	APPENDIX
A	Believing and Disbelieving	305
B	Things above reason distinguished from things against reason	306
C	Mysteries in mathematics	308
D	Physical theory of life	310
E	The unity of God	313
F	Attempted explanations of the Trinity	314
G	Moral Suasion	317
H	Permissive purposes of God 323
I	Purposes of God respecting the non-elect 325

Testimonials

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Marc Daniel Rivera (KristiyaKnow) – December 12, 2025

T. J. Crawford’s The Mysteries of Christianity is one of those forgotten treasures that deserves to be read again. First published in the 19th century and now reissued by Banner of Truth, this book feels like opening a long-sealed chest filled with gold. Crawford writes as a pastor-theologian who takes the Bible seriously and believes Christianity is, at its core, supernatural. And his goal is simple: explain why the great doctrines of the faith are called “mysteries,” and defend the fact that they should be.

This isn’t “mystery” in the modern sense of vague, shadowy feelings. Crawford goes back to the biblical meaning of the word—truths that can be known only because God revealed them. We don’t discover these things by logic or philosophical speculation. They come to us by Scripture.

And so this book becomes an explanation of Christianity’s central miracles: the Trinity, the incarnation, the atonement, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the sovereignty of God. In other words, Crawford takes readers straight to the heart of the faith.

What the Book Covers:

The book is arranged as a series of lectures. Each one tackles a different type of “mystery” in Christian doctrine and shows how these mysteries make sense within the Christian worldview.

Lecture One & Two: What “Mystery” Really Means

Crawford starts by clearing the ground. He defines mystery, corrects common misunderstandings, and shows that mystery is not a failure of revelation—but part of its nature. Some doctrines feel mysterious simply because we lack full information. Others feel mysterious because they deal with realities beyond our human capacity to fully grasp.

He walks through examples from reason, nature, mathematics, science, and everyday life to show that mystery is woven into the world itself. If that is true in nature, how much more in divine revelation?

Lecture Three & Four: Where Revelation Ends and Our Limits Begin

Next, Crawford deals with doctrines that are mysterious because God doesn’t tell us everything. Scripture reveals what we need to know, not everything we might want to know. The Bible’s goal is salvation, not intellectual curiosity.

He then addresses doctrines that seem inconsistent with other doctrines—only to show that the inconsistency is usually imagined or based on wrong assumptions. He argues that mystery is not a contradiction, and it should not scare us away from believing what Scripture clearly teaches.

The Heart of the Book: The Great Christian Doctrines

The middle lectures are the core of the work. This is where Crawford’s ability really shines. He walks through the Trinity, the person of Christ, the atonement, the work of the Spirit, and the sovereignty of God—not to explain them fully, but to show why these truths are essential and reasonable as revealed doctrines.

The Trinity

Crawford distinguishes what we can say and what we cannot. We affirm God’s unity and the threefold distinction in the Godhead. We reject wrong explanations like Arianism, Sabellianism, or tritheism. But we must also admit that we cannot describe the internal workings of God’s being. The Trinity is revealed, not reasoned out.

The Person of Christ

His treatment of the incarnation is one of the strongest parts of the book. Crawford defends the real humanity and full deity of Christ, and he carefully clears away misunderstandings that have confused this doctrine for centuries. He doesn’t build new theories—he simply unfolds Scripture.

The Atonement

Crawford acknowledges the mystery of how Christ’s sufferings save sinners. But he also shows why the atonement is reasonable, necessary, and deeply rooted in God’s wisdom. He explores what makes Christ’s substitution unique—His voluntary sacrifice, His sinlessness, His divine-human person, and the Father’s love behind it.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Here Crawford explains why conversion is often unnoticed while it happens, and why believers experience both dependence on God and real personal effort. He refuses to simplify Scripture or remove the tension. Instead, he calls us to embrace what Scripture presents.

The Sovereignty and Purposes of God

In Lectures Ten and Eleven, he tackles one of the most debated topics: God’s eternal purposes. Crawford defends the doctrine clearly and patiently, answering the common objections about human freedom, the problem of evil, and God’s sincerity in offering salvation.

Final Lectures: Humility Before Mystery

The closing lecture is a needed reminder. We are not called to pry into what God has not revealed. We honor Him not by explaining everything, but by trusting Him, obeying Him, and following Christ.

Why This Book Matters Today

Readers today are often trained to think that “mystery” means something unclear or unreasonable. Crawford shows the opposite. Mystery is part of revelation. It humbles us, anchors us, and protects us from reducing God to our size.

This book is not light reading, but it is rich, steadying, and rewarding. Anyone willing to stretch the mind will come away strengthened in faith and clearer about the core truths of Christianity.

For those wanting a thoughtful, reverent, and deeply biblical defense of historic Christian doctrine, The Mysteries of Christianity is worth the effort—maybe even essential.