“SEEING GOD FOR WHO HE IS”: Romans 11:33–36
Everton Community Church. Sunday June 1, 2008.
Oprah Winfrey is arguably the best-known woman in the world, with an influence that extends into television, magazines, movies, book publishing, and the internet. By her 20th anniversary as host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, she had become a billionaire and assembled a U.S. television audience of more than 49 million viewers each week – which does not include her broadcasts in 122 other countries. This past year, Forbes magazine named her the most influential celebrity for 2007.
In the latest wave of Oprah influence, she is now a spiritual guide. In her book, The Gospel According to Oprah, Marcia Nelson outlines some of the commendable aspects of Oprah’s spirituality, including the themes of forgiveness and generosity, self-examination, gratitude and community. "But there’s more to her spirituality than a few broad, generic Christian themes. It increasingly reflects currents of thought embodied by such authors as Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and most recently, Eckhart Tolle (pronounced ’toe-lee’), whose latest book, A New Earth, has seen nearly 5 million shipped with the Oprah seal on the front thanks to a series of 10 ’live’ Monday night Web seminars, which began on March 3 featuring Tolle and Winfrey on Oprah’s website. So popular were the webcasts the first night brought down the server when more than 500,000 people tried to log on. Now, nearly 2 million have downloaded or streamed the first class. So what are people learning?
"As Tolle writes in the foreword to his book, Stillness Speaks, his thinking ’can be seen as a revival for the present age of the oldest form of recorded spiritual teaching: the sutras of ancient India.’ "Translation? Hinduism. Or as he packages it, an eclectic gathering of gleanings from Hinduism, Buddhism and watered-down Christianity. Result? A fresh presentation of what is commonly called the New Age Movement, which tends to have four basic ideas:
"The first is that ’all is one, and one is all,’ which means, of course, ’God is all, and all is God,’ which also means, ’ “I am God.’ In his book, The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle says he doesn’t like to use the word ’God,’ or to talk about finding God, because it implies an entity other than you, or me.
"The second major belief is that because most people don’t realize they are god, they need to be enlightened. This enlightenment can flow from many sources, including ’spirit-channeling.’ Marianne Williamson, a frequent guest of Oprah’s, had garnered her first bestseller – A Return to Love – by popularizing A Course in Miracles, which the author claimed was dictated by a spirit voice, which she says was Jesus, but not Jesus of Nazareth.
"The third major belief is everything is relative. What Tolle advocates, and what you will find advocated by many of Oprah’s recent guests, is the truth is simply within you. Tolle says, ’The Truth is inseparable from who you are...you are the truth.’ In fact, he distorts Jesus’ famous statement, ’I am the way, the truth and the life,’ by claiming what Jesus meant was that He was His own truth, just like we can be our own truth.
"A fourth major belief, in one form or another, is reincarnation. Toward the end of A New Earth, Tolle writes, ’When the lion tears apart the body of the zebra, the consciousness that incarnated into the zebra-form detaches itself from the dissolving form and for a brief moment awakens to its essential immortal nature as consciousness, then immediately falls back into sleep and reincarnates into another form.’
"Of course, there is nothing new about new age thinking. It dates back further than Hinduism. Indeed, it can be found in the opening chapters of Genesis, for it was the heart of Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1-5)." (Source: http://www.serioustimes.com/blog.asp?id=61)
It is the distortion about who we are and who God is that is the center of every error and every heresy
Today we are starting a short seven week series focusing on the nature and attributes of God. Moving from our previous series on the Christian’s High calling, this is the basis of the evangelism that we left with
To put this into perspective, John Piper said in his book on Missions entitled “Let the Nations be Glad”
Quote: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the people in the greatness of God”. (John Piper. Let the Nations be Glad. The Supremacy of God in Missions. Baker Books. Grand Rapids, MI. 2001. p. 11)
Are you frustrated with your efforts in evangelism, prayer, worship or coming to grips with the events of your life? It all hinges on your particular views of God. Our efforts in evangelism fail when we can’t clearly present God’s expectations. Our prayers can be faulty when we fail to understand how God operates. Our worship can be shallow when we haven’t come to grips with the one we are worshipping. Life can seem out of control and we don’t know what to do when our vision of God fails to understand how He operates. The greatness of our evangelism, prayer, worship or understanding of life, comes from seeing the greatness of God.
In seeing the Greatness of God, seeing Him for who He is, we see:
1) The Depth of His Mind. Romans 11:33-34
Romans 11:33a [33]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! (How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!) (ESV)
Paul bursts out with a marvelous doxology, on grandeur of that divine plan which he had sketched out.
• “This concluding doxology looks back over the entire Epistle and the divine wonders that have been unfolded. Paul has expounded the marvelous plan of salvation by which a just God can save ungodly sinners and still be just in doing so. He has shown how Christ’s work brought more glory to God and more blessing to men than Adam lost through his sin. He has explained how grace produces holy living in a way that law could never do. He has traced the unbreakable chain of God’s purpose from foreknowledge to eventual glorification. He has set forth the doctrine of sovereign election and the companion doctrine of human responsibility. And he has traced the justice and harmony of God’s (dispensational) dealings with Israel and the nations. Now nothing could be more appropriate than to burst forth in a hymn of praise and worship” (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ro 11:33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
• In essence, God is described as the originator, director and end of all things.
Please turn to Ephesians 3
As is literally stated in the beginning of Romans 11:33: In considering the depth of the riches of God, it must be literally, deep. if one says “How deep are God’s riches,” then it may be assumed by the reader that this is something one must dig for. This all reflects God’s riches: He is rich in mercy, love, grace, faithfulness, power, and goodness. Paul has unfolded God’s plan thus far in Romans and it can seem bewildering.
This was the task of Paul:
Ephesians 3:1-12 [3:1]For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles-- [2]assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, [3]how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. [4]When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5]which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. [6]This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. [7]Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. [8]To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9]and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, [10]so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11]This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, [12]in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (ESV)
Please turn to 1 Samuel 2
We have just seen the description of our task as ministers of the Gospel of God’s grace (v.7). The task of the Church is to make known the wisdom and knowledge of God. (v.10).
Quote: Albert Bengel put it this way: “Wisdom directs all things to the best end; knowledge knows the end.… ” (John Albert Bengel, Bengel’s New Testament Commentary, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1981), p. 134.)
• In other words, God’s wisdom is His ability to select the best means for the attainment of the highest goal. Knowledge, applied here, is His insight into the very essence of things, people, ideas, etc. (reflecting) His omniscience. (William Hendriksen. Romans: New Testament Commentary. Baker Book House. Grand Rapids, MI. 2004. p. 386.)
This should be evident to all from our actions to our prayers. Look how this is reflected in Hannah:
1 Samuel 2:1-3 [2:1]And Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. [2]"There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. [3]Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
Quote: In relating to God’s knowledge: “God is omniscient,” writes Arthur W. Pink, “He knows everything: everything possible, everything actual; all events, all creatures, of the past, the present, and the future.” (Arthur W. Pink, The Attributes of God, p. 13.)
• The nature of God’s wisdom and knowledge is the standard whereby all actions are weighed.
• Out task in following up from the nature of the Great commission that we look at two weeks ago, is to declare this.
Regardless of how well crafted our words, the Holy Spirit must illuminate the mind to understand what can be know about God, but there is a limit to what can be known of God. We do not take the agnostic position. We do not say that God is unknown and unknowable
• We must acknowledge as the second half of Romans 11:33
Romans 11:33b ([33]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!) How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable/unfathomable his ways! (ESV)
We are to try to understand and declare the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. But, to fully understand His Judgments or actions they are Inscrutable/Unfathomable translates anexichniastos, which literally refers to footprints that are untrackable, such as those of an animal that a hunter is unable to follow. It is the exact idea expressed by the psalmist in declaring of God:
Psalm 77:19 [19]Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
Scripture is God’s divine revelation of Himself and of His will, and He has not given it to mock and confuse men but to enlighten them and bring them to Himself. The Lord has made certain that any person who genuinely seeks Him can know enough of His truth to be saved. Although “a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14).
Believers who faithfully study God’s Word can learn and have a certain understanding of His truth—all that is necessary “for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,” in order for us to “be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). Our gracious God gives us more than all the truth we need to know Him, trust Him, and serve Him. But no matter how diligently we may have studied His Word, we must confess with David that:
Psalm 139:6 [6]Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Illustration: God is by nature incomprehensible to us. One of the reasons for this is, of course, that our experience limits us. We cannot think in categories beyond our range of experience or sensation. C.S. Lewis described it like this:
Think of “a shellfish which, trying to tell other shellfish what man is like, has to speak in terms of their common experience. So he tells them that man has no shell, is not attached to a rock, and does not reside in water. To help the first shellfish get the idea across, other learned shellfish expand on his statements, finally concluding that man is a “… sort of amorphous jelly (he has no shell), existing nowhere in particular (he is not attached to a rock) and never taking nourishment (there is no water to drift it toward him).” Conclusion? Man is a famished jelly existing in a dimensionless void.(C. S. Lewis, Miracles (New York: Macmillan, 1955), p. 108.)
• In the same way our human limitations keep us from understanding fully about our infinite God.
• “Our language is incapable of communicating about a God who is above nature. That is why the Scriptural writers constantly use “like” and similar terms when describing God, as safeguards against misrepresentation. For example, “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper” (Revelation 4:3). God is incomprehensible! Does that mean we can know nothing about him? No, for the Scriptures and nature teach us much about what he is like. But we will never know him fully or exhaustively”.( Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans : Righteousness from heaven. Preaching the Word (205). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.)
Please turn to Ephesians 1
In terms of God’s activity, Paul uses a phrase of the “judgments,” of God in the second half of Romans 11:33. It represents God’s decrees or plans. This puts a perspective in trying to figure out the plan of God presents thus far in Romans. This has been a mystery, something prophesied but only now coming into observation:
Summing up Romans 11:33 Paul presents the “ways,” of God, representing the method by which He carries the judgments/decrees/plans into effect.
Romans 11:34 [34]"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" (ESV)
• The ways in which He arranges creation, history, redemption, and providence are beyond our limited comprehension.
As his praise ascends in this doxology, Paul presents three rhetorical questions which serve to exalt God, the answer to each of which is obvious and the same. The first two questions, quoted from the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), are: For who has known the mind of the Lord,
Isaiah 55:7-8 [7]let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.[8]For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
• The fundamental misunderstanding that people make in considering God is making their thoughts and ways the starting point of evaluation or consideration of God. Our minds are tainted with sin and we do not poses all knowledge as God does.
or who has been His counselor?
Isaiah 40:13-14 [13]Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? [14]Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? (ESV)
The very asking shows both questions to have but one answer: No one. People can ponder the mind of the Lord, but only the Lord Himself can know it. Among men, “in abundance of counselors there is victory,” or safety (Prov. 11:14), but God’s only counselor is Himself.
It is not the countless unrevealed things about God of which Paul is speaking, but the depths of the things which we do know through His self-revelation. Yet even these partially knowable truths conceal elements that are far beyond our comprehension Deuteronomy 29:29 [29]"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (ESV)
We have seen: 1)The Depth of His Mind (v. 33-34) and now:
2) The Degree of His Mercy Romans 11:35
Romans 11:35 [35]"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" (ESV)
Paul’s third question is also taken from the Old Testament. Quoting Job, he asks, Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?
When God explained His providence to Job, God said:
Job 41:11 [11]Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
Because no one was before God and none can give to God what has not first been received from Him, the answer here must also be: No one. God is sovereign, self-sufficient, and free from any obligation except those He places on Himself. He owes the Jew nothing and the Gentile nothing.
Fundamental in faith is the realization that sin is cosmic treason against God and deserving death. We do not deserve anything else. Our whole life should be the realization of this fact and as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:15 [15]Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (ESV)
• When there is difficulty and someone asks “what they did to deserve this”, it is forgetting the fact the sin deserved death, and it is only because of God’s grace and the provision of redemption that we do not receive such.
The lack of perspective on difficulties and understanding God relates to the closeness to Him: There is a story of:
Illustration: A farmer (who) repeatedly invited a friend into his apple orchard to taste the fruit and make some fresh cider. But, just as often, the friend said, “No, I would rather not.”
Finally, the farmer said, “I guess you are prejudiced against my apples.”
“Well, to tell the truth,” his friend said, “I have tasted a few of them and they are very sour.”
The farmer then asked which apples his friend had eaten. “Why, those apples which fell along the road over your fence,” he replied.
“Ah, yes,” said the farmer, “they are sour. I planted them to fool the boys who live around here. But, if you will come into the middle of my orchard, you will find a different taste.”
On the edges of Christianity are some very sour apples—conviction, self-denial, and purity of life—which keep off hypocrites and mere professors. But in the middle of the orchard are delicious fruits, sweet and desirable. The nearer to God, the sweeter the joy. (Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching : Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
We have seen: 1)The Depth of His Mind (v. 33-34) 2) The Degree of His Mercy Romans 11:35 and finally:
3) The Deference of His Magnificence. Romans 11:36
Romans 11:36 [36]For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (ESV)
Quote: “God is the first Cause, the effective Cause, and the final Cause of everything” .( Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:487). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
After considering the nature of God, it naturally should lead to praise:
Quote: We Praise What We Enjoy
C.S. Lewis said: “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed” (C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms [New York: Walker & Co., 1985], p. 95).
“FROM HIM,” represents the eternal source of things, “THROUGH HIM,” points to God who brings all to pass which in His eternal counsels He purposed: “To Him Or said another way: God is the source (from him), sustainer (through him) and goal (to him) of everything (Carson, D. A. (1994). New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.) (Ro 11:33). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.)
Please turn to Revelation 4
We stand in awe before our gracious Lord and rejoice that from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
Revelation 4:10-11 [10]the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, [11]"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."(cf. 1 Cor. 15:24–28).
To Him be glory forever. Amen.
That is the inspired apostle’s culminating comment on the first eleven chapters of this magnificent epistle. After traversing all the great realities of salvation, Paul ends with an ascription of glory to his Lord. In this very context of salvation, we must realize that God and He alone planned for salvation and caused it to be a reality. He and he alone must be recognized as the source and agent of all blessing. Therefore, He alone must be praised.
Coming to understand the Glory of God, one author put it like this:
Quote: "God’s “glory” is how we describe the sum effect of all of his attributes. Grace, truth, goodness, mercy, justice, knowledge, power, eternality—all that he is. Therefore, the glory of God is intrinsic, that is, it is as essential to God as light is to the sun, and, as wet is to water. You don’t make the sun light; it is light. You don’t make water wet; it is wet. In all of these cases, the attribute is intrinsic to the object.
In contrast, (our) glory is granted to us. If you take a king and take off all his robes and crowns and give him only a rag to wear and leave him on the streets for a few weeks, when put next to a beggar you’ll never know which is which. Because there is no intrinsic glory. The only glory a king has is when you give him a crown and a robe and sit him on his throne. He has no intrinsic glory.
That’s the point. The only glory that (we) have is granted to us. The glory that is God’s is his in His essence. You can’t de-glory God because glory is his nature. You can’t touch his glory. It cannot be taken away. It cannot be added to. It’s his being”. (Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching : Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
Illustration: Jonathan Edwards’ Conversion
One day when Jonathan Edwards was at home in his father’s house; some hindrances kept him from going to church one Sunday with the family. A couple of hours with nothing to do sent him listlessly into the library; the sight of a dull volume with no title on the leather back of it evoked curiosity as to what it could be; he opened it at random and found it to be a Bible; and then his eye caught this verse: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen!” He tells us in his journal that the immediate effect of it was awakening and alarming to his soul, for it brought him a most novel and most extensive thought of the vastness and majesty of the true Sovereign of the universe. Out of this grew the pain of guilt for having resisted such a Monarch so long, and for having served Him so poorly. And whereas he had hitherto had slight notions of his own wickedness and very little poignancy of acute remorse, now he felt the deepest contrition. (Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.)
• The only sensible response to coming face to face with the nature of God is to be in awe of Him, and worship Him,
