“Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:” (Psalm 78:21-22)
Most of the New Testament is not written about the future, but it is written about what God has already done through Jesus Christ and His atoning work at Calvary.
Purchased with His blood, and made available by His grace, we have access to every spiritual blessing contained in heavenly places, including the mind of Christ.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Eph. 1:3)
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor. 2:16)
Since much of the Bible pertains to past events, many people believe that it is just an account of things that happened so long ago that it really doesn’t apply to their lives.
However, much like a gift forgotten under the tree on Christmas morning, if we don’t find it and open it, we can never enjoy it.
Many times, God has already provided the things that we think we need and they are waiting to be found, but we are unaware of them due to a lack of knowledge and understanding.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6)
Such was the case of the Israelites in the wilderness.
“Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:” (Psalm 78:21-22)
The Lord had just delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders. He had divided the Red Sea so they could go through on dry ground and had caused the waters to return and drown the Egyptian army that was following them.
The Lord provided water from the rock for them to drink and manna from heaven for them to eat, but then they complained and questioned whether God was able to give them meat. The Bible says they “…trusted not in his salvation.”
They had no confidence in the love of God and the position of salvation that the Lord had placed them in.
Many Christians today are like the Israelites of old. They need to realize that salvation is not a one-time occurrence. It is not a prayer you once prayed or a commitment you once made.
Salvation is a removal from one place or position and an establishment in another. It is a state or condition.
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Col. 1:13)
The Apostle Paul had met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. He had seen the Lord in His glory and brightness. He received by divine revelation the truths that the other disciples had spent years learning as they walked with Christ.
Many Bible scholars believe that Paul was speaking of himself when he describes a man in Second Corinthians Chapter 12 who was “caught up to the third heaven” and heard “unspeakable words” which are “not lawful for a man to utter.”
Yet after all of this, and after a lifetime of service witnessing the miracles and power of God, he realized that he had only scratched the surface of the knowledge of Christ and His salvation.
That is why as an old man and towards the end of his life, he writes:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philip. 3:10)
It is our prayer that through this teaching, and the Scriptures contained herein, we might begin to understand just a little more of what this great salvation has already provided for us; that like a gift overlooked, we might find it, open it, and rejoice in it.
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;” (Heb. 2:3)
The Bible tells us that God knows every possible thing that there is to know about us. He knows our innermost thoughts, dreams, and desires. There is not a thought that can be hid from God.
“Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:2-3)
“For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” (Psalm 139:4-6)
The Apostle Paul says in the New Testament that:
“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.” (Acts 17:28)
According to the Apostle Paul, we are enveloped by the Spirit of God. To the same extent that God knows us; the Bible teaches there will come a day when we shall know Him in the same way.
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1Cor. 13:12)
Until that time comes, we now “know in part.”
The word “know” in the Greek literally means “to be sure, to understand completely”.
The word “part” in the Greek means “a share, a portion”.
So here the Bible is telling us that although God totally and utterly knows us completely, at this present time He has chosen only to reveal to us a portion about Himself.
However, God wants us to know and understand completely that portion about Himself which He has chosen to reveal.
In our present earthly mind and body, we are unable to contain the complete understanding of the enormity of God. As long as we are in this body and until the time of our resurrection, our finite minds cannot fathom the immensity and totality of who God is.
“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” (Isaiah 40:12)
The Bible tells us in Isaiah that all of the oceans and seas would fit in the palm of God’s hand. What we perceive to be the expanse of endless stars and galaxies in the universe is the distance between God’s thumb and little finger.
He knows how much the mountains weigh and how many particles of dust there are.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Psalm 19:1)
As the chorus declares,
“Our God is an awesome God.
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God.”
Moses desired to see the immensity of God:
“And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” (Exodus 33:18)
Here the Hebrew word for “glory” literally means weight. Moses wanted to see how large or immense God is.
God would not allow Moses to see Him in all His glory, but placed Moses on a rock and covered him over with His hand. God removed His hand after He had passed, and Moses was only able to see a portion of God from behind as He passed by.
That rock was a symbol of Christ and God’s hand was a symbol of the Holy Ghost that covers and protects us.
God revealing a glimpse of His glory to Moses was a type and shadow of God revealing a portion of His glory to us through the Holy Spirit.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1Cor. 2:9)
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1Cor. 2:10)
Although we are only able to behold a portion of God’s glory while we are in this earthly body of flesh, He has provided for us to be sure, to know absolutely, and to understand completely the portion which He has chosen to reveal.
This is done by having (or accessing) the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1Cor. 2:11)
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Cor. 2:14)
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor. 2:16)
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Next- UNDERSTANDING HOW TO SERVE THE LORD: According to “the Mind of Christ”
All twelve books in the “How to Walk Christian Series” by Raymond Candy are available now in one collection of two volumes for $6.99 each at bn.com for the NOOK, amazon.com for the KINDLE, on iTunes at the iBookstore for the iPad and iPhone, and at Lulu.com for the PC and all e-reading devices
As Seen Through the Eyes of Faith 