Does God Really Keep Us Away from Knowing His WILL? Is God's Will Separate from God Himself?
My Dear Friend,
This continues to come to my mind after reading your post and the article, “His Will Isn’t the Point”. http://www.stevenfurtick.com/personal-development/his-will-isnt-the-point/ It reminds me of the popular book that starts out, “It’s not about you”. Both of these I’m afraid are so misleading and disingenuous. Though they may want to lead you to God, they in fact do the opposite.
We cannot separate ourselves from God to find truth. We cannot separate God’s perfection and love into boxes or ideas of understanding and say, “This is what God look’s like”. This is carnal (natural) thinking. As if any of us can separate God out of His desire (will) put that part over here, His love over there, His divine character in another place. If we believe he is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, “All in all”, then we must understand that he is Wholly God. We cannot dissect Him from His Word, and in the Word to get a complete picture. You can’t separate God from His will. That is the error of many that write about Him.
My first thought after I read the article was, where does that leave 1 Corn. 2 fit into the writer’s analogy? This is from Philip’s version:
5 But that your faith not be in the wisdom of men but the power of God.
6-8 We do, of course, speak “wisdom” among those who are spiritually mature, but it is not what is called wisdom by this world, nor by the powers-that-be, who soon will be only the powers that have been.
The wisdom we speak of is that mysterious secret wisdom of God which he planned before the creation for our glory today. None of the powers of this age have known this wisdom—if they had they would never have crucified the Lord of glory!
9-10a But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. (Isaiah 64:4)
But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret. For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvelous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us. This wisdom is only understood by the spiritual
13-16 It is these things that we talk about, not using the expressions of the human intellect but those which the Holy Spirit teaches us, explaining things to those who are spiritual. But the unspiritual man simply cannot accept the matters which the Spirit deals with—they just don’t make sense to him, for, after all, you must be spiritual to see spiritual things.
The spiritual man, on the other hand, has an insight into the meaning of everything, though his insight may baffle the man of the world. This is because the former is sharing in God’s wisdom, and ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ (Isaiah 40) Incredible as it may sound, we who are spiritual have the very thoughts of Christ! http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2&version=PHILLIPS (I used this version because it was more clear than others)
Context is everything if we want understanding. In the beginning of this book, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Paul writes that these people possessed ALL as in wholly everything, that is valuable (enriched) in Him, all (lego) words spoken, all knowledge, the witness of Christ and they didn’t lack not even one gift. Then as Paul’s usual form of writing he goes on to make comparisons, starting out with what it means to be spiritual, but then admits they were carnal (sarkos) fleshly, babes in Christ. Paul had come to know and understand the words of Christ through the Holy Spirit, he had never knew him in the flesh. He knew Christ in the Spirit. He understood “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh (carnal) profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life” John 6:62 If you ever have the time and have a red letter addition, try reading just the red, because many of those words are about YOU and YOU in Christ.
I see that in times past many things were hidden, though God has given us patterns in scripture, a tutor, which led us to Christ. But in Christ All prophecy was full filled, but it didn’t stop there. He is living still, His word is living and moving, not standing still. We are now after His form and pattern, if we are His, “we have the mind of Christ”, living. Christ is the Word.
Living things move, grow, and mature. As Paul, wrote much of what he was writing was to teach them the difference between the two, spiritual (mature) and carnal (natural) understanding. They already had everything, they needed a revelation and they needed to mature and grow to understand it.
I am also reminded that John speaking from the understanding that “God is Love”, he wrote in 1 John 2: 20 – 27, “you know all things” and shows how this is so. It’s knowledge in our spirit, taught by the Holy Spirit. Though some may not be aware of their Spiritual birth the pattern can be seen in Jesus’ birth, like Him, we were birthed out of God, out of Spirit. This is our second birth (spiritual). That is the reason we can come into the covenant with God and have a personal and intimate relationship with him, as our true father. He is Spirit and we commune with him through our spirit. In the above scripture, and the New Covenant as written in Jeremiah 32:34, and Hebrews twice. “we need no one to teach us”, “Know the LORD, For they shall all know me…”. How is that possible? It’s Spiritual. Taught by God.
Reading 1 John and Hebrews there is much dept to knowing GOD IS LOVE and not just a characteristic of his. Love is who and what HE IS. We, who are pressing on to maturity should be understanding:
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church(the called out) of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect (complete), 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24
There is a stark comparison from the carnal to the spiritual, for the writer speaks first that 18"For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a [material] mountain that can be touched, [a mountain] that is ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging storm. And to the blast of a trumpet and a voice whose words make the listeners beg that nothing more be said to them."
This picture is still true today. Many Christians are reading the Bible literally and they cannot see the Spirit among themselves. They stay at that old burning mountain (law covenant) that cannot give them life. They need to die to the carnal (Some call it die to self, or the old man) and be reborn (resurrected) in the Spirit the realm of Zion, the place of our birth (Psalm 87). (Where the new man should be living.)
Further in understanding, reading 1 Corn. 13, can add so much wisdom to what love and God truly is. After a beautiful definition of Love, Paul goes on to compare two different realms, one of a child who knows partially, but a mature man puts away childish things and comes to understand Love purely and wholly.
12"For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]."
When he uses the Hebrew idom, “we shall see face to face”, it would give the reader the understanding of being in agreement, intimately as a close friend without a mediator, a one on one relationship. That is maturity. That is love and we already possess it. It is not a future thing. We have it now, we need a revelation in our lives or we need to mature and be in agreement with God and each other. Really, this is where our hearts should lead us as we mature into spiritual relationships where, there is perfect (complete) love and communion with God. It’s a wonderful place, being near to God and calling Him your friend.
Context is everything when you read. When I read the article, what caught my notice right away was first I don’t know God as a concealer, but a revealer. The author of the article, used only half of a verse to set up his own understanding as to why people don’t get answers from God. Again nothing I understand about God. Where as on further inspection and correct understanding or translation we may come to this:
God’s character (Glory) is hidden in words. (Davar) A Kings character (Glory) is examining the words of God. (Davar) Proverbs 24:2
When the author says God plays Hide & Seek, I wondered if he thinks God plays peek-a-boo too. But I was concerned why he would point you to God as being the center of your needs, then speak as though he is a father that keeps secrets from his children, for what? He is correct when he says, “that seems counterintuitive”. Any good parent protects and cares for their child, but they also want their child to grow up. There is a simple answer to why in searching for answers to our prayers, which is our talking to God, or wanting to know the will of God. Many times we just keep talking and talking, but we don’t stop to listen or observe, what He is revealing to us. It’s a hard thing waiting, but a great reward if we do. See: (Isaiah 40:31) There are so many scriptures that speak of waiting, and we find it a difficult task.
A good principle to think about when considering the character of God and if you believe God IS Love, ask yourself this question, “Would I do this to my children, whom I dearly love?” Ask; God for understanding, allow Him to direct you to the proper understanding.
Lastly, on a personal note, I am always disturbed when I read a thing that mischaracterizes God. The plumb line, the measuring, the whole of who God is equals LOVE. Once we learn that we’ll never go back to whom we once were. The Spirit will guide you always and remind you from the heart, “This is the way, walk in it”. Isaiah (30:18-21)
I pray you will consider this. Amen.
Consider reading: Isaiah 40, John 6:35-40, Isaiah 30:18-21and the quoted scriptures to get a fuller understanding.
Idiom: face to face with God http://www.biblicalhebrew.com/wordstudies/cowdh.htm
Proverbs 24:2 http://qbible.com/hebrew-old-testament/proverbs/24.html
I Corinthians another version: http://thewordnotes.com/litv/1cor.htm#2
This continues to come to my mind after reading your post and the article, “His Will Isn’t the Point”. http://www.stevenfurtick.com/personal-development/his-will-isnt-the-point/ It reminds me of the popular book that starts out, “It’s not about you”. Both of these I’m afraid are so misleading and disingenuous. Though they may want to lead you to God, they in fact do the opposite.
We cannot separate ourselves from God to find truth. We cannot separate God’s perfection and love into boxes or ideas of understanding and say, “This is what God look’s like”. This is carnal (natural) thinking. As if any of us can separate God out of His desire (will) put that part over here, His love over there, His divine character in another place. If we believe he is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, “All in all”, then we must understand that he is Wholly God. We cannot dissect Him from His Word, and in the Word to get a complete picture. You can’t separate God from His will. That is the error of many that write about Him.
My first thought after I read the article was, where does that leave 1 Corn. 2 fit into the writer’s analogy? This is from Philip’s version:
5 But that your faith not be in the wisdom of men but the power of God.
6-8 We do, of course, speak “wisdom” among those who are spiritually mature, but it is not what is called wisdom by this world, nor by the powers-that-be, who soon will be only the powers that have been.
The wisdom we speak of is that mysterious secret wisdom of God which he planned before the creation for our glory today. None of the powers of this age have known this wisdom—if they had they would never have crucified the Lord of glory!
9-10a But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. (Isaiah 64:4)
But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret. For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvelous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us. This wisdom is only understood by the spiritual
13-16 It is these things that we talk about, not using the expressions of the human intellect but those which the Holy Spirit teaches us, explaining things to those who are spiritual. But the unspiritual man simply cannot accept the matters which the Spirit deals with—they just don’t make sense to him, for, after all, you must be spiritual to see spiritual things.
The spiritual man, on the other hand, has an insight into the meaning of everything, though his insight may baffle the man of the world. This is because the former is sharing in God’s wisdom, and ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ (Isaiah 40) Incredible as it may sound, we who are spiritual have the very thoughts of Christ! http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2&version=PHILLIPS (I used this version because it was more clear than others)
Context is everything if we want understanding. In the beginning of this book, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Paul writes that these people possessed ALL as in wholly everything, that is valuable (enriched) in Him, all (lego) words spoken, all knowledge, the witness of Christ and they didn’t lack not even one gift. Then as Paul’s usual form of writing he goes on to make comparisons, starting out with what it means to be spiritual, but then admits they were carnal (sarkos) fleshly, babes in Christ. Paul had come to know and understand the words of Christ through the Holy Spirit, he had never knew him in the flesh. He knew Christ in the Spirit. He understood “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh (carnal) profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life” John 6:62 If you ever have the time and have a red letter addition, try reading just the red, because many of those words are about YOU and YOU in Christ.
I see that in times past many things were hidden, though God has given us patterns in scripture, a tutor, which led us to Christ. But in Christ All prophecy was full filled, but it didn’t stop there. He is living still, His word is living and moving, not standing still. We are now after His form and pattern, if we are His, “we have the mind of Christ”, living. Christ is the Word.
Living things move, grow, and mature. As Paul, wrote much of what he was writing was to teach them the difference between the two, spiritual (mature) and carnal (natural) understanding. They already had everything, they needed a revelation and they needed to mature and grow to understand it.
I am also reminded that John speaking from the understanding that “God is Love”, he wrote in 1 John 2: 20 – 27, “you know all things” and shows how this is so. It’s knowledge in our spirit, taught by the Holy Spirit. Though some may not be aware of their Spiritual birth the pattern can be seen in Jesus’ birth, like Him, we were birthed out of God, out of Spirit. This is our second birth (spiritual). That is the reason we can come into the covenant with God and have a personal and intimate relationship with him, as our true father. He is Spirit and we commune with him through our spirit. In the above scripture, and the New Covenant as written in Jeremiah 32:34, and Hebrews twice. “we need no one to teach us”, “Know the LORD, For they shall all know me…”. How is that possible? It’s Spiritual. Taught by God.
Reading 1 John and Hebrews there is much dept to knowing GOD IS LOVE and not just a characteristic of his. Love is who and what HE IS. We, who are pressing on to maturity should be understanding:
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church(the called out) of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect (complete), 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24
There is a stark comparison from the carnal to the spiritual, for the writer speaks first that 18"For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a [material] mountain that can be touched, [a mountain] that is ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging storm. And to the blast of a trumpet and a voice whose words make the listeners beg that nothing more be said to them."
This picture is still true today. Many Christians are reading the Bible literally and they cannot see the Spirit among themselves. They stay at that old burning mountain (law covenant) that cannot give them life. They need to die to the carnal (Some call it die to self, or the old man) and be reborn (resurrected) in the Spirit the realm of Zion, the place of our birth (Psalm 87). (Where the new man should be living.)
Further in understanding, reading 1 Corn. 13, can add so much wisdom to what love and God truly is. After a beautiful definition of Love, Paul goes on to compare two different realms, one of a child who knows partially, but a mature man puts away childish things and comes to understand Love purely and wholly.
12"For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God]."
When he uses the Hebrew idom, “we shall see face to face”, it would give the reader the understanding of being in agreement, intimately as a close friend without a mediator, a one on one relationship. That is maturity. That is love and we already possess it. It is not a future thing. We have it now, we need a revelation in our lives or we need to mature and be in agreement with God and each other. Really, this is where our hearts should lead us as we mature into spiritual relationships where, there is perfect (complete) love and communion with God. It’s a wonderful place, being near to God and calling Him your friend.
Context is everything when you read. When I read the article, what caught my notice right away was first I don’t know God as a concealer, but a revealer. The author of the article, used only half of a verse to set up his own understanding as to why people don’t get answers from God. Again nothing I understand about God. Where as on further inspection and correct understanding or translation we may come to this:
God’s character (Glory) is hidden in words. (Davar) A Kings character (Glory) is examining the words of God. (Davar) Proverbs 24:2
When the author says God plays Hide & Seek, I wondered if he thinks God plays peek-a-boo too. But I was concerned why he would point you to God as being the center of your needs, then speak as though he is a father that keeps secrets from his children, for what? He is correct when he says, “that seems counterintuitive”. Any good parent protects and cares for their child, but they also want their child to grow up. There is a simple answer to why in searching for answers to our prayers, which is our talking to God, or wanting to know the will of God. Many times we just keep talking and talking, but we don’t stop to listen or observe, what He is revealing to us. It’s a hard thing waiting, but a great reward if we do. See: (Isaiah 40:31) There are so many scriptures that speak of waiting, and we find it a difficult task.
A good principle to think about when considering the character of God and if you believe God IS Love, ask yourself this question, “Would I do this to my children, whom I dearly love?” Ask; God for understanding, allow Him to direct you to the proper understanding.
Lastly, on a personal note, I am always disturbed when I read a thing that mischaracterizes God. The plumb line, the measuring, the whole of who God is equals LOVE. Once we learn that we’ll never go back to whom we once were. The Spirit will guide you always and remind you from the heart, “This is the way, walk in it”. Isaiah (30:18-21)
I pray you will consider this. Amen.
Consider reading: Isaiah 40, John 6:35-40, Isaiah 30:18-21and the quoted scriptures to get a fuller understanding.
Idiom: face to face with God http://www.biblicalhebrew.com/wordstudies/cowdh.htm
Proverbs 24:2 http://qbible.com/hebrew-old-testament/proverbs/24.html
I Corinthians another version: http://thewordnotes.com/litv/1cor.htm#2
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