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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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