God’s Thoughts—Our Thoughts

God’s Thoughts—Our Thoughts

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:9. Therefore it is impossible for us to lay hold of a single one of these thoughts. Only God can give them to us by means of His divine laws. The people had many different ideas about who Jesus was, and none of these ideas were right. But Peter had the right thoughts about Jesus when he said, “‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’” Jesus can build His church, against which the gates of Hades cannot prevail, on that which flesh and blood has not revealed.

That which God reveals flows together like drops of water. The result is a firm and unshakable unity in one body and one Spirit, in one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. Eph. 4:4-6. The result will be that we will speak the same thing and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 Cor. 1:10.

Who is entrusted with these pure, wise, and exalted thoughts that lead us into such godly unity and blessing for time and eternity? They are entrusted to those who love Jesus so fervently that they keep His Word. The Father and the Son will come to them and manifest Themselves to them. John 14:21, 23.

Before people are humbled, they go astray in all kinds of thoughts from the pit. Wisdom dwells only with the humble.

Prior to Pentecost there also arose a thought in the disciples’ hearts which they could neither discern nor reject. In Luke 9:46-48, we read: “Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.’” Since that day the same thoughts have arisen from the same evil source in the hearts of millions of people and have caused an immeasurable amount of harm. Jesus’ thoughts were the exact opposite of all these thoughts and were as highly exalted over them as the heavens are higher than the earth. It was impossible to demonstrate a greater contrast than by putting a small, innocent child up against their foolish human reasoning and imagined greatness. Jesus took the little child and put him beside Him. There they stood together as a testimony against everything that is great and conceited in this world. The Lord of glory, the greatest and wisest of them all, took His place beside the child. It was impossible to view a more glorious sight.

Jesus was not play-acting. He really felt that He was that small. He humbled Himself and went beneath all men in order to save them all. He felt completely like a child when He said, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30. “Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” V. 19. Because Jesus humbled Himself so deeply, God has exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name. Phil. 2:8-9.

Paul followed Jesus in His humiliation and was therefore entrusted with the gospel, with all its treasures and glory. He rejected all his own thoughts and opinions and was poor in himself and hungry to know God’s thoughts. These thoughts were revealed to him to such a degree that the wisdom that was hidden from before the ages was revealed to him.

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Cor. 3:5-6.

Unless God entrusts me with something it is impossible to lay hold of anything but the letter. People study the Scriptures with their human reasoning and get all kinds of things out of them that are to their own “advantage.” By going according to the letter, they will always find a way around having to deny themselves, to suffer, and die with Jesus. When he went by his natural understanding, Peter found a means of getting around the way of suffering. His thoughts were contrary to God’s thoughts, and he used strong words: “Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’”

By using the letter, Satan has always attempted to lead the Christians away from the cross and the way of suffering, which is the only way to glory. Peter believed that he was showing his love for Jesus, but it was the exact opposite. In our days this false love has permeated the religious world as never before. They have discovered a “glorious way” around the way of the cross, the way of suffering, and the way of reproach. They believe they love their marriage partner, their children, and their fellow men by presenting that way to them, which in reality is the way of death. In this false liberty they can praise God and rejoice because of their feelings, but they are being led by Satan. Jesus said, “Get behind Me, Satan!” Satan did not manage to gain control over Jesus even by trying to do so through Peter.

After the day of Pentecost, however, Peter also saw the way of the cross and suffering as the only way to glory. “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet. 4:13. These were completely new thoughts that were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

Let us read everything in God’s Word in poverty of spirit in order to live it. Then the Holy Spirit will make it alive for us according to His truth and glory. We will receive an unshakable assurance against which the gates of Hades cannot prevail. Otherwise, we will only have changing opinions that do not result in lasting peace and joy, and we will end up being deceived. Great religious wars have been fought because of the letter in God’s Word, yet today there are many more people than ever before who love the lie, for in the last days God Himself will see to it that all those who have not received a love for the truth so that they might be saved will be deceived. 2 Thess. 2:10-11. The lie is among other things to believe that they will partake of the promises without living the conditions.

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 1 Cor. 3:20. Not one of them can be used in God’s building. The only way to God’s wisdom and to God’s thoughts is to seek them in humility in order to live them.