Foundations of the Christian Faith Series
by Matt Black (Message 2)
Key verse:Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a PURE HEART; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:3-4). Seeking to know and understand God is not primarily an academic pursuit. Knowledge alone does very little for morality. Some of the greatest minds in the world’s history were some of the most devious. God’s requirement is clean hands. Do you want to know Him? The answer is not in the mind primarily, but in the heart. Now do not misunderstand me. We ought to seek after the knowledge of the Lord, but let us not pursue it academically. Let us pursue it spiritually. Let us pursue it with a heart bursting with desire to know the greatness of God.
That being said, we return to our subject that we left off with last week. At that time, we learned that the study of the Bible leads us to the greatness of God. We also learned that our response to this greatness should be humility and awe.
Today it is my intention to demonstrate that the study of God must be assimilated, it must be practiced, or it is useless and vain. On the positive side, I intend to show that if the study of God is practiced, it will lead to a rich and full life with meaning and motivation. It will also, more importantly bring glory to God and peace in your heart on earth and also on the great day of judgment. We shall find that the greatness of God demands that He be the Source, the Cause, and the Maintainer of all things. We were created to reflect the glory of this thrice Sovereign God. In this we find our purpose and motivation for living, which will never end, even in eternity in His presence.
Now to begin, let us look at the glorious Words of God before us. As we read this, be advised that these are not my words, but these Words are like a voice from heaven. When we read the Words of God, it is essetially that God is speaking with us face to face. We read here:
Romans 11:33-36
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
We can never reach the bottom of God’s greatness!
Trying to comprend God’s greatness with our tiny brain is like trying to put an ocean into a thimbal. It cannot be done, but that does not mean that we ought to keep the thimble dry. My endeavor is to throw the thimble into the ocean! Let us be lost in the depth of God, for there is no better place to be.
God’s Riches
When Paul exclaims “O the depth of God,” he is marveling at His infinity. God has never had a beginning, neither shall He have an end. Now there is a depth to the riches of God, Paul says. God is unlimited in His resources. Did you have a thought today? Well the Bible here says the resources of God’s knowledge are endless. That means He knows every thought there is to think. In a word, God knows all there is to know. “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?” All the greatness of man and his knowledge in all it’s glory is just a microscopic scratch on the ocean of the riches of God’s knowledge. Paul says, “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” This all-comprehending knowledge surveyed all the possibilities of His work. Before we were ever created, the riches of God’s knowledge encompassed every event that was possible. He knew every man and woman that would be created; He knew every act they would perform; He knew all the evil and the good. His knowledge is such that it encompasses eternity. He knows our beginning and our end. He knows the works that we shall do now and in eternity for Him. He knows the everlasting punishment of those who reject Christ.
And God’s wisdom is what chose what events would take place. God’s wisdom gave you black hair and gave you your parents. You could not choose those things. God’s wisdom gave you your limitations. Do you have pain today? God’s wisdom has allowed it. Do you have much, or do you have little in the way of earthly things? God’s wisdom has chosen it so. The language of your mother was chosen by God. Why were you not born in China under communism? Because it was in God’s wisdom that He should choose you to be born here. That you should live in freedom. You did not choose to be born here. Shall we say more? It was God’s wisdom that Christ should become like one of us. It was God’s wisdom that chose His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for your sin and mine. It was God’s wisdom that allowed you to hear the Gospel. Why is there a Gospel preaching church in Beasain, Spain? Why is there a preacher standing before you today? Because in God’s wisdom, God chose to call me here, to this specific location, to open the Word of God and preach to you.
And so we can say with Paul “O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”
Now we read on in this text that there are two things that are unknowable to mankind. That is, they are mysteries. It is such that God has created us with such a limited capacity and chosen for us to live in this state, that in our present condition, we can never understand these two things: “His judgments are unsearchable, and His ways are past finding out!” His judgments refer to His decisions, and his ways refer to the accompishment of the decisions. And so you say, “Why has God made me so?” It is an unanswerable question to a finite mind. “Why did it rain today?” Man cannot know in his present condition, he is finite. Why has God sent a preacher to this town, and not to another?” It is something we cannot know. Specifically, the text says that these decisions of God are unsearchable. They are beyond the investigation of the human mind. It also says that God’s ways are beyond tracing out. Literally, this word means that you cannot see the footprints of God. You cannot see where He has walked or why. There is no evidence to the human mind. These things are supernatural and above our thinking. All we can do is stand back in wonder and awe.
Now as we continue this series we are going to delve into the doctrines of God. We are going to see what God has done, and as far as He has revealed it to us, why He has done it. But each place we come to, in the end, all we are going to be able to do is stand back in wonder and in awe.
Verse 34 says “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?” This verse confirms what verse 33 just said. Has known God’s plans? Can you tell me why I have blond hair and green eyes? Have you been God’s counsellor? Did you help Him in His choices of ruling the world? Brethren, we cannot even come close to understanding God’s wisdom. Can a blade of grass understand why he grows where he grows? He can only perk up under the light of the Sun and give glory to God.
Now look at verse 35, “Who has ever given to the Lord?” The answer is obvious. No one! No, He has given to Him. We are His creation. This refers to God’s sovereign grace. God did not have to give us anything good. We are all fallen in Adam. We are fit for burning. If there is anything good in this world, it is because of God’s sovereign grace. We have not done one thing. He has given all.
No one has ever given one thing to God? You say, but I have given Him my life. What have you given, that He has not first given you? And who was it that regenerated your heart so that you could give your life back to Him? Who was it that drew you to Him? In verse 36 we find the answer:
“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
We find three truths in this verse, and I will very briefly show them to you.
1. God is the Source of all things.
God Who we learned has infinite resources is the Source of all things. We proceed from Him. Yes “of Him . . . are all things.” Look at John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus Christ is the Source. Of Him proceed all things. We can say that of the Spirit of God Who was moving over the surface of the waters in Creation. We can say the same of the blessed Father, Who said “Let there be light,” and there was light. Never have I made the Sun to rise. Never have I made a blade of grass to sprout. I have never worked salvation in a man’s heart. It is always God alone Who gives the increase.
Secondly, we learn that:
2. God is the Maintainer of all things.
Everyone has their abilities given by God and their weaknesses allowed by God. God chose your birthday, and he will choose the day you die. He is the one Who keeps the planets in their orbits, and he gives all living things life and breath. Look at the following verses:
· Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
· Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
· Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
All that God does in us, we have not to thank ourselves, but God Who works in us! He is the maintainer and sustainer of all things. He is the author and finisher of our faith.
Finally, we see that . . .
3. God is the Motive of all things.
We are created for Him. “To Him are all things.” “To Him be the glory.” This is the only purpose for our life. Our goal is not our comfort. So you may endure physical trials with hope. Your comfort is not the goal. Our goal is not wealth. If you suffer loss, do not be distressed. God’s purposes are not your weath. God’s purpose is not success or acceptance of men for you. No, even if all men reject you, you have not failed if you remember one thing: That you are created for His glory. If you life for that purpose alone, you have succeeded. If you do nothing else but think on that purpose, your thought will be considered wonderful to God on the day of judgment.
But if you forsake this, and live for your own desires, and your own temporary fulfillments and ambitious gains, then you will have failed miserably.
CONCLUSION: What higher calling do we have? We have been created for God’s glory. Let us now live to that end!
