THE HOLINESS OF GOD - The attribute of attributes

The attribute of attributes
Of all God's attributes mentioned in Scripture, His holiness is the only one, by way of speaking, which is being raised to the power of three. In both Is 6:3 and Rev 4:8 heavenly beings call out that He is "holy, holy, holy"!
    Throughout Scripture one finds that His holiness beautifies, as it were, His other attributes. Of every attribute can be said that it is holy. In a way one can say that it is the beauty of God's being.

•    Time and again in Scripture when people had an experience of God's Person and character, they were struck by His holiness, more than anything else. It is true that His holiness is not mentioned everytime, but if you read the Bible you cannot get away without the deep impression of His holiness. Think of the experiences of Moses, Job, Isaiah, Asexual, Paul, John among many others.
    And this is being confirmed by the experiences of thousands of men and women throughout church history  -  especially those who enjoyed the privilege of going through revival.

•    Somebody knows God to the extent   that he or she knows Him in His holiness  -  not any more    .

The concept of holiness in the Bible

•    Old Testament scholars are not sure about the exact meaning of the Hebrew word which is being translated "holy" or "holiness".

•    Some scholars are of the opinion that the word comes from the Babylonian word "to shine". That would then emphasise the idea of God's glory, which would then underline among other things His moral perfection. And this understanding of the concept would be absolutely in step with what the Bible teaches about God.

•    Probably, however, it is correct rather to think in terms of the Semitic root which refers to the ideas of cutting, separation, isolating, putting apart.
    If you study the usage of the word in the Old Testament, it confirms this last understanding. The Hebrew word is for example being used to describe clothes (Ex 28:2), places (Ex 29:31), worship utensils (1Kings 8:4) and instruments (Num 31:6). The concept also qualifies days and feasts. This does, of course, not mean that these things were in themselves morally perfect. It simply meant that it was devoted to or set apart for holy worship.
    This understanding of the concept is being confirmed by the fact that it points throughout Scripture to the opposite of that which is mundane, normal, commonplace. For example, the Lord says in Lev 22:26 that He has set His people apart from the pagan people of the day. And in Ezek 22:26 the priests are being blamed that they profane God's holy things by not making any distinction between that which has been set apart or is holy, and that which is normal.

•    It appears therefore that it would be in line with Biblical revelation if we say that God's holiness points to the fact that He is separate from, and totally above everything in His creation. He is transcendent, He is the wholly Other. He cannot be compared to anything or anyone else. Her is absolutely in a class of his own  -  absolutely unique. He lives outside the mundane sphere of humanity. He can never be fully understood. He is exalted, lofty,  elevated and sublime.
    He is perfect in Himself, not dependent on anything or anyone, far above everything in eternal and unending glory and majesty. He is indeed holy, holy, holy!
    This is what God, the holy One, says about Himself in Is 40:25: "To whom will you compare Me? Or who is My equal?

•    This does not mean that the concept of holiness does not also have moral undertones. It does indeed. Positively it points to ethical purity and perfection. And negatively it stresses the absence of any sin. God is the sum total of all moral beauty. He is perfect in character, motive, attitude, word and deed. From eternity to all eternity He is completely and absolutely free from any moral impurity.

•    While Scripture emphasises God's holiness very strongly, we are not to accentuate it one-sidedly at the cost of other truths about Him. Especially it is important that we not only hold to His transcendence, but also to His immanence. God not only is above us; He also lives among His people; in fact, in them. Is 57:15 brings it out beautifully: "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."

•`    If God's transcendence is emphasised at the cost of His immanence, it leads to a deistic view of God. Then people experience Him as far and disinterested in man.

•    On the other hand, if God's immanence is emphasised at the cost of His transcendence, it leads to a sinful familiarity with Him.. And soon people start treating Him as if He were our lackey or servant.

Essential characteristics of God's holiness

•    God's holiness is intrinsic. He is holy in His being, in His nature. Never can He become less holy, nor more holy. Should He be more holy, say in a thousand year's time, it would mean that He is not completely holy now.
    His word and his speech is holy. It carries the mark of holiness, it breaths it, it promotes it (Ps 119:140; 12:7). And all His deeds are holy (Ps 145:17).

•    God's holiness is original. God did not get His holiness from someone else. He did not pass a test of perfection which someone else had set for Him. He, and He alone, has been the norm for all eternity. What God is, is by definition holy.
    As such, He is the origin of all other expressions of holiness, although relative (Lev 20:8; James 1:17).

•    God's holiness is unique. No creature can even begin to reach the dimensions of God's holiness (1Sam 2:2).
    His holiness is vastly above that of the angels. They can loose their holiness  -  as is the case of the fallen angels  -  Satan and his demons.
    Concerning the moral aspect of holiness, even the holiest of the Lord's holy servants is imperfect. Even these devoted people's holiness is mixed with sin. And in a particular person it ever varies in degree. But in God it remains for all eternity perfect and unchanging.
    It is true that Scripture teaches that those who are saved will in their glorified state be like Christ (1Jh 3:2)  It, however, is only true as far as His human nature is concerned (Ph 3:20-21). But He is also fully God. We however will remain created human beings for all eternity.

Theological implications of God's holiness

God can never remain apathetic concerning sin, and must punish it.

•    Sin is completely irreconcilable with God's person and character. Should He stop to hate sin, He would stop to be holy.
Apathy toward sin would mean condoning sin, for He is, after all, omniscient and omnipotent. And that would mean moral imperfection.

•    Because no man is free from sin, nobody can see God and remain alive. Yes, if you are totally devoted to Him, you might perhaps receive favour, and be allowed to see His back (like Moses  -  Ex 33:20-23). But who qualifies for this? And, of course, the question remains whether He wants to reveal Himself in this way to us who live after the perfection of His self-revelation in Christ and the completion of the canon.

•    There have been people who saw something of God's glory. Without exception it was a devastating experience and it left an ineffaceable impression on all of them. Moses covers his face (Ex 3:6); Isaiah is overcome by his own uncleanliness (Is 6:5); Job detests himself (Job 42:6); Ezekiel falls to the ground (Ez 1:28); John fell as though dead (Rev 1:17). Compare also Ex 24:10.

•    God's wrath flows from His holiness. In fact, it is an integral part of it. How are we to understand it? What is it? Let's try to define it: God's wrath is, firstly, His eternal and absolute hatred of all unrighteousness and sin  -  of everything contrary to His person and character. And, secondly, His actions to give expression to this hatred.
    Simply put, God's wrath is His holiness in action against
 all sin. Because God is holy, He hates all sin, and because He hates sin, His anger burns against the sinner.

 •    God's wrath, let us never forget it, is more than an emotion  -  of necessity it comes to expression in His actions of judgement. The shocking judgements, of which the Bible is so full, and warns against so often, are all manifestations of God's wrath.

       ◦    The idea of height. Often God is called by Scripture as the high, the lofty, the exalted One. This wants to emphasise at least two truths: His sovereign rule over history and nations; as well as His inaccessible transcendence above sinners. Yes, His throne is a throne of grace, but only for those who enjoy the indescribable privilege of justification and access to His throne in Christ. No, He remains the high and lofty One, who has the heavens as His throne, and the earth as His footstool.

       ◦    The idea of distance. God is far removed from us. We dare not come near Him. When He came down at Sinai to reveal His will to the people, Moses had to fence off the mountain in order to keep the people at a safe distance.
    Never is it emphasised more strongly than in the case of the veil in the temple. The ark, symbol of God's presence in the midst of His people, was completely inaccessible. Only the High Priest could go in there once a year, and only with the blood of sacrifice.
    When Israel entered the promised land, they had to trek behind the ark  -  but dared not come closer to it, than a kilometre (Jos 3:4). The purpose of these prescriptions were to emphasise for the people that God is holy, and that He could never accept the sin that cling to man.

       ◦    God is being described as light and fire. Also these two images have to remind us that sin cannot exist in the presence of God. A sharp light exposes all filthiness; a fire destroys it.

       ◦    God spits out everything which offends Him. The original languages really use the word for vomiting or regurgitating. Doing this is probably a body's most dramatic expression of rejection.

    Israel is being warned to live holy before the Lord in order that the land would not spit them out, like it did the Canaanite before them (Lev 18:25-28; 20:22).
    Then of course there is the well-known New Testament case of Rev 3:16, where the Lord warns the church in Laodicea that He will spit them out of His mouth if they do not repent from their lukewarmness.
    The message is clear: God can not digest spiritual apathy  -  He can not keep it in, so to speak.

•    Let us get this very clear: God's wrath is just as surely one of Gods's perfections, as are His love, His righteousness, and His grace. In His being there is no shadow of sin, no apathy towards unrighteousness. If that were the case, it would have revealed ethical imperfection in Him.

•    Let us therefore understand clearly that, as the eternal bliss of the saints flows from God's perfection, it is equally true that the imperishable damnation of sinners flows from it.
    Just as the presence of human beings in heaven will proclaim: "God is holy, holy, holy", the presence of everyone in hell will also shout it out.
    If we find this shocking, if we are offended by it  -  let us remember that there are more references in the Bible to God's wrath and judgements, than to His love and grace. If Scripture then is God's self-revelation to us, He clearly wants us to take very careful note of His wrath and judgements  -  and that we will worship Him for it.

•    Taking careful note of God's holiness and wrath is not only essential for a life of godliness, but we must also often meditate on it. It is essential that the seriousness of sin is imprinted in our minds and convictions more and more. How easily we tend to forget it!
    To the degree that we are under the impression of God's holiness, we will experience the fear of the Lord, and the desire to live a holy life. What is more, it will help us to understand and appreciate the grace of God in Christ all the more. That in its turn will let us grow in gratitude and worship.

•    The danger of idolatry still threaten all of us. If we create for ourselves a God according to our own unholy desires  -  and be sure of it that it will never be a God of wrath  -  we will start worshipping an idol according to our wishes. And that is nothing but idolatry!

•    Realising this, one wonders about the state of so many churches of our day. Is it not true that many church people in our age are not reckoning with God's holiness and wrath? In fact some so-called Christians are so deeply offended by it, that many preachers are scared to preach it boldly, let alone amplify its implications (that is if they still believe it themselves).

God will never accept man's own and independent attempts to worship and please Him

•    No human and independent effort of man  -  irrespective how sincere it is  -  can measure up to God's standards. It can never blot out our debts. And it can never hide our iniquities from Him.
    Isaiah 64:6: Our best works are like dirty clothes before Him (the Hebrew refers to the cloths a woman throws away once a month).
    In Acts 10:2 Cornelius's piety is described impressively: he was a "devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God." But in Acts 11:14 an angel tells him that the apostle would declare to him a message by which he and all his household would be saved.
    Cornelius clearly was on the treadmill of his own good works  -  that was what he depended on to be saved. He did not know Jesus Christ! That was why Peter first had to preach the gospel of God's grace in Christ to him.
    The Christian faith differs completely from all the religions of this world. The gospel is the good news that God in Christ has stooped down to save sinners. All religions, however, carry the message that sinners have to climb up God, using the ladder of morality and ceremonies. Tragically, perhaps the most numerous of these religions calls itself "Christianity". It does not matter how sincere these people are, God's judgements rests on all their efforts.

Only a perfect Mediator can satisfy God's holiness and reconcile us to God

•    God bridges the chasm between His holiness and human sinfulness with a Mediator and Substitute in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the one hand Christ identified Himself totally with sinful man (without being a sinner Himself), and on the other hand He lived a life of perfect holiness before His Father.

•    What underlines God's absolute and uncompromising commitment to His own holiness and perfect standards more than the price He was prepared to pay for our salvation?

•    Once it is seen against the backdrop of God's holiness and wrath, the preaching of Christ becomes what it should be. A  preacher understanding this, has to call out with Paul: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1Cor 2:2). Too many preachers, however, understand the preaching of Christ to mean only a one-sided and simplistic proclamation of the adoption of sinners by God  -  without giving the necessary attention to those things which led to the cross. The result is a cheap gospel: Don't worry; Jesus died for us all; everything will work out fine.
    If forgiveness is normally one of the easiest responsibilities of a Christian, forgiveness has been for God, respectfully stated, extremely difficult and expensive. How would He save those sinners whom He had loved from all eternity? How would He do it without doing violence to His own holiness and wrath? In the words of Is 45:21, how could He at the same time be a righteous and a saving God?

•    We know the answer, not so. But may it never become old hat for us. God  -  in the Person of His beloved Son  -  came to bear His immeasurable offence and anger  -  His wrath  -  against our sin. Jesus Christ died as our propitiation and guilt-bearer. During those few hours on Calvary the full intensity of God's inexpressible wrath because of the sin of millions, burnt into Christ. And thus we see on Calvary God's love for sinners and His anger because of their sin in an intimate embrace.
    Although we can understand very little of Christ's sufferings on Calvary, and although what happened there boggles our minds, let us at least embrace as much as possible of it in faith. And let us remind ourselves time and again what it cost God to save us. The more we understand of it, and the deeper it cuts into our hearts, the deeper our love for Him will become. Our gratitude will grow in intensity. And our obedience will become more and more radical.
    What a terrible eternity awaits those who reject this true Christ! Let us continually intercede for those who do not believe.
    And let those of us who do believe with all of our hearts continually cling to the cross. Let us flee to God's fire-break, and hide there for the rest of our lives.

The fear of the Lord

•    To learn to know God in His holiness, has deep-going and radical effects on a person. To the extent that we learn to know Him thus, it changes or lives. Emotionally it touches you profoundly. You experience a mysterious and paradoxical symbioses of emotions.
    On the one hand you experience a deep respect and awe before God  -  even sometimes a fear which wants to flee from Him.
    On the other hand there is an irresistible and holy fascination with God  -  an intense attraction which forever longs to live closer to Him.
    For those who know Him at least to some degree, He is therefore at the same time alarmingly fearsome in His exalted holiness ánd irresistibly beautiful and attractive in His shining glory.
    Probably there is no better word for this emotion than the short little word, "awe".

•    This emotion, this awe, the Bible calls "the fear of the Lord". This expression is being used again and again in both Old and New Testament.
    Some ignorant people are offended by this expression  -  implying clearly that one has also to be afraid of God. The English Puritans made a very useful distinction  -  between what they called servile fear (for example the fear of a slave for a cruel master and owner), and "filial fear" (the respect an obedient son has for his father). The last mentioned fear is what a Christian should have for God.

•    The fear of the Lord can be clearly seen in Moses' life. He "trembled with fear" at Mount Sinai. (Hb 12:21). And yet, he desired intensely to see God's glory, although he knew that no one can see God and remain alive (Ex 33:18, 20).
    And probably the Psalmist understood this as well: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Ps 2:11).

•    Never the fear of the Lord is experienced more intensely than during revivals. What is revival? The shortest definition would be that it takes place when God comes to dwell in holy glory in the midst of His people (Jh 14:23). He therefore does not send revival; He comes Himself  -  personally. Acts 5:11-16 describes such a revival in the early church: "And great fear came over the whole church and upon all who heard of these things (the death of Ananias and Sapphira) ... None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women."
    Truly, this is the church's greatest need  -  the Lord's glorious presence among His people.

•     Many theologians, as well as poets, have tried to describe the fear of the Lord.

    ◦    This is how Charles Bridges defines it: "The fear of the Lord is that affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father's law. God's wrath is so bitter, and His love is so sweet, that hence springs an urgent desire to please Him. And because of the danger of coming short, due to own weaknesses and temptations, there is a holy watchfulness and fear in order not to sin against Him."

    ◦    This is T.V. Moore's attempt: "It is the fear of a love that is always tremblingly alive to the possible alienation of the Object that is loved."

    ◦    William Bates puts it this way: “It is that sanctified affection whereby the soul does solemnly and reverently reflect on God's perfections, and hence is moved in all things to promote God's honour.”

    ◦    F.W. Faber describes the paradoxes of the fear of the Lord perhaps better than anybody:

“My fear of Thee, o Lord, exults

like life within my veins;

a fear which rightly claims to be

one of love's sacred pains.

There is no joy the soul can meet

upon life's various road;

like the sweet fear that sits and shrinks

under the eye of God.

A special joy is in all love

for objects we revere;

thus joy in God will always be

proportioned to our fear.

Oh, Thou art greatly to be feared

Thou art so prompt to bless!

The dread to miss such love as Thine

makes fear but love's excess.

But fear is love, and love is fear

and in and out they move;

but fear is an intenser joy

than mere unfrightened love.

When most I fear Thee, Lord,

then most familiar I appear;

and I am in my soul most free

when I am most in fear.

I feel Thee most a Father,

when I fancy Thee most near;

and Thou comes not so nigh in love

as Thou comes, Lord, in fear.

They love Thee little, if at all

who do not fear Thee much;

if love is Thine attraction, Lord

fear is Thy very touch”

•    There is hardly anything in a person's life on which Scripture places a higher premium than the fear of the Lord. Why? The loving and deep respect I have for God creates in me true humility and a passion for His glory. It causes me to passionately desire to do that which pleases and glorifies Him, and to refrain from doing that which grieves and dishonours Him.

•    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). Have you started already?

•    The New Testament more than once links the fear of the Lord with sanctification.

    ◦    2 Kor 5:10-11: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others...."

    ◦    2Co 7:1:  "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."

    ◦    Php 2:12-13:  "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

    ◦    1Pt 1:17: "And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile ..."


    ◦    Take note, that those who know God, experience the fear of the Lord  -  not in spite of Christ's work of redemption, but because of it. It is therefore a gift of grace for those in Christ.

•    How indispensable is the knowledge of God, the fear of the Lord, and the wisdom it brings!  -  for everyone who wants to know His will and obey Him. Really, how can we please and glorify God without this?

Effects of the knowledge of God's holiness and the fear of the Lord

•    If one considers in the Bible the effects of meeting with God in a profound way, one sees that it has a devastating experience on a person. The light of His holiness, so to speak, penetrates every nook and cranny of your personality. All arrogance is replaced by a crushing consciousness of your own sinfulness and smallness, and deep and lasting shifts take place in your inner man.
    These effects can clearly be seen in the lives of those who had experiences like this in the Bible  -  those who knew God in His holiness. One can also find it in hundreds of biographies which have been written throughout the centuries. What are these shifts mentioned above?

•    To the extent that one knows God in His holiness, to that extent you become a true worshipper.

    ◦    In your prayer life.
It determines how and what you pray. Your prayers become more and more God-centred. Up front in your petitions is your desire to know the tri-une God all the better. First of all you seek the Giver, and only after that His gifts.
    What is more, your prayers are increasingly marked by worship, praise and gratitude. You stop praying "with shoes on your feet".
    There is a world of difference between bold prayer and presumptuous prayer. The last mentioned is man-centred, brash and forward, and takes the privilege of appearing before the throne of grace almost for granted. But boldness comes with confidence before the throne of grace. It is not afraid or scared or reserved  -  and yet it is deeply aware of the fact that the privilege to do so rests completely on the merits of our Substitute at the right hand of the Father. In every prayer this boldness really only comes to expression when the King holds out His sceptre, so to speak (Esther 5:2).

    ◦    In your attitude towards God's Word.
You tremble, as it were, before it (Is 66:2). It becomes very important for you to understand the Bible correctly. You stop presumptuously criticising it; no, you accept it with childlike faith as it comes.
    Someone who knows God in His holiness, has no patience with man-centred preaching and distortion of its clear meaning. For him or her pure doctrine is not negotiable  -  not for the sake of pure doctrine, per se, but for the glory of God whose Word it is.

    ◦    In your zeal for God's glory.
Of this Phinehas, who was jealous for God's glory, is an excellent example (Num 25:1-13).

    ◦    In the way you speak about and with God.
Today some "Christians" approach God's holy throne like they would a buddy next door. They pretend to be more familiar with Him than even the Lord Jesus, His only Son, ever dared to do.

•    To the measure that you know God in His holiness, to that measure you are truly humble.

    ◦    Knowing God in His holiness brings about a deep awareness of your own insignificance and tendency to sin. In the Bible almost everyone who sees the Lord falls on his face. Isaiah's first awareness is his own sinfulness and impurity (Is 6:5).

    ◦    True humility is to be "low before God" (the literal meaning of the word). On the other hand, to the extent that you know God, to that extent you fear people less. And God's glory you will defend with everything you have available. That is why Moses could be at the same time the most humble and meek man in the world (Num 12:13), yet stand like a rock before the aggression of the people. It makes one think of Dan 11:32: " ... the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." One also sees it in the boldness of Daniel's friends: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Dn 3:16-18).

    ◦    A floormat, a sloppy, a yes-man is therefore everything but humble, nor does he know God in His holiness.
    What, however, is true, is that those who really know God, and their position in Christ, and their high and holy calling, time and again can put on the apron of servanthood (Jh 13:3-5). And they do it spontaneously, almost unawares of it. True humility seldom is accompanied by self-consciousness. A really humble man can receive a cup of coffee and the Nobel prize with the same grace and thankfulness. All good gifts, after all, come from our good and loving Father in heaven.

    ◦    An emphasis on the privileges of a Christian's inheritance in Christ, without the necessary teaching on the high and holy person and character of God, almost always leads to arrogance and presumption before Him. Of this the present  flippancy and self-centeredness in many churches and pseudo-church circles is a tragic symptom.

•    To the extent that we know God in His holiness, to that extent our hearts will be full of gratitude and burning love towards Him.

    ◦    Nobody can know God in His holiness, without also understanding something of His wrath. If such a person then realises that he has not received the wages he deserves from God, but His grace, a deep thankfulness of necessity takes root in his heart. And from this a deep love for God  -  and in particular for Christ, who made it all possible  -  takes root in him. And this then leads to the next passion  -  a deep longing to know God better and better. He then starts praying Moses' prayer: "Show me your glory, Lord!"

    ◦     Love for the Lord is the soil in which true godliness grows. And from this, good works always flow like water out of a fountain. Good works like this, will never be legalistic or formalistic. It will therefore never be dead works in God's sight.

•    To the degree that we know God in His holiness, to that degree we will experience the desire to live holy before His face.

    ◦    How can anyone see the beauty of God's holiness without experiencing a life-long desire to also live a holy life?

    ◦    That in turn leads to a hatred of sin in your life, because you know that it griefs the Holy Spirit, dishonours the Lord's name, and retards the coming of the Kingdom.
    Prov 8:13: "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil."

    ◦    It stands to reason that this again causes one to pursue righteousness, because you know that it pleases the Lord and honours His Name, as well as serve an ever deeper communion with Him.
    Such a person's life is therefore marked by obedience and zeal to please God. And this ultimately leads to something similar to Isaiah's "Here am I! Send me."
    Gn 22:12: “..now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

•    To the degree that we know God in His holiness, to that degree we will experience a concern about the lost state  of people around us, the well-being of the church, and the pure preaching of the gospel.

    ◦    It is meaningful that Isaiah, having experienced God in His holiness, was eager to go and proclaim the Word of God to the sinful nation around him (Is 6:5, 8).
    Because he had seen something of God's holiness, he understood something of God's wrath against sin. Being unconcerned about his fellow Israelites' eternal state, would mean a hardness of his heart  -  and thát is no longer possible for someone who is broken about his own sinfulness.
     The apostle Paul knew this very well. 2Cor 5:11: "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others ...."

    ◦    For someone who understands something of God's holiness, it is unbearable that He is not glorified more. And because God's glory is intimately linked to the well-being of the church, such a person's heart burns for the church to be truly the church.

    ◦    Where a church truly honours and fears the Lord, He is in their midst  -  and there sinners will be converted (1Cor 14:24-25; Acts 5:11ff). This is one reason why so many people are saved during a revival in the church.
    A.W. Tozer writes: "The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts  -  is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it!"

In closing

•    Mal 3:16-4:2: "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall".

•     1Pt 1:13-25: "... as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." ... conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, ...   knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."
                                                                                                              Nico van der Walt

ANTIPAS HERALD No.19 - THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

Does life have meaning? Does history follow a set course? All thinking men and women have grappled with these questions through the ages.

A God of order has a plan

●    It is unthinkable that an eternal God, a God of infinite wisdom, knowledge and power, would create a universe without a detailed plan and without a specific purpose in mind.
    That there is actually such a plan and such a purpose, is taught in the Bible in terms that cannot be misunderstood.

    •    Even man, with all his limitations, plans before he begins a building or other project. Only a fool would do otherwise. Any intelligent being first sets his goal, what it is he wishes to achieve, and then works out what he must do, and how to set about reaching that goal. And, of course, the greater the project, the greater the need for thorough planning.

    •    Any person, even more so a scientist, knows that there is astonishing design and order throughout creation. Our probing with microscope and telescope lead us to the inescapable conclusion that an almighty, systematic Creator of indescribable genius is responsible for it all  -  so much so that we can, to the extent that we are able to understand and formulate them mathematically, anticipate and harness the powers and processes of creation with astounding accuracy.
    To believe that the micro and macro cosmos came into being by chance, calls for much greater faith  -  and faith it is indeed  -  than to believe in an omnipotent and omniscient creator God.
    No, if you are looking for chaos, you will not find it in God’s handiwork! If there is disorder anywhere, it is the bitter fruit of man's fall into sin.

●    The Word of God teaches that His role is not limited to the design and creation of the universe  -  He also completely regulates its maintenance and continuance. Unlike Deism, which recognises a mere impersonal and uninvolved First Cause, Scripture teaches that God actively governs day by day.

    •    This systematic arrangement, and the involvement of God does not apply to nature only, but in particular to the events of history. God’s plan has a specific final purpose (Eph 1:9-11). Thus, the historic course of our world history is linear rather than cyclic. There is progress and direction.

        ◦    The writer of the book of Proverbs certainly understood this truth: "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will" (Pr 21:1).

    •    Even more astounding is the Scriptural revelation that God’s plan and rule not only applies to global matters but is also intensely personal. It is concerned with the detail of each and every person’s life.

    •    Even more remarkable is the clear teaching of Scripture that God’s plan covers even the tiniest details: "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father ... even the hairs of your head are all numbered (Mt 10:29-30) (Cp. also Ps 135:5-7; Pr 16:33).

    •    Even sin, as well as the pain and suffering resulting from it, is included in God’s eternal counsel. Consider for instance the following Scriptures:
        ◦    Gen 45:7-8 and 50:19-20.

        ◦    Ex 7:2-5, 9:12, 9:16 and Rom 9:17.

        ◦    2Sam 24:1, 24:10-15 and 1Chron 21:1.

        ◦    Lam 2:11 and 3:37-38.

        ◦    Deut 2:30; Jdg. 14:4; 1Sam 2:25b; 1Kings 22:19-23; Is 45:7; Amos 3:6; Rev 17:16-17.

    •    When one reads the above Scriptures, one cannot but wonder whether God is the author of the sins of the people concerned.
    The key to the answer lies in the radical nature of man’s sin. It is only God’s common grace  -  to be distinguished from His particular or saving grace  -  that prevents each person from sinking to the lowest depths of sin. If ever God should relax his hold on us, nothing would prevent us from becoming as wicked as the devils. It is like a stone hanging by a rope over the side of a ship  -  let slip the rope, and the stone sinks deeper and deeper. Never will it by itself rise to the surface. And let go the rope, and without exception it sinks to the muddy bottom (cp Rom 1:24, 26, 28).
       If then some of the above Scriptures say that God hardened sinners to sin even more, we could consider the matter in terms of active hardening, or of passive hardening. If, for instance, Pharaoh’s natural inclination was to do good, but the Lord worked in him so as to make him more sinful, that would be active hardening. And that would make God the author of his sin  -  an inconceivable and blasphemous thought. Pharaoh, however, was radically depraved  -  as are all unregenerate people  -  and the inclination of his heart was to gravitate more and more into sin. Thus, all that happened was that God gave him up to his inclination. You could say He let slip his rope somewhat. This is passive hardening  -  which does not make God the author of Pharaoh’s sin. The Egyptian ruler sinned of his own accord  -  because he wanted to and chose to do it.

        ◦    The statements in 2Sam and 1Chron regarding David's sin, have the same explanation. God wanted to punish the nation because of its sinfulness. But obviously David was harbouring increasing pride and ambition for power and thus God "let slip his rope". But first He "let slip" Satan’s rope  -  so that he could tempt David (cp. Job’s experience).
    We see two important truths here: First, God normally works through means  -  He uses instruments. Secondly, Satan is not God’s opponent in some cosmic game of chess  -  he is a pawn on the chessboard.

    •    Some of the most dramatic and telling Scripture statements regarding God’s comprehensive government are to be found in Acts  -  in a few verses about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Calvary was not just a hinge upon which world history turned, it was at the same time the most heinous sin of all times.

        ◦    " ... this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." (2:23).

        ◦    " ... now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. (3:17-18).

        ◦    "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed  -  for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place."(4:26-28).
       Herod, together with Pilate and the Jews and the Romans acted as responsible people. They were guilty and will be punished accordingly. But  -  the crucifixion was foreordained from the beginning in God's counsel.
       It is said in Lk 22:22 that: "For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"

        ◦    Now it must necessarily follow that if the crucifixion of His Son was decreed in God’s eternal counsel, the same must apply to the Fall! The purpose of the crucifixion was after all, to do away with the effects of the fall of man.
    This profound truth is implied in other parts of Scripture as well: "…you were redeemed .... with the precious blood of Christ …. He was chosen before the creation of the world … " (1Pt 1:18-20). Cp. also Eph 1:4; 2Tim 1:9.
    More than this we cannot say. It is not for us to dare penetrate what God chose not to reveal to us.

●    It might be asked, did God not sometimes repent or was grieved because of what He did?
    There are indeed many Scripture statements that say so (cp. Gen 6:5-6).
    The Bible often speaks of God as though he were human. So, for instance, he is described as having hands, eyes and so forth. This does not mean that He actually has a body just like ours. But He is so totally different from us that He finds it necessary to reveal Himself in terms which we, limited to time and space as we are, can understand. Thus He speaks to us as if He's a human being.
    God’s "regret" is such an anthropomorphism. It simply means that certain of God’s acts look like human regret or repentance.

    •    1Sam 15 clarifies this matter beautifully.
    First it is said in v.10-11: "The word of the LORD came to Samuel: 'I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me ...'" (cp. also v.35).
       But then, in the very same chapter, it is said  -  as if it were in one breath: "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." (v.29) (compare also Num 23:19).
       In v.11 & 35 the Bible gives us experiential truth (phenomenological truth). God conveys it to us as we experience it, thus making it comprehensible on a human level. In v.29 we have essential truth (ontological). This is “the story behind the story”.
    These two ways of formulating truth are well known to us. When in the late afternoon I say that the sun is going down, nobody is going to accuse me of lying. It is experiential truth. But the fact of the matter is that it is not really the sun going down, it is the earth that is turning  -  and this is essential truth.

What does God’s plan involve?

●    A question now arises: Do we have an idea what this plan of God is about?  In a sense this is the theme of the Bible.

    •    Too few Christians read the Bible as they should. Everybody knows that one cannot finally say that you understand the message of a book until you have read it from cover to cover. And yet, this is anything but the way in which the average believer of our day handles the Bible. From somewhere came the wretched idea that the Bible is not a unit, but an unconnected collection of stories, prophesies, poems, meditations and sayings. The result is that it is read randomly and selectively  -  a passage here and a passage there. Large sections are never touched. What is more, the abundance of "Biblical Daily Readings" on the market these days, is hardly helping to solve the problem.
    No, the Bible isn’t a paper bag of Allsorts from which one can pick a sweetie from time to time! It has only one Author, one theme, one message. And it is addressed to rational beings, people with brains. Therefore no one will ever understand the message of the Bible unless he makes an effort to grasp the total picture  -  and is not too lazy to go to the trouble of giving it a lot of thought. 

    •    In this respect a marvellous paradox applies: On the one hand the Bible is so comprehensive, so profound, so exalted, so deep that no one can understand it without the enlightening work of the Holy Spirit, and even then a lifetime is not enough to reach to the bottom of the treasures it contains. On the other hand, it is addressed to all kinds of people  -  also the simplest. To tell the truth, unless you have childlike faith, you will not understand it.
       An old patriarch of the church said something to this effect: "The Word of God is like a great river. In the middle, elephants  -  giants  -  can swim; in the shallows, little children can play." And what is remarkable, is that the essence of the Bible message  -  what is necessary to live godly and die blessed  -  is so simple that even a child can understand it.

●    What do you discover when you read the Bible as a unit? First of all, you find that God  -  and not man  -  is the Main Character. It is all about Him. It is a marvellous chronicle of His work in this world  -  past, present and future  -  with enlightening commentary by inspired prophets and apostles. And the main theme is not the salvation of men, but His great plan and His actions in bringing about that which He wills – namely that He will be glorified to all eternity in and before His creatures (Rm 9:22-24; Eph 1:6, 12, 14).
    Yes, the good news  -  that God saves sinners  -  lies at the heart of this great plan, but its main aim is His glorification and His honour (Eph 2:7).

●    Although this plan was sovereignly ordained by God, and is being unstoppably moved forward by Him, it does not happen without man’s responsible, conscious and strenuous involvement. Man's role is in some wonderful and mostly mysterious way woven into God's great plan. It is, as a matter of fact, not an exaggeration to say that God, to a large extent, works out his project of self-glorification through the clumsy obedience of his children and the foolish rebellion of his enemies.

●    Interwoven with the main theme, the Bible also conveys the message to fallen man that he is out of step with God’s plan. Throughout the call is heard: flee from the wrath to come, seek the Lord, cry out to Him for mercy! And in the New Testament it becomes crystal clear that this mercy is given in Christ. In Him, and Him alone, God works out His plan. Only in Him can the meaning and purpose of this life be found. Only those who are united to Him  -  and this happens through faith alone  -  can really be in step with God’s plan.

God’s sovereignty

●    The sovereign rule of God is the underlying premise, or point of departure, of the Biblical message. Believing acceptance of this is a master-key to understanding the Bible.
God’s sovereignty has to do with His right and ability as Creator, Maintainer  -  and thus as undisputed Owner  -  to govern the whole universe and all His creatures (in heaven and on earth) according to His will, without having to give any account whatsoever to anyone.

●    It is important to bear in mind that God possesses all the knowledge and the power to carry out, even to the smallest detail, what He has decided. Nothing can stop, hinder or surprise Him. He continues unperturbed.
    Anyone who still doubts God’s omnipotence, should have a good look at the awe-inspiring creation that surrounds him. Man is but a speck of dust on the earth, which is a speck of dust in the solar system, which is a speck of dust in the Milky Way, which is a speck of dust in the universe  -  which is a speck of dust in the palm of God’s hand!

●    Although God’s sovereignty is universal and absolute, it is not merely a blind force. It always functions in full harmony with all His other attributes  -  His perfect holiness, wisdom, love, omniscience, omnipotence, and so forth.
    Therefore the believer is not threatened by God’s sovereign rule; on the contrary, it is a source of wonderful comfort to him. Can it be that I have such a God as Father  I trust Him a thousand times more than myself

●    Each of us must understand one thing very clearly, and subject ourselves to the inevitability of that fact: As Creator, God is your Owner  -  with the resulting right and ability to do with you as He wills. To use a well-known Biblical image: "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use?" (Rom 9:21).

●    It is God’s sovereign prerogative to create  -  or not create.

    •    Each birth is the result of a specific ovum being fertilized by a specific sperm cell.
    My genetic composition depends to a large extent on which sperm cell fertilized my mother. Conception does not take place every time, but when it does, it is through one  -  any one  -  of the millions of sperm cells present on a particular occasion. Just think  -  had it been another sperm, a different person with different genetics would have been born!

    •    In an incredibly precise process, by means of chromosomes and genes, a fertilized ovum is furnished with a chemical blue-print which then largely controls the further development of that person. It determines how the cells will divide and multiply, how they will develop into tissue, bones, limbs, organs and sense-organs. It determines whether a person will be male or female, white or black, large or small, bright or dim, athletic or clumsy. It determines the personality traits, talents and temperament. It is what makes a person the unique, but totally unique, being that he or she is!

    •    What is more, who and what I am is not only determined by the intricate and exact detail of my conception. Only consider everything that had to happen beforehand so that I could be the person that I am  If great-grandfather had not honoured his engagement to great-grandmother, and married another darling instead, I would not have been. And no-one would have missed me

    •    Every time a specific sperm cell fertilizes a particular ovum a person comes into being  -  someone who will exist forever. This not only applies to the inexpressibly privileged people who will inherit eternal salvation, but also (what an overwhelmly thought it is!) to all other people (Jn 5:28-29). In this creation of a person other people are involved as collaborators: the parents – and ancestors! Whether this human co-operation takes place in holiness or in sinful lust, God reigns over it all, in imperturbable sovereignty.
    Fainting insight regarding this matter is given in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. Only four women are named (before Mary) and the respectability of each one of them is questionable: Tamar (Gen 38); Rahab (Josh 2); Ruth (a Moabite); Bathsheba ("the wife of Uriah", lest we forget) (2Sam 11).

●    One fact stands as solid as a rock: either God is completely in control of everything, even to the smallest detail, or else He must resort to "crisis management" in order to direct the course of history in accordance with His will.
    By definition, the course of history can only be fixed if a single sovereign being rules. The moment a second being starts working independently  -  let alone millions more  -  even God does not have complete control over what happens; and neither can He know where and when it all will end.

    •    Many people accept that God does indeed direct the great events that determine the course of history. What they cannot accept is that He is involved in the apparent insignificant details. From the aforementioned, however, it necessarily follows: if God does not control the smallest detail, neither can He control the great events. Something infinitesimally small, like uniting a specific sperm cell to a specific ovum, can actually have enormous historical meaning.

        ◦    Just think: if, in Adolph Hitler’s case, another one of the millions of sperm cells fertilized the specific ovum in his mother, the Second World War might never have happened. What a difference that would have made to history!

    •    Even more awe-inspiring: God’s staggeringly detailed rule reaches into the past across the conception and lives of all my ancestors  -  and all the way to the predestining purpose of his will, established before the foundation of the earth

●    All this is beyond our understanding. In the final analysis it is a matter of faith. I either accept the testimony of Scripture with child-like faith, or I reject it. If I reject it, only one alternative remains  -  to bow to the god of chance and fate.

    •    Let us remember who we are  -  creatures, not little gods. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Is 55:8-9). Besides, He has not revealed everything to us (Deut 29:29). Yes, He revealed everything that is necessary for us to be saved and live godly lives  -  and in this sense the Bible is sufficient  -  but as far as the purpose of His will is concerned, we know very little.

    •    The book of Job provides some light in this regard. While Job is suffering, he is totally unaware of the drama being enacted in heavenly places (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6). As regards his crisis, he has only experiential truth, not essential truth  -  or at least, not all of it. What he does know is that God is loving, just and faithful. And to this he clings for dear life, but of the actual intrigue behind the scenes, he does not have an inkling.

●    In His sovereign wisdom God decided to create man a rational and responsible being with a will. The fact that the fall has "twisted" him in every respect, does not make him less accountable to his Creator.
    The Word of God teaches two truths that must always be kept in balance: on the one hand, the sovereignty of God and on the other, man’s responsibility. The over-emphasis of either of these truths, to the detriment of the other, has catastrophic results  -  theologically, pastorally and practically.

    •    This is the difference between the Biblical truth regarding the sovereignty of God and fatalism. The latter denies that man is a free agent who can choose whatever he wants. Thus human responsibility is disregarded.

    •    The Christian has an added responsibility. He is after all spiritually quickened, he has been regenerated, re-created. And by the grace of God he understands this. He therefore sees his life in terms of a stewardship committed to him by God. And when anyone really understands this fact, his life is governed by it. Precisely this is what the parables of the talents in Mt 25:14-30, and the minas in Lk 19:11-28, seek to emphasize. Through them, the Lord Jesus wanted to impress on our hearts the necessity of living in the light of eternity  -  because account will have to be given to our Creator and Re-creator of how we acquitted ourselves of our stewardship.

●    As far as God’s sovereign government in the lives of the crown of His creation is concerned, the Bible emphasizes His authority in mainly three areas:

    •    He is sovereign in the demonstration of His mercy  -  His general, caring and preserving love for all people. Some people get more of it than others. Some are rich, some poor; some are gifted, others less so; some live long, others only a short while, and so forth.

    •    He is sovereign in the demonstration of His grace  -  His particular, saving love for the elect. Whether we like it or not, it is an inescapable fact that nobody can be saved unless God takes the initiative and saves him. All Christians know this. This is why we all pray more or less the same prayer for a loved one who is not yet saved: "Dear Lord, please save him  It is after all only You who can do it "

    •    He is sovereign in His call to service. It is He who determines the course of our lives; He gives the ability and the opportunity; it is He who has prepared the good works each one of us must do (Eph 2:10).

The Ultimate purpose: God's glory

●     We do not find it easy to accept this absolute priority of God. Is it not unworthy of Him? Is self-centeredness in a human being not something deplorable, even despicable? And yet, the Word of God leaves us in no doubt  -  it teaches in no uncertain terms that God created everything, governs everything and allows everything to happen, for only one ultimate purpose: His own glorification. That is His purpose with absolutely everything  -  before time, in time and after time. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Rm 11:36). He does not exist for us; we exist for Him.

    •    Naturally, we are not comfortable with this all-consuming priority on God’s part. Is it not unworthy of Him? Is self-service in people not a despicable trait? Such questions however, lack insight.
    Yes, it is true that it is sin for a man to live for himself. But he is a creature and not God. In God’s case there is a difference. He, only He, is God  -  and  there is nothing and no-one higher than He, whose honour He can promote. For that reason it is proper, in fact inevitable, that He should seek honour for Himself.
    If it is fitting for man to consider God’s glory as his highest ambition, it can surely not be wrong if it is also God’s priority. And if it is wrong for man to pursue some lesser cause than God’s glory, it must surely be wrong for God also.

●    The Hebrew word "glory" originally meant weight. Applied to a person, it meant that someone could appear weighty to others  -  to be someone of status, to be commanding respect. It is the word used in Gen 31:1 to describe Jacob’s wealth, and in Gen 45:13 concerning Joseph’s power in Egypt. It was weighty.

    •    The word is applicable to God in two ways:

        ◦    In His self-revelation God shows us His glory. Thus we see His majesty in creation (Ps 19:1; Isaiah 6:3); in epiphanies in Biblical times (Ex 40:34; Ezek 1:28 etc.); in Jesus Christ (2Cor 4:6); in His mighty deeds in history; in His attributes in action in our lives.

        ◦    In our religious service we give glory to God. We magnify Him in reaction to the self-revelation of His glory. It happens when we praise Him (Ps 50:23; 96:8; Rom 15:9); when we believe His Word and trust His promises (Rom 4:20); when we confess that Christ is Lord (Phil 2:11); when we obey the Lord (Phil 1:11)  -  when we in loving subjection to Him, strive to glorify Him with the whole of our lives.

    •    Now we can understand the meaning of God’s desire for His own honour: It is God’s will, to all eternity, to display the weight and glory of His character and His deeds to His rational creatures  -  so that they may know Him and therefore eternally honour Him with devout, grateful and loyal love, praise, trust and obedience.

●    This supreme purpose of God  -  to glorify Himself  -  is nowhere and nowise more excellently achieved than in His plan of salvation. This is where He demonstrates some of his attributes which we would not have been able to know in any other way. What understanding of God's grace could Adam have had before the fall?  Or of His wrath, or of several of His other characteristics? Grace is after all something that can only be shown to someone who deserves the opposite  -  i.e. to a sinner.
    Thus we are here afforded a glimmer of understanding of the meaning of the fall.

    •    Paul states in no uncertain terms: the sovereign God has the right, in salvation, and likewise in wrath, to glorify Himself. And He does indeed do so

        ◦    "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is moulded say to its moulder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory" (Rm 9:20-23).

        ◦    Also Eph 2:7-8 is highly illuminating: " ... so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."
    Compare also Eph 1:6, 12, 14; 1Cor 1:26-31 and 2Cor 4:7.

    •    If it weren’t for the Fall, we would not have any understanding of God’s mercy, love, grace and covenant faithfulness. Even the simplest Christian understands more of this today, than did Adam and Eve before they were banned from the Garden of Eden  -  not only theoretically, but rather experientially. And if there was no fall, what would we have known of God’s righteousness and His holy wrath against sin? In short, but for the Fall we would still not have known God as we should  -  in any case, we would have understood nothing about some of His most precious and highest attributes. And accordingly, we would not have glorified Him as we should  -  not even nearly as much.

    •    The above applies not only to us, but also to the angels in heaven:

        ◦    "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord ..." (Eph 3:8-11).

        ◦    In 1Pet 1:12 the apostle writes that even the angels long to look into God’s great deeds of salvation. Peter's Greek is very rich and descriptive: the angels lean forward, intensely interested and intently gazing down, in order to learn more about God’s grace and covenant faithfulness in the lives of His beloved ones here on earth. Where else could they learn something about God’s grace? As the Puritans of old said: the church is God’s university for the angels  -  it equips them to glorify Him for all eternity, as is fitting!

A word in conclusion

Dear reader, is your life in step with what God is doing in this world and its history? Is every aspect of your life subject to God’s revealed will? Is the thrust of it all, namely His glorification through the means of His Son’s perfect work as mediator, the central passion of your life? Are you united to Christ in true faith? Is the authenticity of your faith proven by a vibrant life of gratitude?
    What of those who prefer to ignore God’s call? Their Creator respects their choice. He gives them exactly what they choose  -  a life, a death, an eternity without God!
    The fate of those people whose lives are in step with God, is radically different: their lives have a meaningful purpose, God’s honour; they have an unfailing rule in life, God’s law; they have a never-failing Friend in life and death, God’s Son; they have a unique comfort in all trials, the knowledge that God is forming Christ’s image in them; they have an unfailing security, God’s promises of eternal life.
    In short, they have life that is truly life  -  for all eternity!

Nico van der Walt

EE11 - RM 3:25 - JESUS CHRIST, OUR PENAL SUBSTITUTE

Without exception we are all guilty and liable to be punished by God. This is man's greatest crisis! (Rm 1:18-3:20).
    But having declared all people guilty before God, the book of Romans continues with the most wonderful words: "But now…" (Rm 3:21).
    These words precede one of the richest expositions of the gospel found anywhere in the Bible (Rm 3:21-31). At the heart of these verses is v.25. And at the heart of v.25 is the word "propitiation" (Gr. hilasterion).
    The gentiles attributed natural disasters and other problems to the anger of their gods. Hilasterion is the word they used to refer to the sacrifices they offered to try and appease their idols.
    Without associating the living God with paganism, we can assume that the inspired apostle is working precisely with this idea. Orthodox theology has always accepted it as such. Rm 3:25 therefore describes the cross as a hilasterion-sacrifice. There God's wrath burnt into His Son  -   and so His righteous anger over human sin was satisfied.
    Hilasterion therefore says in a single word what Jesus Christ achieved on earth, especially on Calvary!

THE WRATH OF GOD

The Bible talks about the wrath of God times without number  -  even more often than about His love. And this is exactly where Paul starts as he is about to wonderfully explain the gospel of God's grace in the book of Romans (Rm 1:18).
    God's wrath is His eternal and absolute abhorrence for all iniquity and sin  -  as well as His acts of judgement that express this abhorrence. It is the holiness of God in action against all sin.
    And let us not forget: the wrath of God is as much one of His perfect attributes as is His love, faithfulness and grace. Indifference towards sin would, after all, have indicated moral imperfection in Him.

THE PENAL SUBSTITUTE

Propitiation is not a word we use every day. A definition is therefore necessary. This is what a well-known dictionary says: "Some offering, sacrifice or suffering sufficient to win forgiveness or make up for an offence. It is an action that makes the governing power propitious (kindly disposed, gracious) toward the offender" (Funk & Wagnalls, College Standard Dictionary).
    Erickson, in his Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology, says: "A reference to the idea that Christ's atonement satisfies the wrath of God."
    Perhaps the best for us is to try and describe hilasterion: Christ was the Penal Substitute who took upon Himself God’s wrath against us, and suffered it in our place.

    •    Christ was the penal substitute. The perfect righteousness of a Holy God insists on the punishment of all trespasses against His law. This is precisely what happened on Calvary. There the Son endured God's wrath against the sin  -  all sin and every sin  -  of all people God wanted to save.

    •    Substitution takes place when one person acts on someone else's behalf  -  in such a way that the person who was originally responsible need not endure or do whatever was necessary to be done.
    It is clearly underlined in Scripture that Christ acted as substitute for those who were entrusted to Him by the Father. For instance, two prepositions are used in Scripture that illustrate this clearly:
    In Rm 5:8 and Gl 3:13 the preposition huper (for the sake of, on behalf of) is translated with "for". The last-mentioned states it thus: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…" (NIV).
    In Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45 and 1Tm 2:6 we find the preposition anti (in place of, in exchange for). Therefore we read in Mark 10:45: "…the Son … (came) … to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus Christ, compelled by His perfect love to do all the necessary for my salvation, suffered God’s terrible judgements  -  which I should have suffered  -  on my behalf, and in so doing He established forgiveness and eternal glory for me.

Every true believer must grasp this truth. It is, after all, at the heart of the gospel. Realise, believe and embrace it  -  and it will change your life. Therefore Christians throughout the ages have two experiences:
    Firstly a profound realisation: for this I owe my Saviour everything  -  my entire life.
    Secondly, an inner security, which becomes an inexhaustible source of peace, joy and praise.

WHAT DOES THIS TRUTH TELL US?

1.    It tells us something about God.
It is important to recognise that Christ did not stand in opposition to His father on Calvary. It is a completely warped and God-dishonouring idea that He protected "poor sinners" against the anger of His Father.
    Calvary was first and foremost the Father’s initiative. It was the Father who "presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement" (Rm 3:25). The verb literally means that the Father placed the Son before Himself, as it were  -  so that He, the Son, could suffer the elect's punishment.
    How clearly Isaiah foresaw this! "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed ... Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer" (53:4-5; 10).
    We therefore need to see and recognise God the Father's holy righteousness behind the cross. On Calvary His wrath against my sin was appeased. It made right whatever was wrong in His sight. Every morsel of debt was paid.
    The cross underlines the perfection of God’s law, and that He stands by it uncompromisingly as man's moral standard. The ground for salvation remains therefore perfect obedience to it  -  but it is the obedience of the man Christ Jesus on our behalf!

2.    It tells us something about man.
Since Calvary there can be no doubt about the seriousness of God’s warning in Gen 2:17: "If you eat of its fruit, you will surely die".
     There cannot be a greater and more insulting sin than to reject a Substitute such as Jesus Christ. Therefore God will punish those who turn their backs on His offer of grace more severely than those who never heard the gospel at all.
    Nothing emphasises the inescapability of eternal judgement for those without a substitute more than the fact of Calvary. Will the living God overlook a rebel when He did not spare His own Son?

3.    It tells us something about Jesus Christ..
As true man He took our place under God's judgement. He underwent the death that we should have suffered  -  bodily and spiritually. This is why He cries: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mk 15:34). This is the unshakable foundation of our acquittal and immunity in terms of the law.
     One of the most touching revelations in Scripture is that Jesus Christ presented Himself willingly as Substitute for sinners. In the passage about the good shepherd He emphasises four times that He lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 15, 17, 18). And in Eph 5:2 the apostle writes: "... live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

4.    It tells us something about saving faith.
Faith knows that God's standards for man are permanently in force, and that eternal judgement awaits every person who is not united to Christ. But true faith also embraces the fact that the penalty for my sins was already payed completely on Calvary.     True faith therefore brings peace of mind. Toplady sings: "Payment God cannot twice demand, first from my bleeding Surety's hand, and then again from mine."
    A fire-break serves as protection against fire. Wherever a fire has burnt once, it does not burn again! Remember therefore: the fire of God's wrath has already burned on Christ. Truly, on the day of judgement there will be one safe place  -  and only one  -  the fire-break of Calvary!
    True faith does not go to Calvary only once. No, it hides at the foot of the cross continually and forever!
    Two essential characteristics of true, saving faith follow from this:
    Firstly, faith understands and embraces God's free gift of forgiveness in Christ  -  for life and death, for time and eternity. This is the heart of saving faith. A Christian dies with his Saviour's Name on his lips.
    Secondly, true faith is a looking away from yourself  -  to Christ, and in particular to Him as the Crucified. Mature Christians therefore do not seek the basis for their forgiveness and future hope in their own experiences. They know that constant introspection is a recipe for discouragement. Yes, they examine themselves often (2Cor 13:5), but do not get stuck there. Their sense of sin urges them to flee to Christ again and again.
    Never forget this: redemption is objective. It occurs in the first place outside myself  -  by way of speaking, in God’s books.
    Let us always remember the copper snake in the desert (Num 21:8-9). All one had to do to be healed was to look at the snake. Jesus uses this image when He talks about His coming crucifixion (John 3:14-18). The essence of faith is to keep your eyes fixed on Christ!
    Why a snake? In the Bible the snake is a symbol of evil. The bronze snake was thus a prophecy that the Messiah would be "made sin for us"  -  that He would be our Penal Substitute (2Cor 5:21).
    Consequently, God’s salvation is accessible to all  -  regardless of the weight of your sins, your impotence or your unworthiness. Looking away from your bankruptcy to Christ, is all that is necessary. You do not have to do anything. You just need to look!
    In fact, you don’t dare do anything else. It hinders you from looking as you should. More importantly, Christ is either the sole saviour, or no Saviour at all! The Israelites who attempted to cure themselves, died without exception!
    Can you see now why the Christian faith differs essentially from all the religions of this world  - including churchianity? All of them trust moralism and ceremonies to bring about salvation.
    No, salvation is not obtained by religious people climbing up a ladder of morality and ceremonies to God; it is God stooping down in grace to sinners in Christ!

Nico van der Walt

EE13 - EPH 3:14-21 - AN APOSTOLIC PRAYER [5]

This prayer of the apostle Paul is so rich in content that one simply has to move through it with great care. We now look at v.16b: that the Father may strengthen the Ephesians with power through his Spirit in their inner being.
    This phrase has three components that we need to look at in some detail. Firstly, Paul's prayer is that the Father may work in the Ephesians through his Holy Spirit; secondly, that they may be strengthened with power; and thirdly that this work by the Holy Spirit may be carried out in their inner being.

A WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the ways in which the triunity of God finds expression, is the manner in which the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit always work together  -  in this case in the answering of prayer. Paul's prayer is directed at the Father, resulting in the indwelling of Christ (v.17), which, as we see here, takes place through the working of the Holy Spirit. The first prayer in Ephesians is also undeniably Trinitarian.
    Our Lord urges his disciples to pray for the working of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:5-13). The only way in which our inheritance in Christ can become a reality in our lives is through the working of the Spirit. And this does not happen automatically, we have to seek it in prayer  -  which is what Paul is doing here.

TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH POWER

There tends to be an over-emphasis in the modern church on power; too much concern with miracles and signs. This often leads to the sin of Simon the Sorcerer: preoccupation with the sensational (Acts 8:9-25).
    Without pronouncing judgement on the rights and wrongs of miracles and signs in the church today, one can safely say that this is not where the emphasis is in the New Testament.
    Paul sets out his life's ambition in Phil 3:10: "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..." (NIV), which differs somewhat from that of the sorcerer

IN THE INNER BEING

❏    While we should concern ourselves with an in-depth study of Biblical pronouncements, it is possible  -  and this is quite common  -  to over-analyse Biblical expressions and statements. Thick books have, for instance, been written about the so-called division of man into three parts: body, soul and spirit. We are told in detail in these books where the boundaries between each of these three divisions lie, where sin is located, which part is regenerated and which part will be resurrected.
    While there are one or two pronouncements in which reference is made simultaneously to the body, soul and spirit (1Tess 5:23), I think that this is just a way of denoting man in his whole being. More often than not the Bible speaks of the inner and the outer man (2 Cor 4:16; Rom 7:22). This is a distinction with which we can identify, because this is how we tend to see ourselves.

❏    Without becoming too technical, we could say that the "inner man" is our non-physical side where we experience self-awareness, where we think and feel. We can also say, in the light of 2 Cor 4:16  -  where the inner man is contrasted with the mortal, outer man  -  that this is the part of us that lives on after death, the part of us that will pass from our earthly body to our resurrected body. My inner man is that part of me that is the real me.

❏    It is in this  inner being  that we need to be strengthened, according to Paul's prayer.
    We should never underestimate the importance of the outer man. Not only do we have stewardship of our body now, but we shall be living in a bodily state for all eternity  However, the Bible emphasises that it is the state of the inner man which will be important in the final analysis, while the well-being of our bodies is only  of some value  (1 Tim 4:8).

❏    Why then is it so important for us to have inner strength? One could mention several reasons, but let us look at three of them which are vital characteristics of a genuine, "blue blooded" Christian. Firstly, inner strength is an essential attribute if I am to withstand the attacks of sin  -  and according to Heb 12:14 no one who does not pursue holiness will see the Lord. Secondly, we must persevere to the end in faith and obedience if we are to be saved. Thirdly, inner strength is vital if we are to bear fruit to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN

❏    In order to win this war I must be strong in my inner being. Without the necessary knowledge, convictions and determination, my inner being will soon succumb to the temptations of Satan, the incessant suction-powers of a God-hating world, and the merciless onslaughts of my sinful nature.

❏    J.C. Ryle says of this spiritual warfare:  This warfare ... is a thing of which many know nothing ... And yet it is as real and true as any war the world has ever seen. It has its hand-to-hand conflicts and its wounds. It has its watchings and fatigues. it has its sieges and assaults. It has its victories and its defeats. Above all, it has consequences which are awful, tremendous, and most peculiar. In earthy warfare the consequences to nations are often temporary and remediable. In the spiritual warfare ... the consequences, when the fight is over, are unchangeable and eternal" ("Holiness", p.51).

❏    What makes the battle all the more ferocious and intense is the fact that it is waged, not only against the onslaughts of the devil and the outside world, but that it is essentially an inner battle. It is my innermost being that is so often a battleground. It is therefore my inner being that needs to be strengthened.

    •    This is very much like the siege of a city. The enemy maintains a bombardment from outside, but is largely intent on supporting his ally inside the city. The decisive battle is fought within the walls. As long as the Christian has the upper hand here, the onslaughts of the enemy are in vain. But when the fight inside the walls are lost  -  and only then  -  everything is over.

    •    The Bible refers to the inner enemy as "the flesh", "my own (evil) desires", or "indwelling sin". It refers to the inclination to sin, which remains even in a born-again believer. It is a fearful enemy which never gives up and should never be underestimated.
    The inner battle to live a holy life before God is described in many different ways in the New Testament, often in very graphic and imaginative terms: Rm 6:12-14; 8:12-13; 13:14; 1Cor 9:26-27 (a boxing match); Gl 5:16-24; Col 3:5ff; Jm 1:13-15 (enticement by a prostitute); 1Pt 2:11; 4:1-2.
    For this very reason it is so vitally important that I should be strengthened continually in my inner being.

THE NECESSITY OF PERSEVERANCE

❏    Time and time again the Bible stresses the necessity of perseverance to the end if we are to be saved. The word  perseverance  is not used loosely, but clearly implies that we are constantly being tempted to throw in the towel  -  because the road we travel is often so demanding and exhausting.
❏    Let us never forget our Lord's warning that we need to force our way into the Kingdom of God (Mt 11:12; Lk 16:16). We find ourselves in a race  -  to many of us a marathon; even more than that, an obstacle race.

❏    O, how does one persuade churchgoers that one does not simply drift into eternal life on a pew? If you do not row with all your strength, you are bound to be swept down the waterfall of damnation!

    •    Is this an argument for salvation by works? No, of course not! But let us realize very clearly that a holy life of good works is an essential mark of true and Biblical faith  -  and it perseveres to the end. Therefore salvation is to be found upstream. Downstream the waterfall of judgement is waiting.
    Together with the saving grace of God we receive inner strength and the drive to swim upstream. It is a package deal, as it were. It is the outflow of the new heart we receive at the rebirth.

    •    This inner urge to live holy and obedient is very much like the migration instinct in animals and birds. It comes from inside. And yet there is a big difference. The urge in us to forge upstream goes hand in hand with the exercising of our own responsibility. We are human beings, not animals!

    •    We must therefore also employ the means of grace! One of the most important of these is prayer. We need to pray for the necessary strength, both for ourselves and for each other, as well as the will, the wisdom and the ability to swim upstream  -  the very thing Paul is doing here.

THE NECESSITY OF FRUIT BEARING

❏    We need to live to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in the here and now. How do I accomplish this? Although it is more than this, bearing fruit is at the heart of it. I must make a difference by the way I live; my life needs to contribute towards the salvation of non-believers, the edification of my fellow believers and the coming of the Kingdom.

❏    Bearing fruit almost always demands perseverance. You cannot plant a tree today and expect a harvest by tomorrow. We all tend to be too hasty  -  and too lazy. We want to do everything at the snap of a finger. However, without patience and much hard work, very little can be accomplished. And for that we require a specific inclination  -  deep convictions, burning passions, holy prerogatives and firm resolutions. The inner being must be empowered and remain empowered!
    Truly, without prayer our lives will yield very little by way of eternal fruit. This is what Paul realizes very, very clearly.

LET OUR HEARTS BE FILLED WITH WONDER!

For how long have you been a Christian? Is it not remarkable how the inner fire keeps burning year after year  -  ever higher and higher!
    However, let us realize, the ultimate cause of this is not our prayers, but the One who hears them. No, even more, it is the intercession of our heavenly Priest and the willingness of our heavenly Father to heed those pleas.  And it is the passion of the Holy Spirit to bring the streams of grace that flow from the throne of Christ, to reality in our lives.

Nico van der Walt

EE12 - EPH 3:14-21 : AN APOSTOLIC PRAYER [4]

Now we come to the apostle’s prayer itself. It is quite profound, and has a few exegetic challenges. Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones calls it "undoubtedly one of the great mountain peaks in the Scripture". And indeed, if only we could experience in this life more of what the apostle is praying here.
    Looking at the Greek text, it is clear that the prayer can be divided into four parts (16-17; 18-19a; 19b; 20-21). And each of these portions can be subdivided again into smaller sections.
    Let us start then with the first part (v. 16b, NASV): "according to the riches of His glory . . .".

ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY

❏    What treasures are hidden in this expression! Unfortunately, few Christians treat this with the seriousness it deserves. In this expression we find the secret of a joyful and God-glorifying life that has eternal meaning. Here we have a cure for stagnation, boredom and fruitlessness in the church  -  an ailment that has struck down tens of thousands, no, millions, through the ages. Indeed, Paul knew exactly what to pray for the Ephesians!

❏    In this prayer Paul not only asks; he remembers from Whom he asks. The word that is translated with "according to" (NASA; Gr. kata) means according to the standard of. Thus, what the apostle is asking, is that the Lord will give to the Ephesians in accordance with His riches.
    To illustrate: Jesus was impressed when the poor widow threw two copper coins into the treasury. She gave according to her ability; in fact, she gave more than her ability. It would be a shame, however, if a rich man threw in that little. He would be giving far below his means.

❏    What is God's glory? It is the sum total of His attributes  -  the totality of His Being. Paul is therefore praying that God will give the Ephesians something that will be worthy of Him. It is staggering! So magnificent must His gift be that not only the receivers, but also the observers, must have no choice other than to realise how great and glorious God is. Paul prays that He will give according to the riches of His glory.

❏    Is the apostle not arrogant? Does he realise what he is praying? Should one not be much more reserved and humble before God's throne of grace? After all, we are just insignificant sinners; saved by God's undeserved mercy. Should we not much rather pray like the tax collector in Luke 18?
    Let us remember a few things.
    First, surely there are times, perhaps the majority of times, when one should pray like the tax collector. One does not only pray humbly for forgiveness when first coming to Christ, but also every time when  -  as a child of God  -  one stumbles and commits sin.
    But there are other times when, like yet another character in Luke 18, we have to pray with the utmost boldness. The nagging widow refused to take "no" for an answer. And Jesus was clearly pleased with that.
    Secondly, there is nothing more important to God than to glorify Himself. And Paul knows that what he is asking here honours God par excellence. After all, he is not merely desiring the fulfilment of his own carnal desires (James 4:3).
    Thirdly, nothing brings more pleasure to our gracious and good God than to pour out His gifts on His beloved children. And what the apostle is praying for here, is indeed God's bests gifts for His children in this life.
    Fourthly, let us remember that here we have the prayer of an inspired apostle, recorded in the absolutely reliable Word of God. Therefore we should take these words very seriously.
    And do not think that Paul was praying without thinking. In Phil. 4:19 he prays a similar prayer: "And my God will meet all your needs according (Gr. kata) to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
    A general rule would be: If it is about God’s honour, if it is about those things He undoubtedly finds pleasure in, we don't have to hold back in any thing that we ask. In fact, then we can hardly set our sights too high. It honours Him as God when we ask for something that no man can achieve. Remember, there are times when modesty in prayer is not pious, but rather a manifestation of small faith and an indifference to God’s honour.

WHAT DOES THIS SAY TO YOU AND ME?

It is true that everyone who is united with Christ has already, in principle, received his or her total heritage in Him  -  everything that he or she will ever receive to all eternity. It is like a child who inherits a vast sum of money, but only receives it when he reaches a certain age. Legally the money is his from the very start, but the realisation of his inheritance only takes place years later. Now, of course, part of our inheritance in Christ becomes a reality in this life already  -  and that is what Paul is dealing with here.
    In coming weeks we will take a good look at Paul's prayer, but first I want to talk in general about how we should pray about this realisation.
    There are two prayers that we should pray regularly. Let us look at these two prayers.

1.    "Father, never give me less than a child of yours  -  elected, washed by the blood, Spirit filled  -  should receive in this life as a joint heir of Your Son. Give me according to Your riches."

❏    Do you remember how Elisha, from his deathbed, ordered king Jehoash to strike the ground with his arrows? (2 Kings 13:14 -21). The number of times that the king hit the ground would determine how many times, and how devastatingly, the Israelites would defeat the Syrians. Do you remember how disappointed  -  angry actually  -  Elisha was when Jehoash struck the ground only three times instead of five or six times?
    Why was Elisha so upset? Because Jehoash did not enthusiastically take everything that God offered. Owing to his lack of faith and half-heartedness, he would indeed defeat the Syrians three times, but he would not destroy them once and for all.

❏    The prosperity theology has a big following in our time. Everyone who reads the Bible with honesty, will know that what they preach is seriously off the mark. But let us be careful not to overreact and develop a pauper mentality.
    Too many Christians think that they are pious and humble when they present themselves as wretched sinners who are totally happy just to be in the forecourts of the Lord. If I can only be saved, they say, I am more than content  -  even if it is by the skin of my teeth. A thousand times, no! Of course we are Christ’s love-slaves through the grace of God  -  but we are also beloved children of our heavenly Father, and joint heirs of His Son!

❏    No, God’s Word is quite clear: It pleases God, and it glorifies Him, when we embrace as much as we can of our inheritance in Christ.
    When the Israelites had to take possession of Canaan, the Lord told them: "I will give you every place where you set your foot" (Jos. 1:3). They had to destroy all the pagans, because God had given the entire land to them. But, they did not do that. And in the second half of the book, we hear the ominous refrain more than once: they did not drive out the Canaanites completely (Jos 15:63; 16:10; 17:13; etc). And the result? These pagans would in the centuries to come seduce the Israelites again and again to worship idols.

❏     No, let Is 62:6-7 be written on the tablets of our hearts: "You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth."
    Let us keep on praying: "Give me  -  no, give us, because Paul prays for all the believers in Ephesus   -  everything that, in this life, You can give to your children according to Your Son’s merits."
    Let us plead with the Lord for ourselves and for our brothers and sisters: "Lord, stretch our capacity to know You as deeply as people before their glorification can know you. Sanctify us to the degree that mortal man can be sanctified. Give us more and more strength to do Your work  -  as You did during times of revival in the past. Give us faith and energy to serve You, so that William Carey's words will  become a reality in our lives: Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God! Bless us financially in such a way that we will have fortunes available to provide for and feed the poor among us, and to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Please, Father, bless us so that others  -  because of us  -  will give glory to You."

2.    "Father, do not give us more than what You in Your infinite wisdom and love know that we should have. Give to us according to Your wisdom."
    This may sound shocking, but the Lord's blessings can also, in the course of time, destroy. Does not the history of revivals show this?
    It is the same with individuals. When a congregation lives in spiritual prosperity for too long, the sharp edge of people's gratitude, humility and vigilance have a tendency to become blunt. And before we know it, we take God's kindness for granted. Boldness before the Lord is one thing, but arrogance is quite another. It is so easy for a person's humble and dependent admiration for the Lord's kindness to change into pride and complacency. And on the heels of such a sinful attitude, false doctrine always follows.
    Remember then, when we pray to the Lord to provide for us according to the riches of His glory, we should also ask Him never to give us more than what His wisdom allows.
    Let us frequently pray: "Father, do not give us more of Your blessing than what You in Your infinite wisdom know will be good for us. Yes, we want to know you, but do not show us more of Yourself than what we can handle. Keep us, by way of speaking, under Your hand when You pass by, like You did for Moses."
    Proverbs 30:8-9 talks about financial blessings, but the principle should be applied to all God's gifts: "give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God."

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ earned us an infinitely great inheritance. Nothing, no nothing in this life, should be more important to His Church than to live in such a way that He is praised and glorified. And He will be exalted to the extend that this prayer is embodied in our lives  -  in accordance with the riches of the Father's glory.

Nico van der Walt