The Mind of God

Allen Bailey


"...The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."..Deu 29:29.

"... The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, Eph 1:18. "...how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!..."Rom 11:33.
"..Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number."..Job 9:10.

We many times hear the same person make very contradictory and conflicting statements concerning their ideas of the Mind of God, as to the extent that He has been pleased to reveal His Mind unto man. At times they will say that God has plainly revealed His Will to all mankind concerning salvation and that the provision of eternal life is available for all mankind; only they must exercise an "option" of receiving that Life founded upon their voluntary acceptance of it. But at other times (when pressed with the arguments of the Holy Apostles in the Scriptures to the contrary of their views) will conclude that the Mind of God towards mankind is for the most part, still not fully revealed to man, but man is still largely in a "mysterious limbo" upon this subject. I say that it cannot be both ways. God intended (willed) for His people to not only understand this subject, but to also greatly rejoice in it while still on this earth! This is mostly what the Church in this world is all about: this is the main principle that "saves" the Saints while in this world, and separates them from others through the thoughts and freedom of their minds;..No greater glory could ever be revealed in the soul than the knowledge of this great truth:- It transcends the very best imaginations of the fancies of mankind: "..The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,.. "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."...Jer 31:3...."For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"..."And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"..."Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God (because they trust in Him, and His great salvation) commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator"...1 Pet 4:17-19..." Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"..Phil 1:6.

God either intended (willed) for His people to know the truth, or He didn't. Jesus, the Son of God, has declared in no uncertain terms that His people shall know the truth, and that this truth shall make them free. In fact, it is only the Truth, that is, the truth of the glory of God in freely giving His grace to His people from out of His Own unbounded goodness to them in His eternal Mind through the Lord Jesus Christ that truly can set us free in our mind and conscience from this "bondage of corruption" of our sinful nature in Adam. What could be greater news to us than the impartation of this knowledge!

The Mind Of God to His people is contained in the Holy Scripture; both in the Old Testament and the New Testaments, where the Mind and Will of God is revealed to His people. Thus we speak of the revealed Will of God. All that we know, or can know in Time (I might add, in eternity also) is no more or less than that which God has purposed for us to know: A person once told me that he believed God's people would know everything, or have universal knowledge in the hereafter. Jesus said to the Sadducees that they whom are counted worthy to obtain to that world are as the angels in Heaven. I can't believe the angels have universal knowledge, because that would seem to make them equal to God Himself. God's purpose in His choice and salvation of His people was to be to "the praise of the glory of His grace" (Eph 1), and not to make them Gods. Man is already a god, or at least, he thinks he is. This idea is to me, more in line with the pride and aspiration of Satan, and not in the spirit of the humble children of God. He has said that He would not give His glory to another. It is beyond all amazement and wonder to me in my limited comprehension, that the Eternal God could stoop so low as to be concerned with the worms of this earth. "... It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;...Isa 40:22. .."This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will,.. and setteth up over it the basest of men..." Dan 4:17...What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?"..Job 7:17..."What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?...Psa 8:4..."LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!"..."For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak...But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?"...Heb 2:5-6..." By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent...Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him?.. but the thunder of his power who can understand?"...Job 26:13-14

Many think, and therefore emphasize that the Mind and Goodness of God towards mankind and His people is revealed mostly in the natural creation, and they will quote such scriptures as Psa 19:1 "the heavens declare the glory of God."and Psa 97:6 "The heavens declare His righteousness", and "I am fearfully and wonderfully made..("Psa 139), (being able to see only the natural and physical part of mankinds' characteristics.) I have read articles on the 139th psalm that could see no farther than the physical make-up of the human body - which is wonderful indeed, but cannot be compared to the things of the spirit that the psalmist was penetrating into. God cannot be truly worshipped in this manner and by this method by man; Although the natural heavens do declare the glory of God by their inherent nature, as the work of God, and considering that they are the sole work of His own sovereign Hand, and He has the inherent right in glory to be worshipped on this account. But the natural man is not able to truly worship God until he is quickened by the Spirit; because God must be worshipped in the Spirit - and not only in Spirit, but also in Truth, for God Himself is a Spirit..."God is a Spirit, and He seeks such to worship Him, as DO worship Him, in Spirit, and in truth..." These are the Words of the Son of God Himself. And again, .."It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profits nothing"... God has ordained that He be worshipped only through the intercession and unction of His own Spirit. Many have entertained the idea that God can be worshipped acceptably through various methods and channels independent of any certain means that God has ordained. (Thus, no doubt stems the multifarious religious inventions in every quarter of humanity throughout history.) Man is too blind, too ignorant, too depraved by nature to be able to worship God acceptably. This kind of thinking usually stems from the vain, human notion that God "is a respecter of persons"; that is, that God will accept anything from creatures, as long as they have good intentions, thus flattering themselves with their own fancied inherent, natural goodness in the sight of God. God's Own Spirit in us must sanctify, or make holy, or acceptable our offerings to God. God Himself is the only Real Source of any true righteousness or acceptance before Him within us. That is why we (profess to) ask and do all things in, by and through His Own name which is in The Person of The Lord Jesus Christ, the second Person in the Godhead. (Few people fail to understand what is meant by the apostle Peters' statement brought forth from his encounter and experience with Cornelius, the Italian Centurion when he declared "that I perceive of a truth, that God is no respecter of persons"...) Nearly all of the thought behind modern religion (and philosophy) is built on the premise that God will accept any kind of devotion from man. The ancient Pharisees in Christ's day built their religion upon this principle; They thought that their works were acceptable unto God because the offering of them was made acceptable in that they were presented with good intentions. God will not accept the works of men's hands, when they are presented as such.This was the fault of Cain; Why else then was his 'countenance so quickly fallen', and then through envy, rage, and jealousy, he murdered his only brother. God will not accept any worship that He Himself has not prescribed. "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men."Jesus said.... God did then not accept the offerings of Cain, but rejected Cain with his offerings, while He accepted Able and his offerings. (The reason God didn't accept Cain's offering, was because Cain himself was already rejected in God's Mind (God is The Sovereign, and can (has) done what He pleases with His creation. Ones person must be first accepted by God in Christ before He will accept our offerings.."wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved..." Eph 1:6 - The ensewing actions of Cain only further illustrate this fact) Although there was a type of Christ as the Ultimate Sacrifice to God for sin contained in Able's offering, (the firstling of his flock), and Cain's literal offerings were the produce of His hands, this only further illustrates the principle I attempting to convey. God did not accept the unauthorized offerings of .."Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace."..Lev 10:1-3. True worshippers of God have always required a "thus saith the Lord", for all other is vain presumption if not bare arrogance on the creature's part.

God did not sanction the arbitrary actions of Moses himself (The most obedient and meekest before God, of all men upon the face of the earth):

..."(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)"..Num 12:3 - when he transgressed God's Divine Authority at the waters of strife in Kadesh..."They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:".. Psa 106:32..."Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

..."And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must WE fetch you water out of this rock?.. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also..."

..."And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them..."This is the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them."...Num 20:8-13. God will always sanctify Himself, regardless of, and even through man's disobedience: Moses, being the representative of the righteous law of God, represents the Law in it's justice, striking or smiting the Lord Jesus, in order to save transgressors, whereupon it brought forth the essential water of Life that sustains the spiritual Israelite in his earthly journey, though they are yet by their fallen nature, quilty transgressors and rebels against the mercy of God in this waste-howling wilderness. And Moses himself comes up short, being found a sinful man."For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fufilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."..Rom 8:3-4 1 ..."And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. ..But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.".. "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted"...1 Cor 10:4-6.

I would like to emphasize again that God must be worshipped in Truth. This truth is not some kind of mysterious, all-encompassing human emotion of natural love and sympathy, but a LOGICAL understanding in the mind of the enlightened believer of the truths of God, as He has been pleased to reveal them in the spiritual understanding of His people through the medium of His Word..."I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye... Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee."...Psa 32:8-9.



"... O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!..."For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? "Rom 11:33-34.

Notice that the Apostle did not say: "Who hath known the mind of the Scripture, but "who hath known the mind of God". Martin Luther, in his book, The Bondage Of The Will, pointed this out. While God has not revealed to His people things that would not be necessary for them to know, but only the things that concern their salvation and grace in Him as He has been pleased to reveal Himself to them; Why else did He quicken them, call them, and sanctify them?.."Seeing therefore it remaineth that some MUST enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:"..Heb 4:6 ...But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but OF THEM that believe to the saving of the soul."...Heb 10:39..."But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation,.." Heb 6:9..."But what saith the answer of God unto him?.."I have RESERVED TO MYSELF seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal"..."Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace."...Rom 11:4-5

Christ uses the analogy of a wise or prudent person, when planning a project, who first sits down and counts up the cost (does an estimate) to see if he has the resources to finish it. This is commendable in the ordinary course of this world and daily affairs, but I believe our Lord was really illustrating a much higher principle: Christ, who came into the world to save His people from their sins, AND DID SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS, is declaring the all-sufficient Wisdom and Power of God in this act of His; Christ in eternity had counted up all the cost to Himself in this Great Sacrifice that was ordained in the Mind of God before the world began in that Covenant of Grace that was ordered in all things and sure.

To my mind, this is logical thinking. The Apostles used logical thinking (that the logic of the human mind should understand.) If this is true, then the lack of understanding of these great truths must lie somewhere else apart from the human intellect. When the Jews became incensed against Christ, it was not against Him as a man, or even because of any fault in Him as man (because He had none - they tried their best to find one), but because of His doctrine or teaching which was contrary to theirs. With the True Divine Wisdom from above comes understanding: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding"...Prov 4:7. Solomon, who inculcated these principles, often violated the same in practice, evidently through lack of understanding: Who said: "..and my wisdom remained with me"..Eccl 2:9.

The psalmist, when viewing the starry sky was struck with wonder at the majesty of God's creation, and declared:..."The heavens declare the glory of God,.."Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world"...Psa 19:1. But the Spirit has a far deeper meaning embedded in these words..."For that which is natural is first, afterwards, that which is spiritual"...
From a natural standpoint, peoples of all parts of this earth have always been able to view the glory of their Creator through the natural creation, for the "voice of them" is seen and heard in their natural faculties.. Yet the Apostle says:..."But I say, Have they not heard? (that is, natural Israel, or Israel after the flesh).. "Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world...But I say, Did not Israel know?..(that is, didn't natural Israel, themselves understand what there own prophets had declared and written concerning this glory that was to be revealed in the hearts of God's people).." First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you..." (this, of course refers to the gentile nations, who had the privilege by nature to view the natural heavens, and thereby glorify God, as well as the Jew).. "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me"...(This fully illustrates the fact that all of the external and natural means that is manifest in and around the nature of man, and in the natural world, cannot of itself raise the heart of man to a true recognition of the Deity so as to enable man to glorify Him, except he be first internally enlightened by the Spirit of God itself)..."But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people"...(This does not mean, as many teach, that God was making some kind of "offer" to them, and that they "lost out" because they would not accept of the terms, but merely. that the manifestatation of God's Power, as he revealed Himself before them, especially in the acts of nature, did not really have the effect to raise them to a true spiritual worship and glorification of Himself through these means - Neither was it God's Will to do so, but to further reinforce the fact that man, by his fallen nature is a depraved creature, without the intercession of Christ's Spirit within his heart.)..."But I say, Have they not heard?.. Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world"..."Rom 10:18-21 (Here, the apostle is again quoting the 19th Psalm, to show that the Scripture did not refer to the natural heavens, but to the principal that God's glory is shining all around the Jew and the Gentile, even in His works of Nature, but man cannot (through this medium alone) acceptably praise and worship God as He is worthy of and according to His Will, until His Own Spirit shine within their natural, darkened hearts.)..."For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ"..2 Cor 4:6. Then, the enlightened believer is enabled to worship God acceptably without, or independently of the works of the natural creation.."While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal"..2 Cor 4:18.)

..." Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:..

..."And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."..Phil 2:5-8

Christ has an inheritance in the Saints; that is, He has placed His inheritance in them: ".. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."...Rom 8:17.