What am I thinking about right now? You probably cannot guess. I was thinking about a seagull flying low over the ocean near the shore moving up and down with the waves. Who knows what I am thinking at any point in time? You can guess, but there is no real way to KNOW. I think this might be what Paul is talking about in the last half of I Cor 2.
Whoever created all that we see (call the creator God) is so great, so awesome, so far removed from us in strength, power, ability, insight, etc. that there is no possible way we can even guess what is in his mind. As Paul says, "no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God."
What is the spirit of God? I did a Google search on that question and found some interesting sites. One says that in the OT, the Hebrew word for "spirit of God" literally means breath, or more specifically, breathing out. Breath represents life, a living, creative force. Genesis 2:7 says "then The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." So, I guess the spirit of God is what gives life to all that we see. Without the spirit of God there is no life.
As I understand the Bible, we are dead in our sins and we become alive when we unite with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. At that time we receive the spirit of God as a seal or as a guarantee of eternal life. Ephesians 4:30 says: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." I don't know about the grieving part, but it seems to me that the spirit of God is a seal that was put on us that will guarantee that we will be properly judged on the day of redemption.
If that is true, then all who accept Christ receive the spirit of God. The spirit of God is inside of us or upon us. So, I can actually know the thoughts of God. Even though I cannot possibly fathom who or even what God is, I can know and understand his thoughts. That is completely amazing! I can understand the thoughts of God. I can know his interest in me and know his will for my life!
Interesting .... I need to think about this some more.
1 comment:
Interesting you should say this. That you can KNOW the thoughts of God, His interest and His will for you. I do notice that you say "I CAN", but DO you? I don't have a thread of evidence of what God has in store for me. Oh, I can imagine---He gave me life and continually seems to bless me physically, emotionally, economically and in so many other ways, but, as the song goes, "I can only imagine".
I understand God's thoughts only because of reading the Bible....and I remain confused. God's thoughts change throughout history. He tells people to kill others....HELPS them in fact, then He sends Jesus to evangelize amongst us (years ago) and indicates otherwise (turn the other cheek). God loves HIS people, but despises others. Of the people He loves, the bible says He hates some....those who are prideful, for example. Are ALL races on earth today considered to be 'God's people"? If so, why did He change? He only loved the Israelites centuries ago, hating all those 'others' who worshipped other gods. TODAY, many races worship other gods....does He love them now, or hate them? Does He love me (a non-Israelite, but a 'Gentile' called from years ago through the teachings of Paul and Peter), or hate me?
Although I would like to understand the thoughts of God (maybe I wouldn't, either), I don't. I cannot fathom why 'good people' die. Why bad people 'rule' the earth. Why sickness, malformities, war, hatred and all the other things Satan loves, exist. Why does God allow this?
Is there truly a 'spirit' of God WITHIN us? If so, how do we know? (KNOW?) Is it the HOLY SPIRIT within us, or a part of Him/It, or just the breath of life?
I am not sure how many read this new blog site, but as you can see, I have many, many questions. I don't find those answers within 66 'books'. I don't find them in prayer. I guess the only time I will ever really KNOW God's thoughts, and answers to my questions, will be the day/nanosecond/eternity that I die and 'get to meet God face to face' (will I REALLY?).
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