Mind of God

Dear Brethren,

Who can know the mind of God?  Is it impudent of us to believe that we should strive to have the mind of God when the Bible reveals that God’s thoughts and ways are unfathomable to mankind?  “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”  (Isaiah 55:8).  Our critics would say that we want to be as powerful as God or possess the wisdom and creative might of God.  That is carnal thinking.   We do not pridefully desire to be equal in majesty or sovereignty with God Almighty.  What we strive for as Christians is to acquire the characteristics of God.  Here are a few:

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;   Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity [‘agape’ – Godly love], which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.”  (Colossians 3:12-16)

Those are Godly attributes that we should put on.   Here is another set of Godly characteristics that when we have made them a part of ourselves, we have put on the mind of God:  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”  (Gal 5:22-23)

In the flesh, we resemble our fleshly dad who gave us our earthly existence and temporal life.  In the exact same way, when God the Father gives us of His Spiritual life at baptism with the laying on of hands, we become capable of acquiring those characteristic traits of the Spiritual mind of God that are necessary for eternal life.  “This is the testimony that God hath given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his Son [Jesus Christ].”  (1John 5:11)  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Every act of God is an act of Godly love – agape love.  How can we comprehend God’s thoughts and actions?  There is only one way – we must begin to be like God.  “As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

We cannot have the mind of God without having the Spirit of God.  “For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?   But we have the mind of Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 2:11-16)

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  For who hath known the mind of the Lord?  Or who hath been His counselor?”   (Romans 11:33-34)

“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [to be in complete accord with the mind of God], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  (Romans 12:2)

Paul is unabashedly saying that God’s people are an exceedingly exceptional people.  Political Correctness, on the other hand declares that everyone is exactly the same.  The truth is this: God is not working with all peoples and nations in the same way that He has dealt with a few special nations and peoples.  American exceptionalism is the fact the United States occupies an extraordinary place among the nations of the world in terms of its rule of Law, its Godly blessings, its Judeo-Christian national creed, its historical development, its ascendency to unsurpassed world power, and the unique origin of its peoples.  British exceptionalism is the same – it was no fluke of history that the British swept the world with the rule of law – it was entirely by God’s hand.  To the foolish world it seemed to have been by might and power that these two brother nations gained world ascendancy with governing and controlling influence.  But is was "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."  (Zechariah 4:6)

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Sermon:    "Mind of God"         


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