"My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me."
Our position in life is that of humility. Our hearts are not proud but instead laid low. Conversely, our eyes are not haughty. We do not look down on others but instead we lift them up and consider them better than ourselves. But how often does our pride cause us to interfere and stick our noses in places they don't belong?
In a sense, robbing someone else of their privacy is an act of dominance and of pride. A mother snooping in the affairs of her teenage daughter's room asserts her higher position, whether rightly or wrongly. When you personally see to it that all of your brothers and sisters in Christ are being kept "accountable", you also act in pride. With your actions you say, "They will sin if I am not keeping them in line. They cannot be trusted." When you assert yourself in places which do not concern you, you show your eyes to be haughty and your heart proud.
In the same way, there are some mysteries not meant to be understood, but just simply accepted and marveled. The pride for knowledge is a dangerous game, for the more wise (and I mean in a worldly sense) one becomes, the more the foolish things will be used to shame them. But true wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD.
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Friday, July 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."
Our very knowledge of God is bounded by only the extent to which he has revealed himself to us. There are many great mysteries far too great for above our comprehension. What he has revealed is all we needed to know for our salvation and benefit. More importantly, God's truth as it is revealed through God's Word (both the Incarnate Christ and the Scriptures) belongs to us and our children.
God in the fullness of his revelation is a God for us purposed in Jesus Christ. Theology, therefore, is just a restatement of what God has already said of himself. We know nothing unless God reveals it, for the secret things are his. Theology is synonymous with "Christianity" because Christ is the image of the invisible God and the fullness of God in Man. So every Christian is a theologian for Christ is revealed to each one.
Truly, because of the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we can know God in the same way God knows himself, if only in miniature. And yet, even with all this revelation, it is but the tip of an infinite God for we still say with all sincerity, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Rom 11:33)
Our very knowledge of God is bounded by only the extent to which he has revealed himself to us. There are many great mysteries far too great for above our comprehension. What he has revealed is all we needed to know for our salvation and benefit. More importantly, God's truth as it is revealed through God's Word (both the Incarnate Christ and the Scriptures) belongs to us and our children.
God in the fullness of his revelation is a God for us purposed in Jesus Christ. Theology, therefore, is just a restatement of what God has already said of himself. We know nothing unless God reveals it, for the secret things are his. Theology is synonymous with "Christianity" because Christ is the image of the invisible God and the fullness of God in Man. So every Christian is a theologian for Christ is revealed to each one.
Truly, because of the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we can know God in the same way God knows himself, if only in miniature. And yet, even with all this revelation, it is but the tip of an infinite God for we still say with all sincerity, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Rom 11:33)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Ephesians 5:15-17
"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."
It's really easy to waste time. You do it. I do it. We've got so much time that we have time to kill. But do we?
You've heard it said that we should "live like there is no tomorrow" and not waste any opportunity, but in reality you will always have tomorrow and eternity. Anyone who is in Christ has died already to sin, how can they die again? And if we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Perhaps the saying should be "live like you'll live forever". Every opportunity that God gives you to do a good deed he has given you so that you might be blessed in doing them as Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."
If you refuse the gifts, then you don't get them, simple as that. We live a fallen world and we make the best of every situation because it is the Lord's will for the redemption of this world. Every opportunity passed over is a grace forfeited so be careful how you live, not as foolish but with wisdom. Do the best you can with what you have.
It's really easy to waste time. You do it. I do it. We've got so much time that we have time to kill. But do we?
You've heard it said that we should "live like there is no tomorrow" and not waste any opportunity, but in reality you will always have tomorrow and eternity. Anyone who is in Christ has died already to sin, how can they die again? And if we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
Perhaps the saying should be "live like you'll live forever". Every opportunity that God gives you to do a good deed he has given you so that you might be blessed in doing them as Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."
If you refuse the gifts, then you don't get them, simple as that. We live a fallen world and we make the best of every situation because it is the Lord's will for the redemption of this world. Every opportunity passed over is a grace forfeited so be careful how you live, not as foolish but with wisdom. Do the best you can with what you have.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Job 32:8
"But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding."
Elihu is one of those heroes of the Bible you really don't hear much about. When no one else could show Job his error (and yet condemned him anyway), Elihu spoke wisdom according to the spirit given to him from God. Scripture says the Elihu was angry with Job for trying to justify himself instead of God. Instead of trusting in God's righteousness, Job questions God's very motives. Who can form a case against God? What accusations can they use? Truly if not for the lies of the Pharisees, Jesus would not have died for even Pilate found no fault with him.
Elihu is an inspiration to young people like me that we too can speak the Lord's wisdom. There is no wisdom that we could possess that doesn't come from God. Elihu speaks brilliantly concerning the Problem of Evil and the entire story is theodicy, that is a defense of God's good name in face of the problem of evil. However, some use this exact story to condemn God for what He did to Job and they make the same mistake. This is what can happen when you do not know the whole story.
If there is anything you should read in Job, it would be what Elihu has to say to Job. Had I more words to write I would write them for you, but alas the wisdom of the Bible surpasses the constraints of this blog. If you lack wisdom, you have no farther to look than the Word of God, the very breath of life that sustains us all.
Elihu is one of those heroes of the Bible you really don't hear much about. When no one else could show Job his error (and yet condemned him anyway), Elihu spoke wisdom according to the spirit given to him from God. Scripture says the Elihu was angry with Job for trying to justify himself instead of God. Instead of trusting in God's righteousness, Job questions God's very motives. Who can form a case against God? What accusations can they use? Truly if not for the lies of the Pharisees, Jesus would not have died for even Pilate found no fault with him.
Elihu is an inspiration to young people like me that we too can speak the Lord's wisdom. There is no wisdom that we could possess that doesn't come from God. Elihu speaks brilliantly concerning the Problem of Evil and the entire story is theodicy, that is a defense of God's good name in face of the problem of evil. However, some use this exact story to condemn God for what He did to Job and they make the same mistake. This is what can happen when you do not know the whole story.
If there is anything you should read in Job, it would be what Elihu has to say to Job. Had I more words to write I would write them for you, but alas the wisdom of the Bible surpasses the constraints of this blog. If you lack wisdom, you have no farther to look than the Word of God, the very breath of life that sustains us all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)