Who Can Know What the Lord is Thinking?

[Talmadge]

Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decesions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be His counselor? And who could ever give to Him so much that He would have to pay it back? For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intented for His glory. To Him be glory evermore. Amen  (Romans 11:33-36)

I have loved these verses for a long time-ever since I did a detailed study of the book of Romans as a young man. When you come upon this statement of praise in context, you realize Paul wrote this after three chapters of trying to explain God's plan for salvation of all people-how God picked the Jews to be His chosen people, how the Jews rebelled and God turned to the Gentiles, and how the Jews will once again share in God's mercy. Salted and peppered throughout are statements of Gos's predestination and man's responsibility that have baffled us ever since and eluded the theologians' attempts to explain. In fact, our attempts to grasp contradictory concepts like free will and predestination have driven Christians into warring camps and divided the church for centuries. It is precisely whay Paul blasts off into worship here, to show us that when our minds can't go any farther, we need to stop acting like we know everything-admit we don't know anything-and worship God.

"Oh what a wonderful God we have!" exclaims Paul,  and in essence goes on to say,He's way past my being able to explain everything. This is as far as my little mind can take me. Don't ask any more from it, because I've already taxed the poor thing too much already!

Some times you just have to throw up your hands and revel in the wisdom and glory of God. Sometimes you just have to humble yourself and admit ehat you don'y know-might never know.I'm not suggesting this is an excuse for being dumb. Nor does it condone poor scholarship. We need to study, and think, and research, and do the background work necessary to build our confidence in the word of God and what it saya to us. God gave to us a mind to use and not waste, but that mind can only go so far. Worship is what happens when the mind runs out of  reasons.

Is there something you don't understand, whether an intellectual question or a question about your life-what God is thinking? Go back to the verses at the top of this and read them in light of your questions, and worship. Sometimes that's all you can do.              

[Silver Surfer]

Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge!

How impossible it is for us to understand His decesions and His methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking?

Those who study the Bible with an honest heart and mind, 'can' know the will of God.

  ""My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children"(Hosea 4:6).

It is the lack of effort, that causes men to remain in ignorance, of what God needs people to understand.

Knowledge can only be gained by personal time, spent in the Bible.
Many people will be lost, wishing and hoping to be Christians.

[Talmadge]

Silver Surfer, I know I am just a plain man, but what is your point?


 

[The_8th_Person]

Silver Surfer you are arguing against the word of GOD! The Lord says it is; so it is. Every verse is great and should not be tossed out. God says his people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge you say its because lack of effort it is God who knows all not you. God (this time speaking through Paul) says it is impossible to know God's decisions and methods yet you say it is  again I say God knows all not you. Talmadge I thank you for the verses and I pray God rains blessings down on you for your words of truth.

[Silver Surfer]

Silver Surfer, I know I am just a plain man, but what is your point?


 

No man is plain in the eyes of God....otherwise Christ would not have paid such a terrible price for his redemption.
He was willing to give up being God...FOREVER....just to save you !

The present Christian world ignores the Bible verse:
"It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by [every word] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God", (Matthew 4:4).

The Old Testament is as neccessary for salvation, as the New Testament is !
It is all God's word, both Old and New.

Many people misunderstand what the Apostle Paul means in many of his writings, because of a lack of Old Testament information.....which will lead many to their own destruction as the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:15,16.......
"And account [that] the longsuffering of our Lord [is] salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;  
  3:16   As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction".  

[Jemidon2004]

WHoa whoa whoa. Christ didn't give up being God. To say this alludes that Christ was completely man and didn't have an ounce of God in him. IF I have to i'll re-post what I said on Jesus' deity that He was God and man at the same time. At who can know the mind of the Lord...as someone pointed out in earlier the verses in Romans...Who has known the mind of the Lord that he should instruct Him. No one completely knows everything about God...nor does anyone know all there is to know. To say this, supports that 1) Jesus is not God. 2)Jesus did not have the knowledge of God. 3) Man knows everything, thus putting man on the same plane as God. Which we all know is impossible. So be careful to make statements Silver, and make care that they are Truth founded in God's Word. See with that one statement you ourself cast doubt on 1)Illumination by the HOly Spirit about things of Scripture. 2) Revelation of certain truths in Scripture. Anyway...i hope this is a lesson, that when it comes to Scriptural truths, be careful to state that which is supported by Scripture. Let's not make the same error again shall we, silver! God Bless

In His Service
Joshua

[Silver Surfer]

WHoa whoa whoa. Christ didn't give up being God. To say this alludes that Christ was completely man and didn't have an ounce of God in him.

Jesus Christ was fully God.....and he was fully man.

However, Jesus 'never' used his God-power, while on this earth.
Jesus relied totally upon His Father...as an example for us to follow.as he said of himself: "Of mine own self I can do nothing".

Had Jesus used His own God-power to resist temptations from Satan, he would have not been our example (1 Peter 2:21,22), on how to live a sinless life.

[Jemidon2004]

Oh, but i disagree...Christ used his power to heal people did He not?. He also used His power in order to cleanse the woman who touched His garmet did He not? So yoiu can't say that Jesus didn't use any of His Power here on earth. He used it, but to point the way to the Father through Him. You are correct that He relied totally upon the Father, but you do have to take into account that God knew Jesus was capable of doing His will because Jesus was part of and is wholly God. So to say that He never used his power here on earth is somewhat in error. You are right, He was an example for us. and in the wilderness, the reason He was able to resist temptation is because He used the Sword of the Word of God to defend Him. and since He was and is the WORD, He knew it better than satan...when satan tempted Jesus, there was no way satan was going to win that bout. In his arrogance, satan went up against the WORD incarnate Himself...to me that seems quite arrogant and prideful if you ask me. That battle was won even before the beginning of Time! Imagine that. Christ knew that He'd go up against satan and win. I"m glad I have the winner (Christ) in my heart and my life. Anywho i'm off to other threads. God Bless!

In His Service,
Joshua