How Low & High in Your View?
In my message this past Sunday, I shared this thought: One of the problems we have in our theology is that it is not low enough or high enough. We don’t see how low we really are in regard to the pervasive nature of our sin and how much it has corrupted our mind, emotions, will, and body. But also, we don’t see how high our God really is as the only true and living One who is far beyond our total comprehension and perfectly holy, righteous, and just in all His ways.
How low is your view of yourself? Yes, we are now saints in Christ as new creatures with new life, having been justified and sanctified as His children. But we still have the capacity to sin big in thought, word, attitude, and deed. Just re-read Paul’s personal testimony in Romans 7:14–25 and his present tense statement in 1 Timothy 1:15 (“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all”). It is accurate to say that a large part of the New Testament letters teach us about the destructive power of our sin and how to overcome it and live for Christ. We must maintain a humble posture toward each other as we strive to “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). It was well said by the English Reformer John Bradford to think humbly when we view the struggles of others, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
How high is your view of God? Never high enough. It seems every time I read the Scriptures, I am astounded by the grandeur and incomparable nature of God. God announces truths like this: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh, is anything to difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, 17). How BIG is God? He is big enough to handle any and every circumstance, trial, temptation, despair, discouragement, conflict, sorrow, grief, injustice, or burden in your life. Anything! He is so BIG that:
“Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37; Matt. 19:26; Mark 9:23; 10:27; Luke 18:27)
“He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3, 135:6)
“No one can ward off His hand.” (Daniel 4:35)
“No purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)
“His understanding is infinite.” (Psalm 147:5)
“His greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:3)
“My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
His judgments are “unsearchable” and His ways “unfathomable.” (Romans 11:33)
Maybe this best summarizes the reality of our smallness and God’s bigness: “All the nations are as nothing before Him. They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?” (Isaiah 40:17–18). Let’s keep this perspective as we grow in our spiritual low and high views.
Pastor Jeff
“God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”