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Wednesday, July 27, 2016

P2 Why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e

Romans 11:33-35 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?

Introduction:
In our last post we considered why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e. This, in all honesty, ought to be obvious. God, after all, is the Greatest Conceivable Being. He is Maximally Great, possessing great-making properties such as omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. Just as people who conclude the Grand Canyon to be a good enough destination to travel thousands of miles because of its "worthiness" of being a vacation spot, God far exceeds His creation and ought to be seen as most supremely worthy. Sadly, sin and the fall have rendered our spiritual eyes blind and our spiritual senses dead. What "ought" to be obvious ends up being ignored by the unbeliever. Authors such as the late Christopher Hitchens will write books like "God is not Great" to express the epitome of unbelieving man's attitude toward God. The Holy Spirit of God is necessary to open eyes and resurrect the spiritual senses for people to see God as worthy of praise.

We saw yesterday that God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e due to His power and the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Today we carry on to contemplate more reasons why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e.

Power of God
Revelation of Jesus Christ

Attributes of God
We see God's characteristics or attributes mentioned in Romans 11:33-35. God's knowledge, wisdom, judgments and ways are described as "unsearchable" and "unfathomable". In verse 35 we find reference to God's mind, as well as indirect reference to the Trinity by mention of the Person of the Holy Spirit. God's qualities act as rays of the sun directing our spiritual eyes and senses back to the source. We experience God's energies, which are the sum of His essence, which no man has seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16). God's revelation in Jesus enables us to truly know God in the Person of the Son and His power demonstrates His worthiness to be praised. Hence, God's attributes are cause for praise. But now let's notice a fourth reason...

Inspired Scriptures
The Apostle Paul's doxology in Romans 11:33-35 is a quotation of verses from Isaiah 40:13 and Job. God has seen fit to disclose Himself in three primary ways: general revelation in creation, fullness of revelation in Jesus and special revelation in the scriptures. God's wisdom and voice is conveyed by them (Psalm 19:7-14). It is by the scriptures that God conveys His will (2 Peter 1:20-21); gives His instructions (2 Timothy 3:16); exercises His authority (1 Timothy 4:13-16) and reveals His redemptive purposes. Paul's doxology expresses all that Paul has concluded from his own inspired letter to the Romans as well as the other texts quoted in his writings. 

So God is worthy of praise due to...

Power of God
Revelation of Jesus Christ
Attributes of God
Inspired Scriptures

Next time we will consider two final reasons from Romans 11:33-36 as to why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e.