Who can fully understand God?

 
When God took me into His forever family, my sister told me to read John’s gospel five times, then Romans twice. This was good advice. The first Bible words I read as a believer reveal a basic truth that is believed by all who are reborn and trust Jesus:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

Knowing that Jesus is God is foundational to being a Christian. At least one cult tries to avoid this truth. They put an “a” in front of the last God, as if He is one of many, despite the many verses in the OT that say there is only one God. Not only that, the original Greek language of the NT does not have the word “a” in it!

How can there be one God yet both Father and Son, and add the Holy Spirit who is also God? This is humanly not understandable. We make analogies that try to explain it, such as ice, water, and steam are all different yet all H2O. But even that falls short.

This truth was His way of revealing Himself to the people He created and introducing me to Himself. God simply says it and I need to believe it. There is much more:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Hebrews 1:1–3)
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily… (Colossians 2:9)
…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped… (Philippians 2:6)
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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. (2 Corinthians 4:3–6)

This truth is difficult for Christians, yet we are told to believe it, not to fully understand it. However, that Jesus is God is totally impossible for those who do not have faith in God or confess their sins to Him. They are blinded by the “god of this world” who is also called “the father of lies” who wants to keep people from faith in this marvelous God who sent His Son to show us what He is like, and to die for our sins that we might be with Him forever.

PRAY: Jesus, today we attend a Celebration of Life for a dear woman who loved You and walked with You for much of her life. While we miss her, our faith says she is with You now, seeing You in all Your glory and rejoicing for multiplied reasons, one of which is that she now fully understands how three can be one holy God. Because of You, we can celebrate even as we dearly miss her.

God’s Cure for Spiritual Blindness

 

It’s possible that those who call themselves Christian have learned all they know about Christianity from a textbook, or a preacher, or what they read or imagine other than what the Bible says. Because it appeals to them, they believe it but when the events of life do not match what they have been told, they become confused and doubtful.

I’ve read that I am not to accept any conception of what I see in Christ, no matter how strongly or logically it is presented. Even that statement is contrary to “what I see” because my understanding of the identity of Jesus was not told to me or explained by humans. I was revealed by the Spirit of God and for that reason, I shake my head at anything I hear to the contrary.

Years ago, a pair of cult members came to my door and questioned my understanding of Christ with “Who taught you that?” They insisted I must have been indoctrinated by others whose idea of Jesus was not the same as theirs, and that their ‘source’ was more reliable than mine. I persisted in saying that it came from the Holy Spirit, but they had no concept of how that could happen.

Today’s reading rightly says that my understanding must be based on Scripture, yet I know people who know what the Bible says and yet seem unable to obey what they know. This makes me wonder if their knowledge was taught to them by their church rather than a personal revelation by the Spirit. When humans speak, I can believe or not — depending if what I hear suits my fancy, but when the Holy Spirit says it, I know it is true. I may forget and need to hear Him again, yet refuting contrary teaching is not a big challenge when it comes to revealed knowledge.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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. (2 Corinthians 4:3–6)

Spiritual blindness is the norm. Seeing God’s truth is not. It must be revealed lest it swish over our heads. This is the reason that Bible reading and study are important, but even then, if I rely on my own abilities to interpret and understand without God revealing His meaning to me, then I’m in the same boat as those who are unable to see the Light.

PRAY: Jesus, I know that You were often misunderstood and Your identity was deemed a lie. I’m thankful and in awe that the day You came into my life, You opened my eyes to see that You are God in human flesh. It makes no sense to human thinking and is often called error and yet, spiritual revelation once seen is so powerful that nothing can rob me of that Light You have shone in my heart.

Light in my life!

 

My studio (desk and quilting space) is in the basement with one window. My hubby’s den where he works from home is on the north side. It has a window but short winter days mean less light. To overcome the dimness in both spaces, we had LED lights installed. They are flat, round and about 12” across, set on the highest of five levels which is equal to daylight. With light like that, we both feel as if we are working outside in the sunshine.

Light is powerful. Sunshine not only gives warmth and life but also light in what would be a dark, cold place without it. The same could be said even more of Jesus who shines beyond the sun: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Today’s devotional says that the sun cannot be without its brightness or separated from its light, nor can God be separated from the glory of Jesus Christ. God has never been without Him, or He without the Father, yet as the brightness of the sun is not the sun, the glory of Christ is not the fullness of all that God is — in that He limited Himself by becoming a man.

Though he was in the form of God, (Jesus) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6–8)

My mind cannot grasp how this works. God remains God yet He became a babe to grow to an adult who lived here and died here, rising from the dead to bring us the light we need so that we do not ever need to walk in the darkness of sin and unbelief. This is utterly amazing.

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

As the radiance of God’s glory, Christ can transmit that light into our lives so we can radiate the glory of God to a dark world. This has always been His plan. In the OT, He said:

I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)

It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)

Then Jesus came, first to bring that same light to us. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4–5) Yet He knew we needed to grab hold of His light, allow it to be ‘installed’ in us and then keep it turned on:

Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.” (John 12:35)

The devotional writer adds that the term “exact imprint” from Hebrews 1:3 to describe Christ’s relationship to God’s nature is associated with an impression reproduced on a seal by a die or a stamp. This means Jesus Christ is the perfect, personal imprint of God in time and space, the same God who spoke (the Word) and light was produced in the void of darkness. Amazing!

Jesus Christ is the full expression of God and the exact reproduction of God’s nature in human history. He can come into the lives of sinners and give us light to see and know God. He is the source of spiritual life and His light gives purpose, meaning, peace, joy, and fellowship with Him forever.

PRAY: Jesus, You are the light of my life. I’m deeply affected by all that You are and all that You shine into my mind and heart. You gave up all that You are to become a human person so that You could shed light into our dark world and into our dark and separated-from-You hearts. Because of You, I can walk in the light of life, a light that is overwhelmingly bright.

PONDER: Read 2 Corinthians 4:3–6 and pray for light in the lives of those who are unable to see the wonder of Jesus.

 

 

Leaving space on my to-do list for God’s direction . . .

In today’s devotional reading, Dr. Tozer writes that some ‘Christians’ devise a quota system for their witnessing, such as two a week, etc. This certainly true of at least one cult. Their ‘rules’ state that their people must ‘witness’ to their beliefs and they measure this by how many pamphlets are distributed. Some go door-to-door while others hand them out on street corners.

Tozer says he’d hate to be someone’s quota for the day because sharing the Gospel requires the guidance and concern of God through the Holy Spirit. The enemy blinds human minds to the reality of the spiritual world. The Holy Spirit can bring light into that darkness and often uses the witness of an obedient Christian. For this to happen, we need to pay attention to God’s leading so our words and our timing coincide with what the Spirit is doing.

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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.” (2 Corinthians 4:3–6)

That said, unless God speaks plainly, we have no idea what He is going to do or who He intends to give His light to, only that we must say what He puts on our hearts to say. I’ve also learned that I must not gauge the results by how the person responds. They might resist, argue, even ignore what I said yet the Holy Spirit is at work. This is the importance of listening and obedience.

Prayer is a vital part of this challenge to witness as well. Tozer says, “When seeking to bring the lost to Christ we must pray continually that they may receive the gift of seeing. And we must pit our prayer against that dark spirit who blinds the hearts of men.”

Sometimes I think I’m praying to persuade God, but God wants people to hear and respond to the Gospel more than I do. Prayer is spiritual war.

^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, my prayer time today is cut short by two appointments. Nevertheless, I’m thankful for this reminder and encouragement to keep on praying, not to convince You but to battle against that old liar who wants people to perish in their sin. Help me today to pray without ceasing, even in waiting rooms and while moving about. Also prompt me if You desire me to do or say something to another person about You or their spiritual condition. Their eternal destiny could be at stake.