A meditation on the goodness of God

Psalm 139:17-24 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would out number the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. 20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." 

Introduction

Over the course of the last few days we have been considering various meditations on God's eternal nature and attributes from Psalm 139. We have considered God's omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence. Today's meditation has to do with the overall moral character of God, as He is, in His eternal being: namely the goodness of God. 

Is God a good God? We know He is all knowing, everywhere present and powerful - but is He good? Are His plans and purposes for you and me really in our best interest? Such questions are dependent upon what we mean by God's goodness. Theologian Michael Horton notes in his large volume: "The Christian Faith", page 265, this insight:
"God's knowledge, wisdom, and power are inseparable from His goodness. In fact, in the strict sense, Jesus said, 'No one is good except God alone' (Mark 10:18). God's infinite goodness is the source of all creaturely imitations. Precisely because God does not depend on the world, his goodness is never threatened. God is good toward all He has made, even His enemies (Psalm 145:9, 15-16; Mt 5:45). He can afford to be because He is God with or without them."

Moses prays to God in Exodus 33:18-22 to show him all of His goodness:  "Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by."

God's goodness is synonymous with His glory, which represents the display of the sum of all His perfections. God's goodness in its concentrated form is expressed in what the Bible calls "God's holiness". God's holiness is that quality of God that separates Him from the created realm. God is so good, so glorious and so "wholly other" as to have no comparison to Himself from the vast created realm. As R.C Sproul has noted, the steps of difference that lies between a caterpillar and an archangel are finite - since they are creatures; whereas the steps of difference between the archangel and God is infinite. 

God's goodness includes all of those moral attributes we find in the scriptures: as mentioned, the sum of all of them, and the one which captures God in His moral essence and character is holiness. As light refracts through a prism to reveal the hues of the rainbow, the light of God's uncreated goodness refracts through the prism of His unending holiness to reveal the eternal moral qualities which He possesses. 

In Psalm 139:17-24 we find reference or allusions to the following moral properties and expressions of God's goodness:

1. God's grace, or "God giving us that which we don't deserve". Psalm 139:17 

David cannot begin to count the "precious thoughts" God has toward him. God chooses to reveal Himself, His words, and His love to David. Grace is the first expression we see of God;s goodness in this text.

2. God's mercy, or "God not giving to us what we do deserve". Psalm 139:18 

When David awakes every day, He finds God ever with him. Do you and I deserve even to awake, or to live? All human beings born into this world deserve justice. Thankfully, God's mercies are new every morning, great is his faithfulness, as mentioned by Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:22-24. 

Now by this point we see two positive expressions of God's goodness - namely His grace and mercy. God is the source of all goodness, and the measure of what we understand to be right and wrong, just and unjust, righteous and wicked. In God is all light, and no darkness (1 John 1:5-7). God is deemed the "Father of heavenly lights, in whom there is no variation or shifting of shadow" (James 1:17). He dwells in "light unapproachable" (1 Timothy 6:16). Thus, whenever we see wickedness, or injustice or unrighteousness, we react like David due to what we know to be the case of God. 

What David says next in Psalm 139 seems jarring at first. What we find in Psalm 139:19-22 is David addressing those who have been persecuting him. In these verses we find him using the language of what we call "perfect hatred", which in our modern-day parlance would be stated as: "loving the sinner but hating the sin". In perfect, hatred, we hate "what" people become as a result of their sinful choices or due to how they treat the Holiness and loving activities of God. Perhaps the closest New Testament parallel that sheds light on this difficult text in Psalm 139 is found in Jude 1:22-23 "And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh."

Perfect hatred (as it is called in the KJV) in God is a hatred of what He is not: namely unrighteousness, wickedness, sin, injustice. This type of hatred for God is expressed without offense, without resentment and is directed in those times following all other attempts to be merciful and loving towards His creatures. This is what is referred to as the wrath of God. For God to be loving, just and Holy, it follows that such a morally excellent being "hate" what is unjust and unholy. When Abraham for instance states in Genesis 18:25 at the end of his prayer for the city of Sodom "shall not the Judge of  Earth deal justly"? 

To illustrate this point, our family has a pet cat. Recently we discovered that the cat had fleas. Now for us to be considered good pet owners, we must necessarily hate that which brings harm to our cat - namely fleas. So, we went out, purchased the proper medications and will likely need to pursue further remedies. One could say I have a "perfect hatred" of the fleas. In exercising wrath on the fleas, I am showing love toward the cat. I recognize what is "the right thing to do" because of - well, the goodness of God. Proverbs 12:10a states: "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of His beast....". In similitude, we could say that David is expressing what he is expressing due to His recognizing the goodness of God to include...

3. God's wrath, or God giving justly to us what people choose to deserve

Romans 11:22 reminds us to not only consider those positive qualities of God's goodness in consideration of His grace and mercy, but also what are the equally necessary negative expressions of His goodness - i.e His wrath and judgment. This final point in our meditation on God's goodness is so spurned by the modern day church. Yet, as seen in the foregoing exposition, if God does not deal justly with sin, injustice and wickedness, then how could we say God is good? J.I Packer, in his book: "Knowing God", quotes the inimitable A.W Pick's observations on the three practical benefits of reflecting on the wrath of God. The three headings alone summarize well why God's wrath has to be included in our meditation of God's goodness:

1. First, that our hearts may be duly impressed by God's detestation of sin.

2. To beget "fear" or "reverence" for God in our service to Him. 

3. Thirdly, to draw out our soul to fervent praise (to Jesus Christ) for having delivered us from the wrath to come.

As David rounds out this final section of Psalm 139, he realizes that even though God's "perfect hatred" or "wrath" is more than appropriate for God, since hatred of sin, injustice and the like is necessary for a Being that is Morally excellent and thus, maximally great; nonetheless he sees in his own weakness how he could abuse such an expression. David finds that he is, in reality, no better than those whose actions and sinful choices he hates. He needs God's grace, which is why He begs God "search him" and to see what wayward ways is in Him."

Closing thoughts

Today we considered the goodness of God. We saw that by reflecting on God's goodness, we are able to better express and appreciate such moral qualities as holiness, grace, mercy and even wrath. Within God, these moral excellencies know no conflict or contradiction. Psalm 139 demonstrates to us how God is "Maximally Great", possessing all the "Great-making" properties that renders Him worthy of praise and worship: omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence and all goodness. Truly we can say: God is good. 

A meditation on God's omnipotence

Psalm 139:13-16 "For You formed my inward parts;You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them."

Introduction:

The last couple of days have featured scriptural meditations on those absolute, essential properties of God's Divine nature that we find expounded in Psalm 139. So far we have considered two of these traits: God's omniscience and omnipresence. To briefly review each of these qualities of God, we will first note God's omniscience.

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, edited by Walter A. Elwell, draws out the following illustration of God's omniscience on page 494: "How can God know the end from the beginning? In a way greater than illustrated in a person's knowledge of a memorized psalm, Augustine suggested. Before quoting Psalm 23 we have it all in mind. Then we quote the first half of it and we know the part that is past and the part that remains to be quoted. God knows the whole history at once, simultaneously because not limited by time and succession, but God also knows what part of history is past today and what is future, for time is not unreal or unimportant to God."

As one begins to contemplate God in His omniscience, this leads us to the second property outlined by Psalm 139: namely God's omnipresence. The short definition of God's omnipresence has to do with His direct influence and presence at all points in space and all moments in time. 

To illustrate what we mean, one writer has compared it to how one has access to all the objects lying before them on a desk. On my desk are various papers, books, a cup, telephone and sundry items. On the surface of the desk those items are certain distances from one another. If I so choose to pick up anyone of those items, I can because all of them are present before me, and in a small way, I relative to them. This illustration of course gives us hooks with which to begin to grasp the grander reality of God's omniscience. God is transcendent with respect to the universe - meaning He is beyond it and is prior to it. God is also immanent or present in not only every point and moment of time, but through and through every point and moment - all the while maintaining what is His clear difference from the created order. 

Now these two traits of omniscience and omnipresence fall and rise together. God as the uncreated, all-consuming flame of deity (see Hebrews 12:29) cannot be omniscient without being omnipresent nor vice-versa. Such and observation speaks to what theologians call God's "simplicity" - which is to say - God is the sum of all His attributes and as such, His attributes function fully, completely, eternally and together. 

The attributes reveal His undivided essence as the One true and living God. Just as a flame would not be one without properties of heat, light and energy - so we find in a much fuller and infinite way the uncreated flame of God's Divine essence. Psalm 139:13-16 above gives the the source for the next eternal quality of God's being - namely God's omnipotence.

Scripture describes God's omnipotence in terms of Him being almighty

Throughout the books of Genesis, Exodus and Ezekiel, we find reference to God being the "Almighty". The first time we come across this title is in Genesis 17:1 "Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless." In four other places in Genesis (28:3; 35:11; 43:14 and 48:3) we find God speaking to the patriarchs and revealing Himself as God Almighty. By Exodus 6:3, God reveals Himself to Moses and, with this designation of Himself as "God Almighty", gives the specific name by which He reveals Himself to His people as "I AM Who I AM". This covenant name speaks of God's self-existence and thus sustaining Himself by His own omnipotent, never ending power. Ezekiel 10:5 rounds out the places in the Old Testament we will consider with respect to this name God Almighty, wherein we read: "Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks." The point of these texts is to demonstrate that from God's very names, we see already implied that He is indeed the Omnipotent God. 

Reflecting and meditating on God's omnipotence in Psalm 139:13-16

A.W Tozer notes in his classic work "Knowledge of the Holy" the following about God's omnipotence: "God possesses what no creature can: an incomprehensible plenitude of power, a potency that is absolute." He then later makes this helpful observation with respect to God's omnipotence: "God has delegated power to His creatures, but being self-sufficient, He cannot relinquish anything of His perfections and, power being one of them, He has never surrendered the least iota of His power. He gives but does not give away. All that He gives remains His own and returns to Him again. Forever He must remain what He has forever been, the Lord God omnipotent." 

Psalm 139:13-16 outlines for us some basic features of this incredible attribute. We could assign "realms" over which God is said to wield His omnipotent power in this Psalm.

1. God's omnipotence over the realms of the extremely small. Psalm 139:13-16

To speak of "sub-atomic" refers to that level of physical reality that corresponds to the extremely small distances we find when considering atoms, their constitute particles (such as the nucleus, orbiting electrons) and the complex physical laws used to describe their behavior. Now I won't stray to far into the weeds on this point, knowing full-well how unimaginably complex these considerations can get. However, the Psalmist's point is well made in giving to us the general categories related to the fields of biology and quantum physics - namely that God so-governed the formation of David from the union of his father and mother's DNA, chromosomal information and the yet-to-be full described emergence of David's human conscience from such interactions to produce the man we know as King David. From his mother's womb, God was superintending over David's development. 

The idea of "quantum physics" deals broadly with the various laws and equations that describe what extremely small systems do under certain conditions. Thus, all of the atoms making up the DNA molecules, chromosomes and such were providentially held together in the proper discrete energy levels (called by physicists "quanta") to be at the right moment and places for God to then construct the biological material ordained by God to produce what would be the person we know as King David. I know this point is bewilderingly complex - but isn't that the point? to show in small measure God's incredible power at work in the realm of the extremely small. 

2. God's omnipotence over the realm of time and the very large. Psalm 139:16

God's omnipotence includes His power to affect future events and outcomes, as well as His interactions with the free-decisions made by human beings. How is it that God's omnipotence on the one hand and human responsibility on the other do not conflict? This millennia-old discussion will not be solved in this post, nor can it claimed to be entirely comprehended. 

At bare minimum, what we do know is that God has so chosen to create a world wherein He exercises His Sovereign, omnipotent power through secondary means and causes. The outcomes of time and history are credited to His ultimate purposes, whilst the details and means to getting to those ends, especially when it relates to evil choices, fall completely in the realm of the creature. Two quotes may aid us in grasping this point. The first comes from the Westminster Confession of Faith's declaration of God's Providence: "Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, He orders them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently." The second quote showing God's omnipotent will and man's responsibility to be complementary is found in the Baptist Faith and Message's summary: "God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures."

God's power, though being potentially unlimited in regards to what He can do in the realms of the very small and very large, is nonetheless governed by His own internal character. When we say "governed", we are referring to the fact that there are things God "cannot do". The old familiar question: "could God create a rock to heavy for Himself to lift" is ultimately a meaningless question, since it entails a logical contradiction. God cannot do what which is logically impossible, since He Himself is the source and standard of what we mean by logic. We know that God "cannot lie" nor sin (Habakkuk 1:13; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18), since God is by nature Holy and just. Henceforth God governs the boundaries (if we can use such a term) of His omnipotence. As the later author Herbert Lockyer once quipped: "God is a being, that, if compared to a circle, has a center that is everywhere and a circumference that is nowhere". 

Closing thoughts

I pray these last few meditations have raised the thoughts and heart of the reader to contemplate God in a greater way. Psalm 139 is indeed a rich treasure-trove for considering the greatness of God. May we today praise Him for His omnipotence. 

A meditation on God's omnipresence

Psalm 139:7-12  "Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold,You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will over whelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You."

Introduction:

Yesterday's meditation was based upon Psalm 139:1-6, wherein we peered into that glorious attribute of God known as His omniscience. We saw that God's ability to know all things has to do with four main areas:

1. His direct knowledge of all things

2. His all-encompassing knowledge of the essence of all things, including thoughts and properties of objects

3. God knows all things past, present and future (including free-will decisions and events that could had occurred if circumstances had been different)

4. The course and destination which all things will take. 

We could also add a fifth category covered under God's omniscience, namely the knowledge God has of Himself (see Romans 11:33-35; 1 Corinthians 2:11-13; John 1:18). We also noted that the Bible uses terms to refer to different aspects of God's omniscience: foreknowledge (Romans 8:29); predestination (Romans 8:29; 2 Peter 1:1-2); foreordination (Acts 2:23-24); plan or purpose or counsel of God (Ephesians 1:11); wisdom (Psalm 89:14) and of course, knowledge (Isaiah 41:21-23). 

To begin with God's omniscience is appropriate when approaching the subject of God's very being (called in the study of Christian theology, "theology proper"). Stephen Charnock's classic work: "The Existence and Attributes of God", page 409, traces the root meaning of the Greek word for God (theos) to a verbal form that means "to see, to contemplate". Today's post will attempt to move to that second part of Psalm 139 that has to do with a second major attribute of God's essence and being: namely His omnipresence.

Reflections of God's omnipresence

The above photograph is that of the so-called "Sombrero Galaxy" (so-called due to its resemblance to the hat), or as known by its more technical designation "M104". Astronomers tell us that the Sombrero Galaxy is some 28 million light years from earth and measures 50,000 light years across (see NASA's link to this galaxy at https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_283.html ). It is amazing to think that God is as much present at that Galaxy as He is here with me in the chair in which I am typing this post. 

God's omnipresence is the focus of today's post. To get our thoughts attuned, I will mention some observations made by Elmer Towns in his very accessible systematic theology entitled: "Theology for Today". On pages 119-121 of his work, Towns spells out the following six-points about God's omnipresence, of which I will summarize below:

1. God's omnipresence is a manifestation of His immensity.

This is to say that God's nature knows no limits. God is everywhere in, through and at every point in space and outside of it. I liken God's immensity to a circle in relationship to a line, which we could say represents "time and space". The circle can lie outside of it, or the circle can include the line. Either way, the circle is not limited by the line, but is bigger, can overshadow it or be everywhere that line is. 

2. God's omnispresence implies His immensity. According to Towns, this means God is everywhere present at the same time.

3. God's omnipresence allows for His transcendence. What Towns is speaking of here is God's relationship to the universe itself. In the language of classical Christian theology, God necessarily exists, which means God must and has to exist, since He sustains all things. The universe, on the other hand, does not have to exist and is thus "contingent", meaning it's existence relies upon God to sustain, as well as the fact that the universe is finite in age, and thus not eternal.

4. God's omnipresence means He will manifest Himself in some places more than others.  I will admit this point made by Towns is at first surprising. Why? We know by definition that God's omniscience implies He is everywhere. However, there is, in Town's language, the "localized" presence of God in Heaven and the "institutionalized presence" of God in His people. Ultimately, there is no place where God's influence and presence is not felt. 

5. God's omnipresence implies His omnipotence and omniscience. As Towns rightly points out, any one of the so-called "omni" attributes presupposes the other two. God must have all power in order to directly affect every point and moment in time and space as the Omnipotent God, henceforth referring back to His omnipresence. In like manner, God must know the outcomes and means by which the effects of His causing all things occurs by way of His omnipotence. Again, such a property of God's infinite being implies His omnipresence.

6. God's omnipresence. The practical ramifications of God's omnipresence is brought home in the following observation by Towns: "The fact that God is means that God is here and now. He comforts, guides and protects the believer with His omnipresence. And the fact that God is here, implies that God is everywhere." Certainly such Bible passages as Psalm 23 or where Jesus in His incarnation could walk the earth as man while still holding sway over creation as God (see John 3:13; Colossians 1:13-16) gives us great comfort in knowing that He will never leave us nor forsake us (see Matthew 28:18-20). 

In reflecting on these six points, we can see why David writes what he does in Psalm 139:7-12. To anchor our thoughts on God's omnipresence as presented in these verses, the reader can note the five places where I underlined the word "if". David is himself reflecting on the significance of God's omnipresence in His own life. In following those five places in their particular order, we can note that God's omnipresence covers the highest, deepest, largest, most remote and darkest regions of created reality and life. This is the God you and I need dear reader. God's omnipresence is that constant reality that is unimpaired by life's darkness, isolation, overwhelming moments, deepest valleys and highest obstacles. Let us thank God today for His omnipresence. 

A Monday meditation on God's omniscience

Psalm 139:1-6 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me.2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it."

Introduction:

What is entailed in the Biblical concept of God's knowledge? In Psalm 139, David introduces us to God by first noting this particular property of God's essence. God's knowledge, as seen in these verses, covers at least four areas that we find mentioned in the Bible. These areas do not exhaust all the Bible teaches under this broad umbrella of God's omniscience; nonetheless, they do grasp the essentials of this vital truth of God's infinite Being. This post aims to provide a bit of meditation on God's omniscience as we begin this week.

1. The first has to do with God's direct knowledge of all things. For God, there is no such thing as knowledge by comparison. God knows all things directly. David writes in Psalm 139:1 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me." We as human beings perceive things by way of our senses. Our minds take in the information of our senses and translates them into sounds, pictures and memories. Psalm 147:4 says for instance of God's knowledge of the stars: "He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them." Undoubtedly God possess direct knowledge of Himself. James Pettigrew Boice writes in his Abstract of Systematic Theology: "The knowledge of God, therefore, not being acquired, cannot be increased. Time does not add to it. Succession of events does not bring it before God. All the objects of his knowledge are to him eternally present and known."

2. Secondly, God not only knows all things directly, God also possesses knowledge of all things with respect to their location in time. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes: "God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures." God knew when the fall would occur, knew when Christ would be crucified and where everyone would be at that moment (Acts 2:23-24). God's relationship to time is as a Being that perceives every point of space along the line of time - from beginning to end. Terms such as foreordination, predestination, election and decree are all used in scripture to describe God's omniscience at work with respect to time (Job 42:2; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Daniel 4:35; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:11). Hence, the Psalmist speaks of God knowing when he rises and sits, as well as God knowing what would arise on his tongue before He spoke it. Bible prophecy proceeds on this notion of God's omniscience. Amazingly, God's omniscience does not violate human decisions. 

3. In addition to God knowing all things directly and all points in past, present and future, God thirdly knows the essence of all things. To illustrate what we've said thus far, God knows, say, an object like a baseball. God knows the trajectory that baseball will take once it is hit. In this third point, God also knows the quantum-mechanical behaviors of every atom making up the baseball. God also knows what direction the baseball would take if placed in different circumstances (called middle-knowledge). God knows the essence of what makes up all things. Boice again notes on this point: "His knowledge is not limited to the manifestations and operations of spiritual beings, but extends to their essences, and includes not only what they are, but also those tendencies which indicate what they may be." 

Charles Hodge in his Systematic Theology echoes this idea of God knowing the essence of all things by including scriptural citations: "God, therefore, does and can know in the ordinary and proper sense of that word. He is an ever present eye, to which all things are perfectly revealed. “All things,” says the Apostle, “are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Heb. 4:13.) “The darkness and the light are both alike” to Him. (Ps. 139:12.) “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Ps. 94:9.)"

4. So we see that God's omniscience includes the fact He has direct knowledge of all things in space, second, He possess knowledge of all things in all times and then thirdly, God possesses knowledge of the essence of all things. Now lets consider a fourth area in our reflection on God's omniscience from Psalm 139:1-6, namely: that God knows the best means to which to accomplish His greatest ends (i.e wisdom) In Psalm 139:5, David indicates God has enclosed him in from behind and that His hand is upon Him. The preservation of the saint of God in their salvation is a feature of that aspect of God's omniscience we call His wisdom. God knows how to preserve His people, and has promised as much (John 10:27-28; 1 Peter 1:3-5). The guiding of the course of all things to bring the child of God to that safe harbor of His final intended destination is a marvel. These features of God's knowledge cause the Psalmist to exclaim in Psalm 139:6  "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is too high, I cannot attain to it."

May we begin this week by praising God for these wonderful aspects of His omniscience. 

P2 Briefly reflecting on spiritual gifts in the Bible

1 Corinthians 12:1-4 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."

Introduction
We considered yesterday some beginning thoughts on spiritual gifts in the Bible. Today's post takes up four additional headings that aid us in understanding what the scriptures have to teach on this subject. The first three headings we considered yesterday were:

1. Spiritual gifts are taught throughout the Bible

2. Spiritual gifts are graces or gracings from God

3. Spiritual gifts are given at salvation
Today we will consider four final principles that aid us in grasping the basics of what the Bible teaches on spiritual gifts. 

The Holy Spirit is the Agent of the gifts
1 Corinthians 12:4 states - "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." We see all three Persons of the Trinity involved in the spiritual gifts in the main passages that speak on the subject of the spiritual gifts in the New Testament. 

For example, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 outlines accordingly: 

a. The Agent of the gifts is the Spirit

b. The Administrator of the ministries in which the gifts will be used is the Son 

c. The Effects produced by the gifts are regulated by the Father. 

All Three Persons of course are One God that acts as the Agent, Administrator and Affector of the work of the graces or gifts. The Spirit in particular is the Agent of the gifts, meaning that He is the One who Sovereignly distributes and directs where the gifts go and to whom they go. Romans 12:3-7, when read in concert with 1 Corinthians 12:1-6, affirms the Divine authority and identity of the Spirit as the Agent of the gifts. This is also why the gifts are called "spiritual gifts", being that their distribution is regulated directly by the Holy Spirit Himself. 

The gifts are designed to bless the body of Christ and to minister the Gospel to the lost
Key Biblical texts on spiritual gifts support this two-fold thought. Romans 12:5-6a "5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly...". 1 Corinthians 14:1 communicates - "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." Why? Because gifts such as prophecy (which I would say is in reference to the supernatural gifting in preaching the Word in ways that relevantly and pointedly challenge the church) serve to edify the church body, a theme repeated by Paul throughout 1 Corinthians 14:3,4,5,12 and 17. 

Paul writes these words about the spiritual gifts of various spiritual leaders in Ephesians 4:12 "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:10 - "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Clearly the spiritual gifts are for the purpose of edifying the body, as well as bearing witness of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. In each of those main passages on the spiritual gifts, we see reference to using the gifts properly so as to bear witness to unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 14:20-24) Paul speaks of how the Lord gives among the official giftings the office of the evangelist in Ephesians 4:11. 1 Peter 4:6 prefaces Peter's discussion on spiritual gifts with these words - "For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God." 

Indeed, the spiritual gifts, in their diversity and supernatural power, can beautifully demonstrate the life of God pulsating through believers to those to whom we witness.

The spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God
The main point of the spiritual gifts (or gracings) are not to bring attention to the person exercising them, but to the One who gave them. 1 Peter 4:11 notes - "Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Spiritual gifts are discovered through God-given abilities, opportunities and burdens
As we noted earlier, spiritual gifts or graces are given at the moment of one's conversion. However, the process of defining and discovery takes time. 

Closing thoughts
We have considered the following seven headings that summarize the Bible's teaching on spiritual gifts:

1. Spiritual gifts are taught throughout the Bible

2. Spiritual gifts are graces or gracings from God

3. Spiritual gifts are given at salvation

4. The Holy Spirit is the Agent of the gifts

5. The gifts are designed to bless the body of Christ and to minister the Gospel to the lost

6. The spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God

7. Spiritual gifts are discovered through God-given abilities, opportunities and burdens

P1 Reflecting briefly on spiritual gifts in the Bible

1 Corinthians 12:1-4 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."

Introduction
Today we will consider in brief what the New Testament teaches on the subject of spiritual gifts. May the reader find these headings useful, since they include the key Biblical texts on spiritual gifts that are without question profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16).

1. Spiritual gifts are taught throughout the Bible
The first thought to note is that spiritual gifts are not just a New Testament phenomenon. In Exodus 31:1-3 we find one of the earliest mentions: "Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship." 

When God called Noah, or Moses or Solomon to build the ark, tabernacle and temple, did these men do it by their own ingenuity? Hardly. They were supernaturally graced or gifted by God in the Person of the Holy Spirit to do so. The Old Testament sets the pattern, from the offices of the priesthood and prophet, to the abilities given on occasion to perform miracles or speak forth prophecies. Such giftings from God paved the way for what would be the more fuller and abiding character of the gifts revealed in the New Testament.

2. Spiritual gifts are graces or gracings from God
The word we render "gifts" could more accurately be translated "gracings" or "graces". When we use the term "gifts", we are speaking of the manner in which God distributes His graces to His people - namely in a free and Sovereign manner.

3. Spiritual gifts are given at salvationWhenever you read 1 Corinthians 12:1-4, the understanding is that all of the spiritual graces or gifts are given to the believer at conversion. The issue of course comes in our discovery and awareness of those gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 reinforces this point - "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

These are a few of the thoughts we can mention on the subject of spiritual gifts. In the next post we will consider three additional thoughts.

P3 Why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e

Romans 11:33-36 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? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Introduction

The last couple of posts have endeavored to answer the question: "why is God worthy of praise?" We have considered four reasons from Romans 11:33-35

Power of God

Revelation of Jesus Christ

Attributes of God

Inspired Scriptures

In Romans 11:36 we are taken to the peak of Paul's mountain of praise: "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." Only when God's grace is brought to the eyes and senses of the sinner can the conclusion be drawn: "God is worthy of praise". Moreover, the converted heart finds the power of God, revelation of Jesus, attributes of God and inspired scriptures as desirable and worthy of praise and thanks to God. Today we will consider two final reasons why God is worthy of praise to complete our acrostic p.r.a.i.s.e.

Spirit of God

In Romans 11:33-36 we find that the Holy Spirit is the Person within the Godhead who brings to us the greatness of God. This idea of the Holy Spirit being the Ambassador of God's Greatness has been written about in past posts, as referenced in the link here: http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2016/07/how-holy-spirit-acts-as-ambassador-of.html 

Without the Person and work of the Holy Spirit brought "down" to us, the greatness of the Father and His Son Jesus Christ would never be personally accessible. Apart from the Holy Spirit, no person could truly say "God is great". The Spirit of God is the fifth reason for why we can say God is worthy of praise. Now let's consider one final reason...


Excellency of His Being
Romans 11:36 is truly like a little Bible in one verse. "From Him" speaks of God as Creator; "Through Him" points to His work in redemption and "To Him" brings us to His culminating history and eternity unto Himself through the second person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ. What if God had not created the world, or provided redemption or had plans to bring history to a close: would He still be worthy of praise? Yes. Why? God is great whether the world exists or not. This fact about God is what makes Him God: He in and of Himself is great and worthy of praise. The excellency of His being, within Himself, apart from all other things, makes God worthy of praise. His actions only amplify this reality of God's greatness.

Closing thoughts
We have considered over the last few posts why God is worthy of praise from Romans 11:33-36. We looked at the following six reasons as to why God is worthy of p.r.a.i.s.e

Power of God
Revelation of Jesus Christ
Attributes of God
Inspired scriptures
Spirit of God
Excellency of His being