Noble Thoughts

Noble Thoughts

When we read what the apostles of Jesus Christ have written, we also gain insight into their way of thinking. Paul writes to Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspira­tion of God.” 2 Tim. 3:16. Therefore we read it as God’s Word. Nev­ertheless, God used men—noble, faithful, and God-fearing men—to communicate His Word to us. His Word is edifying and “profitable for doctrine,” even as we get a glimpse into the thought life of these men—especially into their thoughts about God and their fellow men. Paul describes his God and Creator as “the blessed and only Potentate . . . to whom be honor and everlasting power.” 1 Tim. 6:15-16. He de­scribes Jesus Christ as One “who is over all, the eternally blessed God.” Rom. 9:5. He writes about the God of all patience, the God of comfort, of love and of peace; the King eter­nal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, the Father of glory. To Titus he writes about “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Ch. 2:13. It was natural for him to describe God with such words. It clearly revealed his thoughts. For example, when he wrote, “The Lord is near,” then he meant that the blessed and only Potentate was near, the God of peace and the God of comfort.

Peter refers to God as the “Excel­lent Glory.” 2 Pet. 1:17. John, who writes so much about truth, simply calls Him “the true God.” 1 John 5:20.

In the Book of Job we read that God’s wrath was aroused against Job’s three friends: “For you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Job 42:7. Be­hind their erroneous words about God were erroneous thoughts about God. Have we not tasted that the Lord is good? Therefore should it not be natural for us to think about Him as “the Father of mercy and the God of comfort”? Many people live with a totally incorrect image of God. We can learn much by noting how the apostles referred to God.

We also look into a world of noble thoughts when the apostles speak about their fellow sojourn­ers and fellow men; for example, Paul calls the brothers and sisters in Corinth a temple of God, even though he felt it necessary to give them the testimony that they were still carnal. He greets them as those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. With such noble thoughts about his friends, he was among them with fear and much trembling. He writes, “But we do all things, beloved, for your edifica­tion.” 2 Cor. 12:19. “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls . . . .” V. 15. What an ocean full of noble thoughts are behind such a statement! To Philemon he writes about the escaped slave, Onesimus: “That is, my own heart.” V. 12.

Referring to his two letters, Peter writes that they were written to stir up the disciples’ pure minds by way of reminder. 2 Pet. 3:1. He had these noble thoughts about them that they had pure minds. And in the third epistle of the apostle John we see how sincerely glad he was when he heard that his children walked in truth. V. 4. These were noble men with noble thoughts, with a noble and unselfish joy. This is precisely what we read in Isaiah 32:8: “But the noble man has noble thoughts, and by noble thoughts he stands.” This teaches us that we are not truly noble if we do not stand by what is noble. This also applies in the day of adversity, in situations when hu­man reasoning and feelings refuse to go along.

Praise be to God who has put this desire in us to be noble through and through! The way to it has been revealed. This is also a noble thought that “he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” 1 Pet. 4:1. Yes indeed, this is truly a noble thought. And we are also exhorted to arm ourselves with this thought!