DIVINE HARMONY Devotion 1 of 53 During a recent gathering, my eldest son, Michael Blakely, made this statement: "There is nothing more perplexing than a God who is always changing." This was well stated, and accounts for some of the expressions of individuals during times of difficulty. Who has not heard someone say, "If God loves the world so much why did He . . ." or, "Why is all of this happening to me?" or "Why do bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people?" Others have felt at liberty to say they were "angry with God," or "mad because of what He allowed to happen" – statements that reflect an astounding degree of brashness and ignorance. However, at their root, all such statements are the result of a fundamental ignorance of God. The nature of God – the revealed nature – is simply not known by people who say such things. -- Tomorrow:
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deut 6:4). "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17)
The condition of being ignorant of God is a most serious one. The Spirit apprises us that such ignorance is a primary, if not the solitary, cause of alienation from God. Speaking of the fundamental nature of the Gentile world, it is written, "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, BEING ALIENATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD THROUGH THE IGNORANCE THAT IS IN THEM, because of the blindness of their heart" (Eph 4:17-18). Confirming the seriousness of such a condition, other versions read, "excluded from the life of God" (NASB), "separated from the life of God" (NIV), and "alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it]" (AMPLIFIED). If anyone imagines that a person can be saved while in such a state, they surely need to think again. Alienation is the very thing that is addressed by the salvation of God. Those who have been reconciled to God are said to have FORMERLY been "alienated and enemies" (Col 1:21). That is, salvation directly addresses this matter of being ignorant of God. In fact, one of the hallmarks of the New Covenant, presently being mediated and administered by Jesus (Heb 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), is that every person participating in it knows, or is acquainted with, God Almighty. "And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for ALL SHALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest" (Heb 8:11).
While it is not my purpose to sit in judgment upon those whose understanding of God is deficient, I do aim to show that all of us must be discontent with such a circumstance. It is contrary to God's great salvation, contravening both the nature and impact of "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10). The church must dismiss from its ranks teachers who promulgate doctrines that leave people confused about God Himself. Such teaching sends people scurrying to the psychologists and counselors when they confront hard circumstances, because they simply do not have an understanding of God Himself. That is precisely why they are easily snared by the devil, and so readily succumb to temptation.
The purpose of this series of devotions – DIVINE HARMONY – is to affirm the nature of God, and the way in which He has been revealed through Christ and His great salvation. An accent will be placed on concepts like consistency, coherence, congruity, agreement, and concord. I will endeavor to show how Divine qualities fit together, and complement each other, working together to achieve a specific purpose. God never contradicts His nature, or conducts Himself in a variable or inconsistent manner. He always works within the confines of both His nature and purpose. Seen correctly, everything that God has said and done fits together and is complementary – that is in speaking and doing, God is providing a more complete and accurate view of Himself.
Because of the nature and seriousness of the subject, this will be a series of considerable length. It will touch on many aspects of the Divine nature, with the aim of providing a more thorough understanding of God Himself. Everything that comes from God testifies about Him. That includes His word, judgments, blessings, cursing, chastening, leading, commandments, and promises. His Son, His truth, and His salvation are all revelations of His Person, and are designed to not only liberate us from delusion and iniquity, but to enable us to walk with God because we see the sense and benefit of doing so.
Let me be clear about this: a view of God, or a purported salvation from God, that leaves people in a state of perpetual ignorance and bondage to sin is really nothing more than a delusion. Additionally, an approach to religion that allows for the continual presence of religious professionals that assist believers in solving their problems, is a delusion of gargantuan proportions. These unacceptable conditions are the direct result of NOT knowing God – and that is a formidable sin in this "day of salvation," in which God has made Himself most fully known in Christ Jesus.
The paramount work of the church is that of edifying, strengthening, and building up the body of Christ (Eph 4:12-16). This is so because the church is in a state of preparation – readying itself to confront the returning Lord with joy and confidence, and commence reigning with Him, world without end. Edification and preparation CANNOT be realized independently of the knowledge of God. It simply is not possible. Additionally, the resolution of sinful tendencies and involvements is directly traceable to such knowledge, for believers "have escaped the pollutions of the world THROUGH the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 2:20). What is even more, ALL of the resources they require to live unto God in a state of godliness, are given to them through this knowledge, for "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, THROUGH the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Pet 1:3).
To this end, we begin this series of devotions to promote a more accurate, satisfying, and productive understanding of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the blessing of knowing You through your Son.