THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, A Brief Reminder

I am deeply grieved because so little a portion of God is exhorted today even amongst the most sincere of Christians. I, myself, had been a slave to the modern culture of the average Christian. Professing believers today have no business with God. They are more interested in practical steps of how to better their lives. They have no desire to know the Lord. They love the gifts more than the Giver.

A conference on "how to be positive during negative times" will have so many guests, but a conference about the attributes of great God of this universe will have but a few spectators. A book of practical steps on improving your lifestyle will be a bestseller. But a book about who God is, what the Gospel is, what conversion is - the very things that contain the glory of God and build character in the life of a Christian - will be on the worst selling list. Some people might even say, "But we know God already, we do not need to be reminded of His character". Oh my dear friend, listen to what you are saying. No, we only know a fragment of God's nature and we will spend eternity in heaven trying to acquaint ourselves with Him but we will always fall short, never arriving at end of our destination.

I would also submit to you dear readers that in this present age, most of the things we know about God are mere assumptions. About 70% of what we know about God comes from Christian cliches, and when it comes down to the application, we can do no better than a corpse.

One of the greatest need today is to begin rediscovering who God is and how His attributes play in the context of Scripture. To know God is eternal life (John 17:3). Yes, we know God is love, but do we understand how His love works? Do we understand that His love is unconditional and it freely offered to you, not because of some special merit you have above others, but simply because it pleased Him to do so? Do we know how different His love is from man? A correct understanding of God's love will cause the repentant to abhor himself and fall down on His knees in wholesome adoration. But how much do all the teachings in many conferences today have to do with who God is? Is it not true that most Christian gatherings are vain pursuits? We talk so much about principles and steps on how to improve our lives, but when have we passionately discussed the dimensions of God's mercy? Or His wrath? Or His immutability?

Some of us would even say that the attributes of God has no practical application. Oh, can you even hear what your saying? Your saying that the knowledge of the God Almighty, the very One who created you and continually sustains you has no practical value?

I tell you dear friend, if you are seeking practical steps to be holy, pondering on the excellencies of God is the best and only place to start. It is only by knowing Him can you submit to Him and love Him at an even greater degree. And I also tell you that you can start at the attributes of God and find yourself satisfied day after day, but you will never reach the end because the very Centerpiece of your study has no end!

Tired of sin? Study the wrath of God and His abhorrence of evil that you may tremble in reverence and remember not to grieve His heart.

Looking for comfort? Run to the sovereignty of God that you may find assurance that nothing is without His reach.

Feeling lukewarm? Exhaust yourself in the knowledge of God's grace that you may weep over your dull heart, remembering that you deserved hell and yet was saved by grace - the unmerited and undeserved favor of God.

Doubting your salvation? Seek to grasp the unconditional love of God that your carnal doubts be purged and in turn, be replaced by faith, hope and love.

Ah, these are but a few examples of the many ways the attributes of God can be put into practice. But be not deceived! Our primary goal in unveiling the attributes of God has nothing to do with the betterment of our lives - far from it! Our main objective in studying the character, nature and excellencies of the Lord is so that we may glorify Him and acquaint ourselves with Him - taking pleasure in Him as we digest His words daily.

May we all exhaust ourselves in His divine excellencies which are so graciously revealed in Scripture!

Jeremiah 9:23,24
This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows Me.."

THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD, An Overview

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

The immutability of God is defined as God's never changing character. He never grows, adapts or changes. His divine attributes and wholesome decrees are subject to no change or revision. He is immutable - a perpetual Rock, an immovable Stronghold, an unshakable Pillar of might! Creatures are subject to mutations but the Creator is not! Nature is subject to alterations but the Nurturer is not! Puppets are controlled by the strings of the puppeteer, but no archangel, no force in the universe, no power in heaven or below will ever control the Lord. None shall and none can shove Him from His almighty position. He is immutable forever and ever!

God is immutable, foremost, in His nature. He is consistent - there is no conflict in Him. He is constant - subject to no modifications. Our understanding may grow, our characters may develop, but His disposition does not. All His divine excellencies, attributes and perfections are solid, unmoved, unchanged, influenced by nothing outside of Him. His nature is constant with no variability. He does not change like the seasons. He does not grow like the trees. He does not age. Ah, the Lord diminishes not! Nor does He gain anything in the centuries. He is at His peak and at His best. He is in need of no change and is subject to no alterations. He is eternally composed and He will never decay. He has always been the same God. He has always been the same King. He has always been and will always be the same Lord and Ruler. Constant is His love. Constant is His mercy. Constant is His sovereignty. Constant is His compassion. Constant is His glory. Constant is His justice. Constant is His wrath - lest it be dealt with on the cross!

God is also immutable in His power. Ah, God is not bothered by that which bothers us! He was not troubled when a third of His angels rebelled. He scoffs at the armies of men and laughs at those who think they can plunder His kingdom. He is never moved or shaken from His place of power. His power, in all essence, is absolute, concrete, unyielding, unrivalled and unchallenged. None can stay His hand (Dan 4:35) or force Him to give way. His power will never change, never wane or never increase.

Thirdly, God is immutable in His Word. His divine Word, spoken or written, does not change. If He swears to do something by His Name, He will do it. If something is written in Scripture, we can trust that it remains infallible for all time. He will not take His promises back or change His mind all of sudden as if He were a wearied old man pacing back and forth. "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). Such is the hope of a praying believer - that God will never change His mind. He will never turn back from His word or give up. Even if there is no current evidence, we can be assured that He will complete His promises to those who avail of them by faith. The Lord will finish the work He began (Philippians 1:6)!

Ah, imagine for a moment if the Lord were a mind-changer? Imagine for a moment if the Lord, like man, changes His direction and decides to condemn the very ones He has chose to love eternally? A terrifying thought isn't it? What if God raised His hands in surrender, exclaiming, "You know what? I'm fed up with humanity. They have been constantly sinning against me, constantly rebelling against me with their lifestyle and constantly provoking me to anger with their ungodly thoughts. I give up. I'll send no help. I'll send mo more hard truth. Those whom I have elected, I will forget. The promises I gave, I will withdraw. I'll leave them to themselves until they wake up in hell."

Oh but the Lord is not as such! If He is such, then He is not "God". If He changes His mind and takes back His words which He has declared, then His foreknowledge is not eternal and He is but a slave to some unknown power. He would be like man, like us in thought and emotion - in need of learning and maturity. But the Lord is not! He is the immutable One.

Some of us would probably say, but what about those moments in the Holy Scriptures when the Lord "relented"? Does that mean He made a mistake? Does that mean He cannot fully anticipate the future and thus relented? More importantly, does it mean that He changes His mind? Does it mean that His immutability is only applicable to some divine aspect but not His entire character? To this I shall answer using the words of Arthur W. Pink,

"Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Gen 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? No, that cannot be. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." So also in I Samuel 15:29, "The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself, God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking" (Psalm 78:65), as "rising up early" (Jer 7:13); yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting". Yes, God is immutable in His counsel. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Rom 11:29). It must be so, for "He is in one mind, and who can turn from Him? and what His soul desires, even that He does" (Job 23:13)... God's purpose never alters. One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans: lack of foresight to anticipate everything, or lack of power to execute them. But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent there is never any need for Him to revise His decrees. No, "the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations" (Psalm 33:11). Therefore do we read of "His unchangeable purpose" (Heb 6:17)."

The Lord does not "rest" or "wake up". Nor does He have hands or feet. Yet, the Bible describes Him as such to accommodate the language of men and teach us at our level. Hence, when the Bible says "God relents or repents" it does not mean that God made a mistake, changed His mind and is now "trying" to accomplish things in a "better" way. The Scriptures is clear on Numbers 23:19 and Hebrews 13:8. God is not like us. He does not change. His will is constant. His promises are eternal. Besides, if God were a changeling, its all over! Imagine how confusing that would be? All His attributes are now subject to change. All doctrines are now fallible. Worse of all, we have a God who is not really a "god". He has either no omniscient eye to anticipate everything (so is therefore capable of mistakes) or has no omnipotent hand to execute what He so desires. If God changes His mind due to a failure to see or a failure to execute His will, we have no hope in prayer, no hope in His promises and ultimately, no hope for redemption.

But, then again, the Lord is not like such! He is immutable primarily because He is omniscient and omnipotent. He is moved by no external force or philosophy. He does not make mistakes. He does not relent like an impulsive youth lacking in discernment. Nay, the Lord God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God's immutability?

1) It grants comfort and security to His children. There is a hope to look forward to. There are promises to claim by faith. There is a never changing God who will fulfill what He has declared. There is a God who will never give up on us. 2 Timothy 2:13 - If we are faithless, He is faithful. We can be assured and encouraged that the Lord's everlasting love for His people (Jeremiah 31:3) will remain everlasting despite our momentary lapses to carnality. God is the Refuge we surely can run to. He never changes and is the same forever!

2) It magnifies the glory of God. The fact that God is an unmovable Rock. The fact that God is an unchanging Being plus the fact that His attributes, power and dominion is unchallenged, uninfluenced and unrivalled by anything outside of Himself - all these facts summed up together causes the believer to fall prostrate before the immutable One. Any revealed attribute, perfection or excellency of God always creates worship in His body of believers.

3) It removes confusion and anarchy which Satan seeks to create. As we have previously elaborated, if God changes His mind, then there is no definite ground for our faith. There will be no absolute truth to uphold. The opposite is also true. When there is the hard preaching of an immutable God, there is order, there is sanity, there is wise counsel, there is hope, there is faith, there is truth - unbendable and unchangeable. There is unity and an absolute sense of divine monarchy.

4) It provides godly confidence and makes it easier for His people to trust in all His declared promises, especially the finished work of Christ. How blessed is the believer who finds confidence and assurance on the cross of Calvary? Eternal salvation for a damned sinner is an impossibility if God were mutable. But He isn't and so is His counsel. The Lord is not a chameleon. We can trust Him - really trust Him! "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you (Isaiah 54:10). We can rely and claim His promises daily without fear and doubt. The people who admire us today may conspire against us tomorrow. But the Lord is not like such, hence, we can trust Him with all confidence.

May the Lord's immutability encourage us to trust and admire Him even more!

A QUOTE THAT IS SO REAL TO ME!

"Fear of failure is pride" - Paul Washer

I am afraid of failing primarily because failure ruins reputation. This is an accursed weakness of mine and by grace it shall be dealt with much severity by the Lord.

May an ever increasing measure of willingness and dependency on God fill my heart!

PRAYERS FROM THE DIARY OF RUTH BRYAN

1830

Be pleased, dear Lord, to grant me during the present year–more of Your gracious presence, more tenderness of conscience and fear of offending You; more humility, stronger faith, and more entire devotedness to Your cause. Enable me to leave my temporal concerns entirely with You, to walk by faith, to have my treasure in heaven, and to manifest by my conduct–that I am Your disciple. Let me not grow cold or lukewarm–but may “I lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset me, and may I run with patience the race set before me, looking unto Jesus. Amen.”

1832

“Here I raise my Ebenezer.” Thus far the Lord has brought me. Though the past has been a year of multiplied transgressions and backslidings, I trust, through His abundant mercy, my face is still Zionward, and that my prevailing desire is to be devoted entirely to His service. Take me, dearest Lord, and form me for Your own glory. I feel much bodily weakness. Oh, that through the crevices of this frail tabernacle, I may see some of the glories of the eternal world!

1840

Most dear and precious Christ, I had not thought to see another new-year’s day–but hoped before now–to have beheld You face to face! Like him of old, who was possessed of a legion of demons, I besought that I might be with You. But for a season, You have seen good to withhold the full answer to my request. “May Your will be done!” Glorify Yourself in me, and be much, very much with me, until You shall say, “Arise, my love, and come away,” to be with Me forever! I desire most humbly and unreservedly, in Your own strength, to yield to Your Divine disposal–all I have and am, and to continually lose my wish and will, in Yours. I would lay at Your feet all creatures and created good, with every seeming evil–and embrace Yourself, my Jesus, as my joy, portion, happiness, wisdom, strength, peace–yes, my all in all–for the coming year, or so much of it as I tarry upon earth; and then, as my joyful, blissful portion through eternity! Oh, lead me, Holy Comforter, more into Christ–and out of SELF! I have had much of blessing–but I long and pray for more; in Jesus’ name. Enlarge my expectations more, I beg You–and more I shall receive. “Lord, increase my faith.”

1842

Precious Christ, I come with a large request for 1842: it is that You would be the “Alpha and Omega” of it. Do You not say, “Ask what I shall give you?” Yourself, Lord! You have most blessedly given Yourself to me. But I find sweet liberty to entreat more unfolding, revealing, and opening of Your glorious person, amazing work, and matchless love, than I have yet had; and more losing and treading down of SELF, too–that I may be lost in Your fullness, and forgotten and forsaken in Your soul-absorbing glories. Oh! raise me higher, draw me nearer, that I may daily die, and You live in me more manifestly. I just give myself to You, to live on You, to live in You, to live for You, more and more than heretofore, and that by the power of the Spirit resting on me. I humbly ask that mine may be a large and still-increasing portion; that, under fresh anointings, You, most lovely Jesus, may be more fully known, more loved, more served; for it is to You the Holy Spirit leads, of You He testifies.

Oh, do make this a large, rich, full year! You being increasingly honored in me, and I increasingly lost in You, and made an increasing blessing to Your dear people. An Ebenezer for past mercies befits me; large and magnificent have been Your bestowments; bountiful and constant Your favors to me–a poor worthless nothing! “Bless the Lord, O my soul–and all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

THE LOVE OF GOD, An Overview

God is love (1 John 4:8). He does not just uphold love or promote it. He is love. He is the very definition of love. There is no being apart from God who truly knows, truly understands and truly practices love in its pristine form.

A father can so love his son to the point that he would give up anything for his child - even his life. A single mother can so love her children that she would work 24-7, find little rest and still do all the housework - all for her children. Ah, but God's love exceeds all these examples - and all the instances that will ever be made! If we sinners know how to give good gifts, how much more will God who is perfect? (Matthew 7:11)

God's love is unconditional. In order to be loved in this world, you have to meet certain conditions. You have to fulfill certain tasks and establish a "lovable" social image for you to be accepted. But God's love is different. His love is governed by no condition, law or obligation. His love is freely given without conditions. If His love were conditional, no one would be loved by God. But bless and praise Him for He loved us sinners and even died for us despite our countless trespasses! (Romans 5:8).

In the words of Arthur W. Pink "There was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in them, but the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused."

The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you... (Deuteronomy 7:7,8). Such is the mysterious and marvelous inspiration of the psalmist who wrote "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! It saved a wretch like me!" Or consider the song "What did you see in me Lord that you loved me?!" Ah, the Lord saw nothing in us to love us. None can say "I deserve and earned the love of God!". Such is an atrocious statement for He did not love us because of us. He loved us in spite of us. God did not foresaw some excellence in men who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Our most righteous works are but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But He loved us because it pleased Him. Hence the Apostle Paul's declaration on Ephesians 1:4,5 - In love, He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Dear friends, it is not of ourselves that we were loved for we are but sinners in the eyes of the Holy; but we were loved by Him because of His own pleasure and will! Oh, how I praise and thank God that His love is not based on man! If God loved me because of my own merit, I would be in hell at this moment - for there have been many times when I have vulgarly detested His counsel. There have been countless times where I pursued not His kingdom. But I praise Him that He loves us unconditionally! God alone made a decision to love us in accordance to His own sovereign pleasure, not in accordance to conditions to be met by the creature. How humbling and comforting!

God's love is also eternal. His love never fails. His love is never quenched. As God is unrivaled, so is His love. His love has no limits nor can it be limited. His love does have an ending nor does it have a beginning! Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love. In love, the Lord has predestined His people even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4,5). How can any man comprehend such love? He loved us even before the foundation of the world?! (Ephesians 1:4) Solomon declares the same about his appointment on Proverbs 8:23. As in the case of Jeremiah, God knew and loved His people even before they were in their mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Such is the love of the Lord for His people! He deserves all the glory!

Thirdly, God's love is immutable. His love never changes. The love of men can mutate over the years but His love does not, cannot and will not. There is not variability in His love. His love is not a "here today, gone tomorrow" kind of deal. If He has declared His love for you, it will remain that way for all time. Seasons change. Time passes. Earthly goods perish. But it is not the same for His love. His love is true and constant.

Fourthly, God's love is holy. It is without blemish. It is perfect and wholesome in its essence. His love is incorruptible. His love is sound. It is not blind or unjust. His love is perfect and those who receive it are made perfect through both justification and regeneration. Contrary to the popular belief, God does not just accept the wicked. God does not wink over sin or treat sinners as if they have never transgressed - far from it! Nay. God's love is pure, thus, the recipients of His love were foremost forgiven through the cross, and then sanctified through the Holy Spirit.

Last but not the least, God's love manifests greatly. His love is real and effectual. It is not just a mere emotional feeling or an intellectual ascension. No. God's love is authentic, existent - hence is articulated in many unforeseen ways. The greatest manifestation of His love is on the cross of Calvary. God's ultimate expression of His love for His people is eternally visible in His Son, who ultimately suffered and died as payment for our sins. It was us who should have been damned. It was us who should have suffered the penalty of our sins. But Jesus took the punishment, the law, the justice, the wrath of the Almighty to reconcile us with Him. If this is not the greatest manifestation of love in this world, I do not know what is.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God's love?

1) It deepens the believer's love and adoration for God. Apprehending a portion of God's character has always caused the regenerate to fall prostrate in deep reverence and fear.

2) It motivates the believer to walk in holiness with his God. An understanding of God's love fills the believer with madness! The Christian cannot help but follow the Lord who loved him unconditionally.

3) It humbles the believer. Accepting God's love which is undeserved and unmerited is deeply humbling to the creature. It reveals mankind's inability and depravity. A proper teaching of God's love confronts the boastful and instills a spirit of resignation. No believer shall say that he deserved and earned the love of God. Rather, he shall say, with much weeping, that he deserved death and yet was loved by God. Ah, what a joy is it for a sinner to be found in the love of the Lord!

4) It crushes doubt and forms resolution in the heart of the Christian. When this doctrine is made reality, resolution takes precedence over doubt. There is little room for question and mistrust. If we, sinners by heart and deed, are capable of loving people to a degree of self-sacrifice, how much more capable is God who is infinitely good and perfect? Such reality is doubt-crushing and resolve-forming.

5) It grants a strong assurance and encouragement to the believer. God's immutable, never-changing, infinite, eternal and unconditional love produces a grounded assurance to every believer in many ways! A doubting believer who has decided to believe in God's love is assured during trials - whether he wins or loses. A "lonely" believer who has decided to embrace the love of God is never alone. A weak believer who has decided to trust in God's love finds strength. A believer who has transgressed will find peace and joy once He accepts the fact that God loves him no matter what. The examples go on for eternity!

May His love be lavishly proclaimed!

QUOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE

John MacArthur: Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all, even if it masquerades as Christianity. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.

Martin Downes, On difference to doctrine: "Evangelicals who are indifferent to doctrine are a danger to Christianity. Church leaders who do not “hold firmly to the trustworthy word as taught” will never be able to bring God’s people to mature godliness (which requires instruction in sound doctrine), nor will they be able to ward off infiltrators who teach another gospel (Titus 1:9)."

Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "There are many today who regard truth and error as matters of small consequence; if a man lives rightly, they say, it matters not much what his beliefs and opinions are. Such statements do not surprise us. Night and day are all one to a blind man. Truth and error are all one to an ignorant man.

Richard Baxter: Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine…lest you unsay with your lives what you say with your tongues, and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labors.

William Webster: "The promotion of unity at the expense of truth is satanic; it is demonic; it is not true unity. It is not the unity of the Holy Spirit for He is the Spirit of Truth. The Scriptural command which we have in Ephesians to promote the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace is given to those who have a common foundation of truth. Truth by its very nature divides. Where you have appeal to unity at the expense of truth all you can produce is uniformity."

Mark Kielar: "I’m always amazed by the people who, despite God’s clear and emphatic commands through the Apostle Paul, say things like, “Ah, we need to forget about the differences in our doctrines, and we just need to love one another.” as though those two are consistent goals. Surely they haven’t come to realize that the only way we can love right is to live right, and the only way we can live right is to believe right."

Leonard Ravenhill: "One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed."

Knowing The Gospel Does Not Seem To Matter Anymore

From John MacArthur, Hard To Believe, pages 187-188

It should come as no surprise that, at this point in time, the enemy of men’s souls—God’s archenemy, Satan himself—has cranked up his efforts to prevent the spread of the gospel. One of his primes tactics is to make the church confused about what the gospel is. It doesn’t do any good to have this fantastic contemporary communication technology, or wealth, manpower, and passion to take the gospel message to the ends of the earth, if you don’t know what the gospel message is. So it’s certainly a wise strategy on the part of the enemy of men’s souls to confuse the church about the message.

Along with many others, I’ve been preaching, teaching, and writing to try and clarify for Christians what the gospel is. They’re not really sure whether Jesus is Lord or not, or whether He needs to be Lord or not. It doesn’t seem to be important these days that people understand the true biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone. It doesn’t seem to matter to some people that there be repentance of sin, and that we preach repentance. In fact, some people think the idea of repentance is intrusion into grace. They fail to comprehend the doctrine of substitution and imputation, which is the true understanding that God imputed (meaning ascribed or assigned) our sins fully to a substitute who died in our place, and that we contribute nothing to our salvation but lay hold of eternal life by faith in that substitute.

In spite of the absolute clarity of the gospel, even so-called evangelicals can end up with a fuzzy view of their faith because of all the confusion in the air. I’ve heard the pastor of a very large evangelistic church claim, “The Reformation was overrated as to its importance.” No. What the Reformation did was define the gospel and rescue it from its corrupters. Not only do we seem unsure what the gospel is sometimes, we’re not even convinced it’s important to get it right. That is a tragic mistake. Here we are, with all this awesome potential to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, and we’re not sure what the gospel is!

In the process of stewing about the issue, the church has gotten shallower and shallower. One reason is because churches have proliferated everywhere in which the pastors are personality-driven leaders, men who don’t have the theological grounding to define issues biblically with any depth. Another reason is this tragic and misguided concern not to offend anybody, to make church fun and entertaining, resulting in some kind of synthetic gospel that doesn’t have enough truth in it to save anybody.

Such An Inspired Prayer! Now I Know Why The Puritans Are "Puritans"

Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word, of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ. Go on to subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power.

I thank Thee that many of my prayers have been refused. I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness. Go on with Thy patient work, answering ‘no’ to my wrongful prayers, and fitting me to accept it. Purge me from every false desire, every base aspiration, everything contrary to Thy rule. I thank Thee for Thy wisdom and Thy love, for all the acts of discipline to which I am subject, for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross.

No trial is so hard to bear as a sense of sin. If Thou shouldst give me choice to live in pleasure and keep my sins, or to have them burnt away with trial, give me sanctified affliction. Deliver me from every evil habit, every accretion of former sins, everything that dims the brightness of Thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in Thee. Then I shall bless Thee, God of jeshurun, for helping me to be upright.

Taken from The Valley of Vision- A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, An Overview

I have decided to start the year with a series about the attributes of God. By His grace, I have decided to write about His glories which are so vibrantly revealed in Scripture. Of course, no one can truly comprehend the greatness of God, but this should not hinder us from acquainting ourselves with Him. We must know who God is in all His undefiled beauty. Only through such venture can we find real satisfaction. In this series, we shall start with the sovereignty of God.

The sovereignty of God is defined as God’s control and supremacy over everything. He does whatever He pleases and no man can hinder His decrees (Job 23:13). He frustrates the wisdom of the wise and scoffs at the plans of the skilled (1 Corinthians 1:19). There are many devices in man’s heart but God’s counsel alone shall stand (Proverbs 19:21). No one can question God or enslave Him (Isaiah 45:11). He is the unrivalled Creator God and He does everything He pleases (Psalm 135:6) in accordance to His own good counsel (Ephesians 1:11). He grants mercy to those who do not deserve it, and bestows faith on the faithless. Hence, the fearsome declaration on Romans 9:15: “I will have mercy to those whom I will and have compassion to those whom I choose”. Ah, how it makes a mere creation reverently tremble with the knowledge that we are under His mercy! But how equally comforting is it also to know that God is omnipotent and in control!

God is sovereign over times, seasons and events. It was He who caused the sun to stop at the time of Joshua. It was also the Lord who caused time to run 10 paces backwards as a sign to King Hezekiah. It was He who turned the worst act of men, the crucifixion, to the greatest act for men, our salvation. It was He who used the afflictions of Job for his own benefit. He turns suffering into joy and turns the tide of battle wherever He pleases. By the stroke of His hand, a kingdom falls. But by the same hand, He raises a nation in a day! How fearsome, mighty and glorious is this Lord!

God is also sovereign over all creation. Every inanimate entity is under His command. Rain pours when He wills it. Sun shines wherever He pleases. Every living organism in this planet is known to God and sustained by Him. Not a single sparrow falls to the ground without Him knowing (Matthew 10:29). He created the fiercest animals. It was He who made the Ostrich foolish with her young but wise in sport (Job 39: 13-18). God feeds the cubs of lions and directs the eagle to its prey.

With a word, God created the universe. With single utterance, light came to existence. He sustains all life and in Him do all things hold together (Col 1:17). It was He who designed some plants to bear many a beautiful flower; while some to bear not a single one. It was He who ordained that some trees were to die after a few years and some to last for all time. He does all these things for His own sovereign pleasure. Ah, shall anyone question Him or His right to do so?

All men alike are subject to Him. He grants mercy to the wicked as He pleases and none shall question that. He withholds His justice and chooses to be patient even with the most despicable men! It is He who transformed the Gospel persecutor Saul into the Gospel preacher Paul. He sways kings and turns them wherever He pleases (Proverbs 21:1).

The enemy, himself, can only do what God allows. We find out in the book of Job that none can be touched by Satan without God’s permission. It was He who allowed the devil to test Job. It was God who allowed an evil spirit to act treacherously against Abimelech in Judges 9:23. It was also He who allowed Saul to be tormented by an evil spirit for his disobedience (1 Samuel 16:15; 1 Samuel 18:10). God can destroy all evil at this moment. But in accordance to His pleasure, mercy and foreordination, He has decided to restrain His righteous anger until the Day of Judgment.

God alone is subject to worship. He subdues mighty angels with a single word – such as the one sent to destroy a nation in 1 Chronicles 21:17. The demons know the Lord well and they shudder fearfully at the thought of Him (James 2:19). They even run to Him and bow down in fear (Mark 3:11; 5:6). None can withstand God and His righteous rod has no limitations. There is nothing beyond His reach and nothing too difficult for Him to do. Ah, how formidable and comforting is the declaration of the Apostle Paul on Colossians 1:16-17

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty to the Christian?

1) It increases the depth of our veneration for God. To be affirmed in Scripture that God is before all things results to a higher esteem of His worth. A glimpse of God’s sovereignty causes a regenerate believer to fall prostrate before His holy throne. It evokes a song of praise, a spirit of fear and a deep adoration for God. It removes the belittling of God and sets our hearts straight.

2) It humbles men and puts them in their proper place before Him. How humbling is it to find out that God is in control and not man? How it defeats our sinful flesh to rediscover again and again that it is God who holds all things and without Him nothing can be accomplished? The knowledge of God’s sovereignty is deeply humbling to the creature.

3) It repudiates boasting in self and promotes boasting in the Lord. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” There is no place for boasting before God when His sovereignty is boldly proclaimed. No one shall say to God “I saved myself. I deserved salvation and I did it on my own will.” Foolish man, there is no one who seeks God (Romans 3:11). It is only by His power that you were able to because faith is a gift from God, not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8). It is not that we loved God initially, but that He loved us eternally (1 John 4:10). We did not deserve to saved, yet He saved us. This is why salvation is only possible by grace alone – the unmerited and undeserved favour of God.

4) It grants rest, security, and comfort amidst affliction and doubt. Those who embrace the sovereignty of God will find comfort in the midst of trials, knowing their God is in control and that they are suffering for a good reason. They also receive security and assurance in their salvation knowing that even though there are periods of unfaithfulness, none can snatch them from the hand of God (Romans 8:38). They also find rest – Psalm 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” In these busy days, is it not truly refreshing and relieving to find out that God is in control no matter what?

5) Finally, we shall find the boldness to endure and persevere by trusting in God’s sovereignty. Psalm 56:11 “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” This shall be the cry of a believer who has been trained by the knowledge of God’s sovereignty.

Truly the nations are but a drop in a bucket in God’s sight (Isaiah 40:15) and men are but a speck of dust under His palms (Psalm 90:3). God the omnipotent, the omniscient and the omnipresent One is the sole Ruler and Governor of all things! To Him be the glory now and forever!