When I was a student pastor I wanted my students to read The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink. Fearing that the somewhat archaic language would be a hinderence to them, I contacted the publisher to see if I could revise it. The reply was, "It's public domain." Seeing that I'm no longer a student pastor, I put that project on hold. But I was able to finish at least three chapters. Here is the first.
THE SOLITARINESS OF GOD
Originally written by A.W. Pink (Revised for students)
This title does not sufficiently explain with clarity the theme of this article. This is partially due to the fact that few people today are used to thinking on God’s perfect attributes. And even fewer of those who occasionally read the Bible are aware of God’s Divine character and how it inspires awe and worship. Many assume that God’s attributes of great wisdom, wonderful power and mercy are common knowledge. But to adequately understand God’s being, His nature and His attributes as revealed in Scripture is something which very few people in these wicked times have achieved. God is solitary [alone] in His excellency. "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" -- Exodus 15:11 (ESV).
"In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1). There was a time when God, even though He existed as three Divine Persons, yet One, dwelt all alone. "In the beginning, God." There was no heaven where His glory is now seen. There was no earth to which He paid attention. There were no angels to sing His praises. There was no universe to be held together by the word of His power. There was nothing; no one, but God. It was like this, not for a day, a year, or an age, but "from everlasting." During a past eternity, God was alone; free from the influence of anything else, self-sufficient, self-satisfied. Were angels, humans or the universe a “need” of God in any way, they would have also existed from all eternity. The creating of them when He did, added nothing to God in His essence or being. He does not change (Malachi 3:6). Therefore His essential glory can be neither increased nor decreased.
God was not forced or obligated to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part. He was not influenced by anything or anyone to do so. He created simply by His own good pleasure as Scripture says. He "works all things according to the counsel of his will” -- Ephesians 1:11 (ESV). He created simply to display His glory. Perhaps you think that we have gone beyond what Scripture teaches. If so, then our request will be that we go to the Scripture itself—the Law and Testimony. "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." -- Nehemiah 9:5 (ESV). God does not gain anything even from our worship. He was in no need of the glory that comes from His redeemed people praising His grace. He is glorious enough in Himself without that. What was it moved Him to determine in advance who His chosen people would be so that they would praise Him for His grace? Ephesians 1:5 tells us, “according to the counsel of his will.”
We are well aware that the idea which we are presenting is new and strange to almost all of our readers. For that reason it is best to move slowly. Let us go again to the Scriptures to make our case. At the end of Romans 11, where the apostle Paul finishes his long argument that we are saved by God’s sovereign grace alone, he asks, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” – Romans 11:34-35 (ESV). The power of this truth is this: the Almighty is under no obligation to the creature. God gains nothing from us. “If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” – Job 35:7-8 (ESV). Neither your wickedness nor good works affect God, who is all blessed in Himself. When you have done all those things which are commanded of you by God say this, “We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10)—meaning that our obedience has gained God nothing.
We’ll go further with this idea. Our Lord Jesus Christ added nothing to God’s being or glory even by what He did or suffered. It is wonderfully true that Christ displayed the glory of God to us, but that added nothing to God. Jesus definitely said so, and there is no arguing from His words: "My goodness extendeth not to Thee" (Psalm 16:2). This entire Psalm is a Psalm of Christ. Christ’s goodness or righteousness came to His saints on the earth (Psalm 16:3), but God was high above and beyond it all. God alone is the "Blessed One" (Mark 14:61).
It is perfectly true that God is both honored and dishonored by men. But that fact does not change His being. It only dishonors or misrepresents His character. It is equally true that God has been "glorified" by creation, by His providing for His creation and by His redeeming of creation. This we do not and dare not dispute for a moment. All of this has to do with Him displaying His glory and the recognition of it by us. Yet if it pleased God He might have continued alone for all eternity, without making known His glory to His creatures. Whether He should do so or not do so was determined solely by His own will. He was perfectly blessed in Himself before the first creature was spoken into being. In relation to God, how might we describe all that God’s hands created? Let Scripture give another answer: "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” – Isaiah 40:15-18 (ESV). That is the God of Scripture. He is still "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) to the masses who are not mindful of Him. "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” -- Isaiah 40:22-23 (ESV). How greatly different is the God of Scripture from the god that the average pastor preaches from the pulpit!
The testimony of the New Testament is no different from that of the Old. How could it be, seeing that both have only one Author who is the same? In the New Testament we read, "who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” -- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV). This God is to be revered, worshipped, adored. He is solitary [alone] in His majesty, unique in His excellency. He has no peers in His perfect qualities. He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is made richer by none.
This sort of God cannot be found out by searching for Him. He can only be known by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God as the Spirit reveals Him to our hearts. It is true that creation is proof of a Creator. Therefore men are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20) and have no reason for not knowing God. Yet we still say with Job, "Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” – Job 26:14 (ESV). We believe that the so-called argument of Intelligent Design by well-meaning defenders of Christian doctrine has done much more harm than good. The argument has brought down the great God to the level of limited understanding. Consequently, God’s solitary excellence is lost in the argument.
An analogy has been made about a savage finding a watch on the beach. From close examination of it he rightly guesses that there must have been a watchmaker. So far, so good. But problems arise if you attempt to take this analogy further. Suppose that savage sits down on the sand and attempt to create an idea of what this watchmaker is really like. He imagines what this watchmaker likes. He imagines his manners, his personality, his skills and his moral character. Is it really possible that he could ever rightly think or reason out the qualities of this watchmaker so that he could fully say, “I am acquainted with him"? It seems shallow to ask such questions. But isn’t the eternal and infinite God much greater than the watchmaker and thus beyond the grasp of the human mind? Indeed, He is! The God of Scripture can only be known by those to whom He makes Himself known.
God is not known by the intellect either. "God is Spirit" (John 4:24), and therefore can only be known spiritually. But fallen and unregenerate man is not spiritual; he is fleshly or worldly. He is dead to all spiritual things. Unless he is born again and supernaturally brought from death unto life, miraculously taken from darkness into light, he cannot even see the things of God (John 3:3) much less understand them (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit has to shine in our hearts (not intellects) in order to give us "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). And even that spiritual knowledge is but broken into many pieces. The regenerated and saved soul has to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3.18).
The goal of the Christians life, as His prayers, ought to be to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." -- Colossians 1:10 (ESV).
Originally written by A.W. Pink (Revised for students)
This title does not sufficiently explain with clarity the theme of this article. This is partially due to the fact that few people today are used to thinking on God’s perfect attributes. And even fewer of those who occasionally read the Bible are aware of God’s Divine character and how it inspires awe and worship. Many assume that God’s attributes of great wisdom, wonderful power and mercy are common knowledge. But to adequately understand God’s being, His nature and His attributes as revealed in Scripture is something which very few people in these wicked times have achieved. God is solitary [alone] in His excellency. "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" -- Exodus 15:11 (ESV).
"In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1). There was a time when God, even though He existed as three Divine Persons, yet One, dwelt all alone. "In the beginning, God." There was no heaven where His glory is now seen. There was no earth to which He paid attention. There were no angels to sing His praises. There was no universe to be held together by the word of His power. There was nothing; no one, but God. It was like this, not for a day, a year, or an age, but "from everlasting." During a past eternity, God was alone; free from the influence of anything else, self-sufficient, self-satisfied. Were angels, humans or the universe a “need” of God in any way, they would have also existed from all eternity. The creating of them when He did, added nothing to God in His essence or being. He does not change (Malachi 3:6). Therefore His essential glory can be neither increased nor decreased.
God was not forced or obligated to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part. He was not influenced by anything or anyone to do so. He created simply by His own good pleasure as Scripture says. He "works all things according to the counsel of his will” -- Ephesians 1:11 (ESV). He created simply to display His glory. Perhaps you think that we have gone beyond what Scripture teaches. If so, then our request will be that we go to the Scripture itself—the Law and Testimony. "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." -- Nehemiah 9:5 (ESV). God does not gain anything even from our worship. He was in no need of the glory that comes from His redeemed people praising His grace. He is glorious enough in Himself without that. What was it moved Him to determine in advance who His chosen people would be so that they would praise Him for His grace? Ephesians 1:5 tells us, “according to the counsel of his will.”
We are well aware that the idea which we are presenting is new and strange to almost all of our readers. For that reason it is best to move slowly. Let us go again to the Scriptures to make our case. At the end of Romans 11, where the apostle Paul finishes his long argument that we are saved by God’s sovereign grace alone, he asks, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” – Romans 11:34-35 (ESV). The power of this truth is this: the Almighty is under no obligation to the creature. God gains nothing from us. “If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” – Job 35:7-8 (ESV). Neither your wickedness nor good works affect God, who is all blessed in Himself. When you have done all those things which are commanded of you by God say this, “We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10)—meaning that our obedience has gained God nothing.
We’ll go further with this idea. Our Lord Jesus Christ added nothing to God’s being or glory even by what He did or suffered. It is wonderfully true that Christ displayed the glory of God to us, but that added nothing to God. Jesus definitely said so, and there is no arguing from His words: "My goodness extendeth not to Thee" (Psalm 16:2). This entire Psalm is a Psalm of Christ. Christ’s goodness or righteousness came to His saints on the earth (Psalm 16:3), but God was high above and beyond it all. God alone is the "Blessed One" (Mark 14:61).
It is perfectly true that God is both honored and dishonored by men. But that fact does not change His being. It only dishonors or misrepresents His character. It is equally true that God has been "glorified" by creation, by His providing for His creation and by His redeeming of creation. This we do not and dare not dispute for a moment. All of this has to do with Him displaying His glory and the recognition of it by us. Yet if it pleased God He might have continued alone for all eternity, without making known His glory to His creatures. Whether He should do so or not do so was determined solely by His own will. He was perfectly blessed in Himself before the first creature was spoken into being. In relation to God, how might we describe all that God’s hands created? Let Scripture give another answer: "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” – Isaiah 40:15-18 (ESV). That is the God of Scripture. He is still "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) to the masses who are not mindful of Him. "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” -- Isaiah 40:22-23 (ESV). How greatly different is the God of Scripture from the god that the average pastor preaches from the pulpit!
The testimony of the New Testament is no different from that of the Old. How could it be, seeing that both have only one Author who is the same? In the New Testament we read, "who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” -- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV). This God is to be revered, worshipped, adored. He is solitary [alone] in His majesty, unique in His excellency. He has no peers in His perfect qualities. He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is made richer by none.
This sort of God cannot be found out by searching for Him. He can only be known by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God as the Spirit reveals Him to our hearts. It is true that creation is proof of a Creator. Therefore men are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20) and have no reason for not knowing God. Yet we still say with Job, "Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” – Job 26:14 (ESV). We believe that the so-called argument of Intelligent Design by well-meaning defenders of Christian doctrine has done much more harm than good. The argument has brought down the great God to the level of limited understanding. Consequently, God’s solitary excellence is lost in the argument.
An analogy has been made about a savage finding a watch on the beach. From close examination of it he rightly guesses that there must have been a watchmaker. So far, so good. But problems arise if you attempt to take this analogy further. Suppose that savage sits down on the sand and attempt to create an idea of what this watchmaker is really like. He imagines what this watchmaker likes. He imagines his manners, his personality, his skills and his moral character. Is it really possible that he could ever rightly think or reason out the qualities of this watchmaker so that he could fully say, “I am acquainted with him"? It seems shallow to ask such questions. But isn’t the eternal and infinite God much greater than the watchmaker and thus beyond the grasp of the human mind? Indeed, He is! The God of Scripture can only be known by those to whom He makes Himself known.
God is not known by the intellect either. "God is Spirit" (John 4:24), and therefore can only be known spiritually. But fallen and unregenerate man is not spiritual; he is fleshly or worldly. He is dead to all spiritual things. Unless he is born again and supernaturally brought from death unto life, miraculously taken from darkness into light, he cannot even see the things of God (John 3:3) much less understand them (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit has to shine in our hearts (not intellects) in order to give us "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). And even that spiritual knowledge is but broken into many pieces. The regenerated and saved soul has to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3.18).
The goal of the Christians life, as His prayers, ought to be to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." -- Colossians 1:10 (ESV).
No comments:
Post a Comment