God the Creator

The Book of Genesis begins with the One who is the cause of all else. God has no beginning, but everything else does. Genesis 1 tells us how he brought the universe into existence and gives it one verse before focussing on what he did on the earth during the week of creation.

The writer to the Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 11:3 that ‘by faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.’ This does not mean that we look at evidences for the hand of the Creator and then believe that he was involved. No doubt, there is a place for looking at such evidences, but what the writer means is that we accept as true what God says in his Word about the method of creation. 

God speaks to us in a twofold manner concerning creation. First, he speaks through the creation. Psalm 19:1-2 tells us that ‘the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.’ Paul, in Romans 1:19-20, writes: ‘For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.’ But this form of divine revelation is limited, because it does not tell us about God’s mercy, about his love for sinners who have rebelled against him.

Second, God speaks about the creation in his Word. This is what he does in Genesis 1 and 2. He tells us how he brought it into existence. We are no longer listening to creation speaking of the Creator, but of the Creator speaking of his creation. By faith, we affirm that what he says is true and rest upon it. 

This response of faith was expressed well by the commentator and theologian Robert Candlish: ‘But now, God speaks, and I am dumb. He opens his mouth, and I hold my peace. I bid my busy, speculative soul be quiet. I am still, and know that it is God. I now at once recognise a real and living Person, beyond and above myself. I take my station humbly, submissively at his feet. I learn of him. And what he tells me now, in the way of direct personal communication from himself to me, has a weight and vivid reality infinitely surpassing all that mere deductions from the closest reasoning could ever have.’

When we read the first two chapters in Genesis, we should recognise that we are not reading scientific descriptions of the creation of the universe. This is not to say that God did not take seven days to complete the original work of creation. Moses, in the Decalogue in Exodus 20, makes it clear that the ordinary human cycle of six days for work and one day of rest follows the divine pattern set in Genesis 1 and there is no biblical reason for thinking that the days in Genesis 1 are not literal days. Nevertheless, to treat the chapter as if its main focus was the number of days is to miss the fact that it is a chapter about God. Perhaps you would like to read the chapter and see what it says about him.

The love of God

John 3:16, in its description of the love of God, has been called the Bible in miniature. There is sufficient teaching within it that will enable any person who takes its teaching to heart to find his way to heaven, supposing he would never heard or read another verse.

It is not clear from the chapter who spoke the words of John 3:16. Many assume that the words were part of Jesus’ message to Nicodemus because they had been speaking to one another in the previous verses. Personally I think it is more likely that the verse is a comment by John composed as he reflected on that discussion as he recorded it six decades later when he wrote his Gospel under the inspiration of the Spirit.  

Who does John say is the object of the love of God? The answer is the world. Normally when we think of the term ‘world’ we focus on how large the world is and we try and explain the greatness of God’s love by highlighting the millions of people who belong to it. Yet I don’t think that is the emphasis that John is stressing by the term ‘world’. 

Put it this way. Imagine that the world was composed of perfect, ideal people, each of whom had never even had a wrong thought. If we said that God loved such a world we would not be focussing on the number that God loved; instead we would be thinking about the type of people he loved. Since they are perfect, they would deserve to be loved.  

Now we know that the world is not made up of such people. In fact, out of all the millions who have belonged or do belong to the human race, each one of them has defects (sins). These sins are expressions of disobedience to God’s commandments. This is the world that God loves, and the emphasis is not so much on the number but on their character. It is not the size of the world that is staggering, but the sinfulness of the world when we think of God’s love for it. 

How did God show his love? He did so by giving his Son in order that sinful people would not perish. This is a reference to what took place at Calvary when Jesus became the substitute of sinners and suffered God’s wrath in their place.

Today, all over the world the story of God’s great love will be proclaimed in a variety of settings. Many who will listen to it will have responded already to his offer of salvation. Others will do so for the first time. It is through the declaration of this message that God’s kingdom grows.

What will be the most important speech delivered today as far as the world is concerned? Perhaps politicians will make some announcements about relevant things. Maybe sportsmen and women will have something to say. Yet the most important statements will be said wherever the gospel is declared. So as we gather in our services, we should remind ourselves that we are listening to an announcement designed for our eternal good as well as for our earthly comfort.

The Goodness of God (2)

In a previous post, we looked at the ways God’s goodness is revealed in creation and providence. There are other ways by which he reveals his goodness and here are some suggestions.

Jesus came for our deliverance because God is good. He lived his life of perfect obedience and died his atoning death because the good God wanted each of his people to experience the forgiveness of their sins and to have the obedience of Jesus imputed to them as their righteous standing in his presence. Jesus was raised from the dead because the good God wanted him to be the forerunner of a countless number who would experience resurrection glory because of his triumph. Jesus was exalted to heaven and given the Holy Spirit because the good God wanted each of his people to know the benefits of being adopted into his family and to experience the process of sanctification. Jesus will return to the earth because the good God wants his people to be raised from the dead and to enter into the fullness of eternal life. Jesus will yet sit on his judgement throne because the good God wants each of his people to be publicly honoured and acquitted. Jesus will yet bring into existence the new heavens and new earth because the good God wants his children to share the inheritance of their Elder Brother, an inheritance that includes their experience of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Surely we should respond and praise the Lord for his goodness.

The Holy Spirit sanctifies believers because God is good. The range of activities of the Holy Spirit in God’s people indicates the extent of God’s goodness. He convicts them of their sin, he reveals to them the Saviour, he enables them to believe in Christ, he indwells them despite their sinfulness, he gives to them assurance of salvation, he teaches them to confess their sins, he confers on them spiritual gifts, he provides them with foretastes of heaven, he makes them Christlike through the fruit of the Spirit, he renews continually their inner man, he empowers them for witness, he engages them in God’s service, and much more. Surely we should respond and praise the Lord for his goodness.

God only works good for his people and only allows to happen to them experiences that will result in their eternal good. We are familiar with Romans 8:28, that all things work together for good to them that love God. This does not mean that all experiences are pleasant or beneficial in themselves. The important factor is what God does with them.

The brothers of Joseph were wrong to sell him to foreigners, but the good God overruled it for their future benefit. Joseph was unjustly treated on that occasion, but it was a stage in the path to prominence that the good God had planned for him. Paul’s thorn in the flesh was unpleasant, was administered in spite (it buffeted him), had Satanic origins, yet was the means by which the good God kept him from pride. It’s not only the positive aspects of life that bring good into the present and future experiences of God’s people. There is not a second of time in a Christian’s experience which will not contribute to his final good. He will experience God’s forgiveness for his sins, his guidance out of problems, his presence through storms, his enlightening of the Bible, his answers to prayer, his peace in the heart, and many more blessings. Surely we should respond and praise the Lord for his goodness.

God’s goodness will be displayed in the eternal state. In this life we experience much of God’s goodness. Yet in the eternal state we shall experience much more. He will give to his people their inheritance of the new heavens and new earth, he will give to them the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that they will know depths of peace, heights of joy and surges of love that they cannot yet imagine. They will live in an environment of beauty and glory, with no trace of sin or fear. And it will last for ever because the good God will be a fountain ever overflowing with goodness for his people.

There, God will bring to final excellence the good that he has been producing throughout the lives of his people. There, each Christian will enjoy the full results of the weary nights they spent in prayer; there, the martyrs will see that their suffering for Christ was worth it as they wear their crowns of glory; there, the weak in body will see that their afflictions endured by trusting in Christ have contributed to their state of bliss; there, the Christians who were mentally disturbed will see that their inner pain has worked for them an eternal weight of glory; there, the mentally handicapped who were born unable to express themselves will find that they too have a valuable place in proclaiming eternally the praises of God. All this, and much more, will be the experience of God’s people. Surely we should respond and praise the Lord for his goodness.

His goodness is what makes God so attractive. God is beautiful in unbounded measure, eternally revealing every pleasing feature, continually providing every blessing, and is therefore of invaluable worth to his people. Our response must be to praise him with our minds, hearts, wills and lives.

The Goodness of God (1)

We may be aware that the well-known answer in the Shorter Catechism to the question, ‘What is God?’ does not include ‘love’ among the list of divine attributes – love is there, but it is found under the term ‘goodness’. The Catechism’s answer also reminds us that each of God’s attributes, including goodness, are infinite, eternal and unchangeable.

The term ‘goodness’ has more than one meaning. It can mean excellence of character or ability, righteous behaviour (live good lives), and benevolence (kindness to others, especially the needy). These different meanings do not only apply to human goodness, they also are included within the divine attribute of goodness.

It is possible to argue that goodness is the sum of all God’s attributes. When Moses asked the Lord to reveal his glory, he replied in Exodus 33:19: ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name “The LORD.” And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’ In a further answer to Moses’ prayer, the Lord amplifies the meaning of his goodness in Exodus 34:6-7: ‘The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

God’s goodness and love are intimately linked. God loves because he is good, and he does good because he loves. Often the terms can be used interchangeably. One of our difficulties is caused by the reality that we can do good without loving the recipients (e.g., giving to charity), and we can love people without being able to do them good (because of our lack of resources). This cannot be said of God. He only does what is good.

The goodness of God is displayed in his creation and providence. We can see his goodness in Genesis 1 as he prepared an ideal environment for his creatures (animals and humans). Although human sin has resulted in the effects of the curse, it is still the case that the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord (Ps. 24:1), whether in its scenery or in his provision for the needs of his creatures.

As far as humans are concerned, God’s goodness to each of them is revealed primarily in each being created in the image of God. This image includes character (holy) and status (rulers of creation). Although all humans have rebelled against God, none of them has lost his image and each expresses it in a range of ways. Humans can think, investigate, discover, understand, relate, discuss, develop, and do these for the benefit of others (sadly they can also use them for the destruction of others). Similarly, humans have been gifted with many natural talents, such as composing appropriate music; painting or drawing images that help us understand ourselves and our environment; writing absorbing, accurate and enchanting literature; designing useful and convenient technology that betters the human situation; and creating beautiful things in general so that life is pleasant and enjoyable. (Sadly, these talents can also be used to produce what is unhelpful, ugly and pointless.) These talents have come to us, individually and corporately, because of the goodness of God.

Considering this activity of God is good for our souls. This is what the Lord used to give Job a sense of perspective in his troubles that all the advice of his friends could not give. The Lord took his suffering servant on a rapid tour of his creation, pointing out the various ways in which he was involved in the control of the elements, in giving food to animals, as well as in other ways (Job 38–39). In these chapters, the Lord reveals his power, his wisdom and his goodness, and it was part of the process of Job’s restoration.

This activity of God is also an effective aspect of evangelism. In addressing the citizens of Lystra, who wanted to worship Barnabas and him, Paul informed them that the true God had not left himself without a witness and instead ‘he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with good and gladness’ (Acts 14:17). In Romans 2:4, Paul writes that grateful response to the goodness of God should lead to human repentance.

God’s goodness to the human race in making each of them in his image is a reminder that each has to be good to the others. This is why abortion (whether of the healthy or the handicapped) and euthanasia (whether of the handicapped or the aged) is more than disobedience to one of God’s commands. It is a denial of our corporate responsibility to live as God’s image-bearers in a human society that should reflect his values.

The Faithfulness of God (2)

In a previous post some comments were made about the faithfulness of God and what it means. But what does this attribute say about his relationship with us? Here are some aspects:

God is faithful when we are tempted. One verse that teaches this is 1 Corinthians 10:13: ‘No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.’ This verse indicates that God knows how much a person can take and will always provide the grace to escape. Sometimes the way of escape is literal, as it was in Corinth because Paul says in the next verse that the Corinthians should flee from idolatry. That was their way of escape. At other times the way of escape is by not remaining in isolation but going and spending time with others, asking them for help in prayer or in other ways. The point is that no one has an excuse when he or she falls because God always provides a way of escape. It is good to know that ‘the Lord is faithful’ and ‘will establish you and guard you against the evil one’ (2 Thess. 3:3).

Yet even when we sin, God is faithful and provides for our cleansing. In 1 John 1:9, we are informed that if ‘we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ The reason why he is faithful is because ‘the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin’ (v.7). Jesus has already paid the penalty for our sins, the Father has already promised to forgive us our sins, and the Spirit comes to lead us to confess our sins in order to receive forgiveness and restoration.

In his faithfulness, God will chastise backsliders, but their security depends on his faithfulness. ‘Chastening is not only reconcilable with God’s loving-kindness, but it is the effect and expression of it. It would much quieten the minds of God’s people if they would remember that His covenant love binds Him to lay on them seasonable correction’ (Arthur W. Pink). ‘I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me’ (Ps. 119:75).

God is faithful when circumstances are difficult. There are times in the lives of all when it is not easy to believe that God is faithful. Heaven seems to be silent to our prayers, and to our tears. The devil whispers or shouts that God, if he is there, does not care. Often, these times come in situations when we have been faithful to God.

One book that is concerned with the difficulties that God’s people faced is Lamentations, written at a time when Jerusalem was in ruins, when it seemed as if God had failed to keep his promises to protect his people. In the midst of such tragedy, the writer affirms in Lamentations 3:22-26: ‘The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.’ The destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of its people were signs of God’s faithfulness, of the fulfilment of the judgment he had warned them about on many occasions. And he had preserved a small remnant who had remained loyal to him. Even in times of great trouble, believers can see the faithfulness of God and gain spiritual strength. In this situation, the fact that he was faithful in judgment means that he will also be faithful in mercy. He is faithful in all he does. In such situations, ‘those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good’ (1 Pet. 4:19). God has promised, that ‘as your days, so shall your strength be’ (Deut. 33:25).

God is faithful regarding the spiritual prosperity of his church. God will ensure that believers will come from every nation. He has promised to bless the gospel, and he always keeps his promises, because his ‘faithfulness endures to all generations’ (Ps. 119:90). Because he is faithful, the race of Israel will yet be converted. ‘As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable’ (Rom. 11:28-29).

God is faithful in regard to all aspects of his people’s life. For example, it is an argument to use in prayer as David did in Psalm 143:1 (he begins in verse 1, ‘Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!’ The psalmist knew that God was faithful to his character, to his covenant, to his promises, and used this knowledge as a strength when he prayed.

Needless to say, God’s faithfulness should be a feature of our thankfulness. Psalm 92 is a guide as to how to spend the Lord’s Day, and in it the writer affirms in verses 1 and 2: ‘It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.’

Because of who the Lord is and what he has done, the appropriate advice we can give to one another is, in the words of Hebrews 10:23, ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.’

The Faithfulness of God (1)

The attribute of faithfulness is one by which God describes himself. Just as some Bible verses say that God is love or God is light (holy), so other verses say that God is faithful. They include 1 Corinthians 1:9: ‘God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,’ and 1 Corinthians 10:13: ‘No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.’ In order to understand his faithfulness, we should consider it in connection to who he is (his character) and what he does (his covenant).

As far as his character is concerned, we have to relate his faithfulness to his other attributes. For example, there is a close connection between God’s truth and his faithfulness. Both mean that God cannot lie. Because he must always be truthful, it means that God is always consistent. Since he was faithful to his people in the past, he will be faithful to them in the present and the future because he is constant. This means that God is reliable.

Further, this attribute of faithfulness points to his uniqueness because there is no other person of whom this unchanging outlook can be said. Even the best of believers can fail, yet as Paul comments in 2 Timothy 2:13: ‘If we are faithless, he remains faithful; for he cannot deny himself.’

Having made those comments we also need to recognise that God’s faithfulness is one of his communicable attributes. He has some attributes that only he can possess, such as omnipresence and omniscience. But his faithfulness can be duplicated in our Christian lives and he requires us to live in a faithful manner.

If we were asked to describe faithfulness, we would use words such as steadfastness, loyalty, permanent commitment, trustworthy. All these features are true of God. We can see them in the various ways that God has revealed himself. He reveals his faithfulness in creation, in the regularity of the seasons and in the provision of food. He reveals his faithfulness in his covenant, made in eternity in which he promised to bless a vast number of Christians and bring them to heaven. He reveals his faithfulness in the church, in maintaining its existence and providing its sustenance. He reveals his faithfulness to every Christian in giving salvation, in the senses of salvation from the penalty of sin, from the power of sin and from the presence of sin.

So we can sum up God’s faithfulness as his commitment to his own person, his people, his purpose and his promises. Arthur Pink wrote regarding the faithfulness of God: ‘Far above all finite comprehension is the unchanging faithfulness of God. Everything about God is great, vast, incomparable. He never forgets, never fails, never falters, never forfeits His word. To every declaration of promise or prophecy the Lord has exactly adhered, every engagement of covenant or threatening He will make good, for “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19). Therefore does the believer exclaim, “His compassions fail not, they are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22, 23).’

Some of the images used of God in the Bible highlight his faithfulness. For example, he is likened to a shepherd who is committed to finding, guarding and providing for each of his sheep until he brings them all to heaven. He is the gardener who continually works in the soil of his people’s hearts, producing fruit and getting rid of the weeds. He is the metalworker who continues to purify each believer of dross, and keeps at it until he accomplishes his purpose. As Paul says in Philippians 1:6: ‘I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.’

The Presence of God (2)

Since we know that God is everywhere, we should always consider how to react to him at all times. Here are some suggestions.

His presence should lead us to always be in a worshipful frame of heart. We are always in his presence, whether we are in bed, at our daily work, involved in recreation, taking part in a public event or engaged in a personal interest. God is not present to spy on us but to bless us. He enables us to do all these things, and we should do them with a conscious awareness that we are to please him in all that we do. There is a story of a man who sat down to his meal after a day of happy activities. As he prepared to give thanks and as he thought of the day’s events, he said, ‘What all this, and my God present with me.’

His presence should be a source of comfort to us. At times, we face opposition from the world and endure the temptations of Satan. Where is God at those times? He is with us, indeed he never leaves us. We do not cry to a distant God, although at times we may think he is far away from us, as happened to Job; in such times we are to commit ourselves to God. There is the promise of Psalm 23:4: ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’

His presence is a refuge for us in times of distress. Said David in Psalm 31:20: ‘In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.’

His presence should cause us to be confident in our choices. A biblical example is Moses, who made his choice between a comfortable life in Pharaoh’s place and a difficult life with God’s people because he continually saw ‘him who is invisible’ (Heb. 11:27).

His presence should be a challenge to us in our priorities. Sometimes, we face a choice between what is right and wrong, and the reality of God’s presence should make the choice easy. At other times, we have to choose between two rights, and the knowledge that God is there should govern our motives and desires when we make that choice.

Connected to wrong choices is the possibility of losing a sense of the comfortable presence of God. Our sins grieve the Spirit and cause him to withdraw himself in the sense of providing peace and joy. But he remains in the sense that he will begin to convince us of our sins, for his commitment to his people includes the promise to restore them when they fall.

Thoughts on God's Presence (1)

In previous messages, we have considered God’s wisdom and God’s power. Now I want to think about God’s presence. The technical term for it is ‘omnipresence’, which means ‘present everywhere’. It is not possible for us to understand fully what it means for God to be omnipresent. We are creatures, who can only be in one place at any given time. Nevertheless, we should try to understand something of what God’s omnipresence means.

To begin with, we should note what this attribute does not mean. First, it does not mean that one part of God is in one place and other parts in other places. All of God is everywhere. Second, God is not part of his creation. Although he is present everywhere, he is distinct or separate from his creation.

Having made these qualifications, it can be said that there is nowhere where God is not. Wherever he is, he is always present with full knowledge (he not only knows all things, but he always knows what to do) and with full power (he always has the ability to do what he wishes in every situation).

But someone may ask, if God is present everywhere, what does in mean when the Bible refers to God as going to a place or being far away from another place? The answer is that the biblical writers use metaphorical language to describe a particular action of God. This tells us that although God is present everywhere, he is not present in each place in the same manner or way. The most important question to ask is, In what way is God present? Here are some ways revealed in the Bible.

(1) The Lord was present in Eden before Adam and Eve fell and they enjoyed fellowship with one another.

(2) Throughout history, in every age, God has made his presence known to individual believers, as can be seen in the common biblical phrase that someone ‘walked with God’.

(3) God is also present in his providence, upholding all things in existence, including the wicked. He is present with them at all times, observing all their doings and aware of all their thoughts, words and actions.

(4) In Israel, God dwelled in a special manner in the Holy of holies within the tabernacle and the temple.

(5) Today he indwells his church in a corporate sense, which is what Paul means in Ephesians 4:6: ‘One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’

(6) This is true of the church as a whole and of the church in a local sense. Jesus promised his church that he would be present where two or three are met in his name. When we gather together on Sundays and during the week, we are there before God to worship him. Therefore, we should ‘come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms’ (Ps. 95:2) .

(7) The redeemed are with God in heaven, beholding his glory, enjoying his company.

(8) After the resurrection, the redeemed will know God’s presence in blessing as they and the angels experience glory in the new heavens and earth. God will be with them (Rev. 21:3). The presence of God with them, in all its power and knowledge, will be marked by love, peace and joy for ever.

(9) Even those in hell will experience the presence of God. He will be present there, according to his power and knowledge, in anger and judgment (Rev. 14:10).

So we can see that the reality of God’s presence reveals itself in different ways. We will look at other aspects of his presence in subsequent blogs.

Thoughts on God's Power (3) - In Salvation

In a sense, this is part of the work of God's providence, because salvation also occurs under God’s control. There are many aspects in which God’s power is seen in salvation, but I will only mention a few of them. 

Firstly, his power was displayed in the person and work of Christ. The formation of Christ’s human nature was an act of divine power (Luke 1:35: ‘And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God’). We also see divine power at work in Christ’s resurrection from the dead when he overcame death. Only God’s power could achieve a virgin birth and a resurrection from the dead.

God’s power is also revealed in Christian experience, which begins at regeneration when the Holy Spirit makes a spiritually dead sinner alive. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:6 likens the new birth to the original physical creation: ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ Throughout his spiritual journey, each believer is kept by the power of God (1 Pet. 1:5), otherwise spiritual enemies would overcome him. Paul discovered that he could do all things through Christ’s strength (Phil. 4:13). In fighting the devil, each believer has to ‘be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might’ (Eph. 6:10). Concerning the progress in sanctification, Peter writes that God’s ‘divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness’ (2 Pet. 1:3).

And his power will be revealed in the consummation when Jesus returns. By God’s power, all humans will be raised from the dead. By his power, the lost will be judged and kept in the place of condemnation. Through his power, God will renew the universe and bring into existence the new heavens and new earth, and by his power he will maintain it in existence throughout the endless ages.

The knowledge that we have a powerful God should lead us to worship him. Israel was told: ‘But you shall fear the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice’ (2 Kings 17:36). His power is a theme of the heavenly song: ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created’ (Rev. 4:11). A similar song of praise is given to Jesus in the following chapter in Revelation.

God’s power should give us confidence for the growth of the church, for answered prayer, for expectancy of blessing. The apostles were told to wait for power which Jesus would send to them from heaven (Acts 1:8). That same power is still available. Similarly, God is able to answer our prayers because he ‘is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us’ (Eph. 3:20).

The power of God is a comfort for his people in connection to their sense of indwelling sin, answers to prayer and victory over Satan. Arthur W. Pink wrote: ‘Well may the saint trust such a God! He is worthy of implicit confidence. Nothing is too hard for Him. If God were stinted in might and had a limit to His strength we might well despair. But seeing that He is clothed with omnipotence, no prayer is too hard for Him to answer, no need too great for Him to supply, no passion too strong for Him to subdue, no temptation too powerful for Him to deliver from, no misery too deep for Him to relieve.’ Stephen Charnock commented: ‘As omnipotence is an ocean that cannot be fathomed, so the comforts from it are streams that cannot be exhausted.’

Thoughts on God's Power (2) - His Providence

J. I. Packer helpfully defines providence as ‘the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill, he upholds his creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and free acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory.’ A shorter definition has been given by Jerry Bridges: ‘God’s providence is his constant care for and his absolute rule over all his creation for his own glory and the good of his people.’ Note the words ‘unceasing’, ‘all’, ‘constant’ and ‘absolute’.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus referred to God’s power in connection to what we may regard as mundane things. For example, he refers to God’s feeding the birds (Matt. 6:26) and growing of grass (Matt. 6:30). He refers to God’s control of the weather (Matt. 5:45). Elsewhere, Jesus mentions God’s control of the demise of every sparrow (Matt. 10:29). The truth is that we call ‘acts of nature’ are actually ‘acts of God’ in his providence.

With regard to his intelligent or rational creatures, God’s power governs every isolated action and also the way all these actions affect each other. Every action that a person does is an effect of a previous one and a cause of a subsequent one; not only do they affect the person himself, they affect others in various ways.

We can take a example. Later this year there is going to be an election in Scotland in which thousands of people will vote freely [or not bother] for their preferred choice. Yet each person will come to that decision through a wide range of influences (opinions of the media, personal benefits or losses, etc.). Each of these influences was sent or allowed by God, and each person will vote exactly as to how God decreed he or she should vote.

From a spiritual point of view, there are other aspects in providence. Some actions will be good, others will be neutral, and others will be evil, yet they are all under the control of God. When Jesus was due to be born in Bethlehem, God ensured that a political decree would cause Joseph and Mary to be there at exactly the right time. When Saul of Tarsus was about to be converted, the Lord allowed him to resolve to go to Damascus with the intention of harassing Christians.

The prayers of God’s people are also connected to providence. We ask God to bring individuals to conversion. Yet we don’t know in what way God will bring about that conversion. But if God has decided to say yes to our prayer, then every thing that happens to such persons, every thought that he or she may have, every influence that comes along, is part of the process of answering that prayer.

God’s power in providence is seen in the way he controls evil, be it the actions of the devil or the activities and intentions of humans. One of the obvious ways to see this is the opposition that is raised against the church. Yet despite all the malice of the devil, he is over-ruled by God every time.

When we think of God’s power in providence, we should recall three aspects. First, we are to remind ourselves that he is invincible, that he cannot be defeated. If there were a single event in the entire universe that could occur outside of God’s control, it would mean that we could not trust him fully. Second, we are to remind ourselves that his ways are often inscrutable, that we usually cannot see what he is doing and often we do not understand what he is doing. Third, he is neverindifferent to our situations.

Thoughts on God's Power (1)

The term that theologians employ to describe this attribute of God is ‘omnipotence’, which means ‘all powerful’; it means the same as ‘almighty’. It is commonly mentioned along with two other ‘omnis’, that is, his omniscience (all knowledge) and his omnipresence (present everywhere). Usually, omnipresence is included among God’s incommunicable attributes (those that we cannot have because we are creatures – attributes such as eternity) rather than his communicable attributes (those that we can have in a measure, such as his love or holiness).

There are two problems with this manner of classification. First, it suggests that some attributes of God are greater than others whereas in reality each of them is infinite, eternal and unchangeable. Second, it is not clear what is meant by incommunicable and communicable: on the one hand, God’s love is regarded as communicable, but no human can comprehend the fullness of that love, which means that its entirety is incommunicable; on the other hand, God’s power is regarded as incommunicable, yet we can experience some of his power, which means that aspects of it are communicable. Personally, I would suggest that we do not attempt to classify God’s attributes in this way. Because we are made in the image of God, we have access to all God’s attributes and reflect them according to our individual abilities and interests and needs. We can experience his love and his power, his holiness and his presence, his compassion and his knowledge.

When we speak of God’s omnipotence, we mean that God is capable of doing all that he wishes. Of course, there are some things that God cannot do. For example, God’s omnipotence cannot make two and two become three or five. Further, God cannot do anything against his own nature; none of his attributes act independently of the others.

God’s power is linked closely to his wisdom, which means that God always does what is best; it is also linked to his holiness, which means that he always does what is pure; it is connected to his justice, which means that he always does what is right; and it is connected to his love, which means he always does what his for the good of his people. We could detail all of God’s attributes and mention how they direct the exercising of his power.

A. W. Tozer summarised God’s omnipotence as follows: ‘Since he has at his command all the power in the universe, the Lord God omnipotent can do anything as easily as anything else. All his acts are done without effort. He expands no energy that must be replenished. His self-sufficiency makes it unnecessary for him to look outside of himself for a renewal of strength. All the power required to do all that he wills to do lies in undiminished fullness in his own infinite being.’

Everything that happens is evidence of God’s power, of his sovereign control of all things. The power of God is revealed in the creation and maintaining of the universe, in his supreme control of human history, and in the working out of his plan of salvation.

As we think of all that God has done, we must remember that he has never yet used all his power. We will consider next time various features of his acts of power, yet we should remember he could have done a lot more had he chosen to do so, especially in the work of creation.

Thoughts on God's wisdom (3)

One of the encouragements that can be experienced from knowing about God’s wisdom is the reality that we can pray for his wisdom to be given to us. We are exhorted to pray for divine wisdom in James 1:5: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’ Asking for wisdom pleases God, as we can see in the case of Solomon: God answered Solomon, ‘Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked possessions, wealth, honour, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honour, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like’ (2 Chron. 1:11-12).

How do we receive his wisdom? It comes from reflecting on God’s Word: ‘The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple’ (Ps. 19:7)

But for what are we given wisdom? Not to search the secret things of God but to study and obey the revealed details of his Word. We are always to depend on God, that is true wisdom. Yet many Christians can find this harder to do than ceasing to depend on their own righteousness. They attempt to solve the mysteries of providence. But theorising about our circumstances is often a sure way of depriving our souls of peace and security, which are only found from depending on what God has revealed of himself in his Word.

So how should we respond to his wisdom? At one level, the intellectual, it is easy enough to affirm the wisdom of God. But we have to allow its existence to affect our exercises of faith.

The knowledge that God is wise brings confidence for the future, whatever the obstacles. The future is one of our greatest difficulties because we want to plan ahead. But if everything worked out the way we planned it, then it would mean that we are as wise as God and that he agreed with our purposes. It would also mean that we would not need to exercise faith. But the wise God has our personal future and the church’s future mapped out, and our awareness of this should lead us to trust him for what is yet to happen to us.

The knowledge that God is wise brings comfort for the present, whatever the circumstances. He is able to work all things together for our good, although on many occasions we cannot see how.

God in his wisdom has purposed that his people should go through dark times because it is through these situations that they discover his faithfulness, his ability to turn things round. These times can be spiritually profitable, provided we do not rebel. He promises to us, as he did to Cyrus: ‘I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name’(Isa. 45:3). There are spiritual riches to be found in trusting the Lord’s wisdom as we go through difficult and costly situations where our hearts may be broken, our desires disappointed, and our hopes seemingly dashed to pieces.

God often does his greatest things in the darkness. When he created the world, he brought light out of darkness; when he brought his people to the promised land of Canaan, he did it through the darkness of slavery; when Jesus became incarnate, he did it through the darkness of Mary’s womb; when he delivered the world from sin, he did it at the darkness of Calvary; when he takes his people to heaven, he does it through the darkness of the tomb. And frequently he does the most important things in our lives when we are in situations of darkness. For example, the necessity of prayer can be strengthened at such times, even if all we can muster is a groan, and such times equip us or train us to be people of prayer, even although we do not realise it at the time.

The knowledge that God is wise should encourage us to obey his commandments. He has marked out the best way for us to live. Jesus, when inviting sinners to follow him, informed them that his yoke was easy and his burden light. He was not describing providences, because many of them can be very difficult to bear. Rather he was describing his commandments, particularly in contrast to the heavy demands of the Pharisees. The Lord wants each of his people to live the best kind of life, and obeying his commands discovers that life. Each requirement of God is given to us through the wisdom of God. There are many other demands that God could have made of us, but his wisdom selected the ones that would be for our benefit and for his glory. Says the psalmist: ‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endures for ever’ (Ps. 111:10)

The knowledge that God is wise should encourage us as we pray. He can read our requests and knows best when to answer them. Often we are totally confused and perplexed about various situations, be they in our families, our communities and our church. We cannot see any way out of it. But God can: he knows all the possible ways to answer our prayers, he possesses sufficient power to answer them in each of these ways, but his wisdom chooses the best time when to answer and the best way how to answer. We are not to see delays as denials – God is not saying ‘no’ but ‘not yet’. Neither are we to regard apparent refusals as rejections of our prayers by God – God can say ‘yes, but not in the precise way you want’, for he can answer our prayers far above all that we can ask or think.

Thoughts on God's wisdom (2)

God’s wisdom is at work continually and here are four ways in which it is seen. 

First, the creation reveals the wisdom of God. We see his wisdom in the way everything fits together, for example, why the light of stars so many million light years away should shine precisely when life on earth needs it. We see his wisdom in that the whole creation is designed for the use of humans and would have been so in far grander ways if they had not rebelled. And we see divine wisdom reflected in the wisdom possessed by Adam when he was ably to codify the animal creation; such human wisdom is an evidence of the image of God. It is good for us to meditate on God’s wisdom in creation. Stephen Charnock, the Puritan scholar who wrote a massive work on the attributes of God, said that ‘as every river can conduct us to the sea, so every creature points us to an ocean of infinite wisdom.’ In Psalm 104:24, the psalmist cries in worship: ‘O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.’

Second, providence (God‘s governing of life) reveals the wisdom of God. We see this in the biblical accounts of Bible characters. Jacob once uttered that everything was against him, a feeling that we all have at times, but he was wrong to say so, and so are we if we are depending on God. Psalm 107 describes various ways in which God deals with his creatures. The psalm closes with an appeal to reflect on such providences: ‘Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD’ (Ps. 107:43).

Third, the incarnation of Jesus reveals the wisdom of God. Man’s rebellion against God, in a way far beyond our human understanding, did not frustrate God’s wisdom but, instead, was part of the process whereby his wisdom could be displayed in a manner that no human could have imagined. It was always God’s plan that his Son should become the Saviour by becoming a man and suffering God’s justice against our sins. Many impossibilities were overcome by the incarnation: union of God and man in one person; conception without the contribution of the male parent; a sinless child born of a sinful woman; etc. Only the wisdom of God achieved those accomplishments. 

Fourth, the gospel reveals the wisdom of God. Although many regard the gospel as foolishness, it is the only means whereby an innumerable number of sinners will get to heaven. By listening to the explanation of the sufferings of a crucified Saviour, such are drawn to him and discover the wisdom of God. This is why aspects of the gospel are called ‘mysteries’ in the New Testament; the word does not mean ‘mysterious’, rather it means details that humans could not discover but have been disclosed by the wise God.

These four aspects should enable us to confess that God is truly wise.

Thoughts on God's wisdom (1)

The Shorter Catechism definition of God lists wisdom as one of the features of God which is infinite, eternal and unchangeable. Because it is infinite, his wisdom covers everything (includes the needs of angels, humans, and lower forms of creation); because it is eternal, his wisdom will never become dated (this includes the eternal state in the future as well as life now); because it is unchangeable, his wisdom can never be improved.

While the wisdom of God is linked to everything that God is and does, it is particularly connected to both his knowledge and his power. As far as his knowledge is concerned, God knows all possible things; as far as his power is concerned, God is capable of doing all possible things. But God does not exercise them apart from his wisdom. For example, in human terms, God could have had more than one way to accomplish an action; his wisdom is what caused the particular way to be chosen. Similarly, he could have utilised various aspects of his power to bring about the action; his wisdom is what decided how much power to exercise.

Wisdom is the facility to formulate ideal goals and to attain those ends by the best processes. Or as J. I. Packer puts it, ‘Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.’

God’s wisdom is instantaneous. We are not to imagine God as sitting down and poring over a problem. He is never confused as to what to do with his knowledge nor is he ever baffled by a situation that he faces.

God’s wisdom is multi-faceted in that it is displayed in a wide variety of ways in every single situation. In every situation, he is working for his own glory, for the benefit of his own kingdom, for the downfall of opposition, for the good of his individual people, for the benefit of generations not yet born, and many more aspects.

When we think of God’s wisdom, our response should be similar to Paul in 1 Timothy 1:17: ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen’ (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Jude in Jude 25: ‘To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.’

Psalm 19 – Two Divine Revelations

This psalm concerns divine revelation. The author considers two ways by which God makes himself known: in the creation and in the Scriptures. In verses 1-6, the psalmist describes how God is revealed in the created order (this is called general revelation because it is displayed to every person); in verses 7-11, he considers how God is revealed in the Scriptures (this is called special revelation because it is only revealed to some); then in verses 12-14, the psalmist prays that he would benefit from God revealing himself to him.

General revelation is comprehensive (it includes the heavens as well as the earth), consistent (it occurs every day and every night) and clear (everybody can understand it even although they speak different languages and cannot understand one another). The creation continually says that God is pre-existent (he existed before he made the universe), wise (he designed the universe) and powerful (he maintained it in existence). It also tells us that God is good (he provides what his creatures need).

Nevertheless, creation also says that something is wrong because not everything that takes place is good. There are earthquakes, famines and other disasters, and all of creation is marked by death. General revelation is silent as to the cause of these problems and does not hint whether or not the Creator intends to solve them. In order to know these details, we need special revelation.

The various nouns that the psalmist uses for this special revelation – law, statutes, commands – indicate that it contains precepts to be obeyed, which informs us that God is a sovereign King. One of the terms used for special revelation is the ‘fear of the Lord’ (v. 9), which stresses that it is to be approached with reverence, with the same respect that we would give to the King himself.

Each noun is also accompanied by an adjective such as clean, righteous, and perfect, and they state its moral quality. After all, it is possible for a ruler to have unrighteous or irrelevant laws, but not God. There is not one unrighteous law or one unnecessary command in the Bible.

Each of the six descriptions of special revelation has a statement summarising its effect: it revives, gives wisdom, gives joy, gives illumination, is eternal and righteous. Because of these features, the Bible is both beyond price in value and sweet to a believer’s soul. A Christian learns more about God and receives more from God in the Bible than he could learn about him or receive from him in the creation. Climbing a hill to see the view is good for your health, but the resultant vista does not teach us more about God than is revealed in the Bible. For example, the greatest display of divine power is not the upholding of the universe in existence; rather the greatest display of divine power is the resurrection of Christ.