TruthInvestigate

“Oh, the unspeakable greatness of that exchange,—the Sinless One is condemned, and he who is guilty goes free; the Blessing bears the curse, and the cursed is brought into blessing; the Life dies, and the dead live; the Glory is whelmed in darkness, and he who knew nothing but confusion of face is clothed with glory.”

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Location: Kingsland, Georgia, United States

A person God turned around many times.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

What God does teaches us who He is

Another email to a friend:

We can never understand God. His eternal nature, His omnipresence, are beyond human comprehension. Yet He gave us the marvelous tool of an intelligent mind. It was Adam’s role in Eden to study flora and fauna, and name them according to their unique characteristics. As a type of the great Creator, Adam, through intellectual powers, was to dominate and comprehend and rule his small sphere. He glorified God through being a miniature replica of God, yet he in no way could take God’s place and fully comprehend God or His universe in its immensity.

Content to look upon the wonders and beauty of creation, Adam was growing in knowledge of God, for who He was. As Christ came daily to walk and talk with the holy pair, they were continually better able to appreciate and understand the gifts in the big, amazing world they had been given. Not through scientific research and syllogism, microscopes and chemical labs did the holy pair learn of their new world; but through communion with Him who made it all were their eyes opened to the mysteries of the physics, the chemistry, and biology.

When Satan came to tempt them, his work was: one) to turn their focus toward God the Father, whom they had never personally met and could never understand without Christ revealing Him (“Yea, hath not God said…?”) and leading their thoughts away from the Lord God who had been a very personal Friend to them, and was the one who actually had warned them away from the tree); and two) to dive into a realm of intellectualism and mystery and curiosity (“Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”) By leading Eve away from simplicity and trust, and into a higher critical frame of mind devoid of the elements of righteousness, the tempter successfully separated her loyalty from God and placed it in herself, allowing him full sway over her from then on.

God has always provided us with a knowledge of Himself through His works, in creation and now in redemption. Our only view of Him is, as it were, His hand. And through His hand He can paint for us an accurate self-portrait. We must trust in what He has done and study that in order to comprehend who He is. Why has He chosen this method of revealing Himself over an intellectual, purely logical approach? Because His works declare Himself so faithfully. Satan can warp our logic and academician skills, but it’s too tall an order for the devil to warp all of God’s infinite works.

“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.” (Jn. 10:25). “If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” (vs. 37,38).

“Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake.” (Jn. 14:11).

“If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father.” (Jn. 15:24).

“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained…” (Ps. 8:3).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Ps. 19:1-4).


God has also revealed Himself to us through His laws, His holy Bible. Satan and all today’s atheistic community of intellectuals have cast distain on God and His word. The Bible is too simple for them. It isn’t intellectual enough. Yet it is the very means whereby we must be uplifted from sin. It speaks of what God has done, which strokes out for us an extensive mural of His character. The Bible uses such a simple approach to knowing God for who He is. We cannot use the world’s approach to comprehend God—pure logic. But as children, we must accept His method for our understanding Him. We can accept clues of His character and person in the form with which He has provided us. We must study His word, desperate to know that He loves us. The poor in spirit are the only ones to ultimately get acquainted with Him.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (vs. 7,8).

If we will come to Him as little children we will know Him. You mentioned needing the Trinity doctrine in order to objectify the Holy Spirit. But without a constant study and meditation on the word of God in all His works, we will be forever trying to objectify, quantify, yet never coming to a knowledge of the truth.

God speaks to man and all his great logic, objectification, and theologies. “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” (Job 11:7).

“To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” (Is. 66:2).

Jesus said, “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Matt. 11:25).

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1Pet. 2:2).

“For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1Cor. 1:19-24).


The grand finale of God’s revelation of Himself is, of course, in Christ. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Cor. 4:6).

“Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Cor. 1:30).

“Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” (Is. 29:14).

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2Cor. 4:3). Blindness came because man brought only his great genius to the search for God instead of trusting in Him to bring them to Himself through His word and works.


_____, my dear brother and friend, beware of the great delusion. Many pagan theories made their way into the church cloaked in Christian nuances. Satan makes his error so close to the truth that only the heart touched by the grace of God can navigate safely through the minefield.

Although I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, something seems wrong to me about the Trinity doctrine. Somehow it seems like a substitute for the Bible, though coming from the Biblical model. It’s like popping a supposed comprehensive vitamin into your mouth at each meal, instead of eating a plateful of food, a variety of delicious whole foods and whole grains. The Trinity doctrine seems to be an intellectual’s attempt to find God. It’s an intellectual icon, if you please. It is another product of Catholicism, a method of intellectualizing God, which never led nor will ever lead to a contrite and humble spirit, a new creature.

While the Triune Godhead is a Biblical reality, I believe the Trinity concept cannot lead us to a knowledge of God or the Godhead. Any attempt to use pure intellect and logic, focusing on a single aspect of truth in order to comprehend God, will only lead to frustration in the search and to the final conclusion of pagan Rome, that there is no truth. (John 18:38). It is trusting, hoping in, looking to, and worshipping a concept; a twin of Mariolatry.

Instead, take what means God has prescribed and offered us to understand Him, through reading the whole Bible, observing His creation and our experiences of life, and thus receive a love of the truth that will lead to obtaining the peace and freedom which you, the creature of God, so earnestly expects and waits for. Our only safeguard against the wiles and wrath of the devil is the whole Bible, understanding the works of God in dealing with man from the beginning to the end. “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, …if we believe.” (Rom. 4:22-24).

“Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.” (Is. 30:8). Once written into the sacred record, it’s good for everyone who ever afterwards reads it until the end of time. It’s the everlasting gospel, (Rev. 14:6) from the opening pages of Genesis to the closing scenes of Revelation, it all works together, law, prophets, gospels, epistles.

There is no rite or ceremony or special condition required to comprehend and be changed by the power of the word, except to be in great need. Not even repentance is made an obstacle. Simply let the mind dwell on the messages from the Bible. “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them,” (1Tim. 4:15) until faith appropriates them for itself through the operation of the Spirit of God working in you. Repentance will come later as the gift of God.

“Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His wondrous works.
Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.
Remember His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;
O ye seed of Israel His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen ones.
He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
Be ye mindful always of His covenant; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations;
Even of the covenant which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation.
Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.” (1Chron. 16:9-25).

“Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them, and not build them up.” (Ps. 28:5).

“And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of His hands.” (Is. 5:12).

“Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” (Col. 2: 12).

“Say unto God, How terrible art Thou in Thy works! Through the greatness of Thy power shall Thine enemies submit themselves unto Thee.” (Ps. 66:3).

“They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law; and forgat His works, and His wonders that He had shewed them.” (Ps. 78:10,11).

“For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands. O Lord, how great are Thy works! And Thy thoughts are very deep.” (Ps. 92:4,5).

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Ps. 107:8).

“O Lord God, thou hast begun to shew Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to Thy works, and according to Thy might?” (Deut. 3: 24).

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Is. 53:1).

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

What God doses teaches us Who He is

Thanks David for this post and others before this one. I have liked it and I have just remembered the hymn I sing the mighty power of the Lord that made the ......... I have liked it and you have made my day. Amen I praise for His might works that are declared in the skys and we praise and worship him.
I have liked the statement in the middle of the article that the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul even like mine when I was going astray from him, what a good recommendable article. Daniel Uganda

10/02/2007 8:22 AM  

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