Glorying in God

Today I'm Renewing Your Mind why God is altogether worthy of our praise. He is the originator of all things. He perpetuates all things. He terminates all things. He is the foundation of all things, the being of all things.

The purpose of all things.

He is Alpha and Omega and every letter in between everyone's the illusion through nursing school firmly believe that even wrote a book by that title. Simply stated, theology is the study of God you truly love God naturally want to know everything you can about studying theology equips us to defend the faith, but it also fuels our worship, the more we learn about God's word more were able to give him the praise he deserves teacher today is Dr. HB trials we are studying together the select benedictions and doxologies of Scripture to call us to praise God and to call us to walk in faith in his promises.

There is a great doxology in Romans chapter 11 verses 33 through 36.

In Romans, we see something of the structure pattern of Paul's letters in the New Testament there is doctrine that he teaches and then after he teaches doctrine. He exhorts to duty doctrine and duty. Indeed article together in the Christian life. Christianity is not to be religious activism, the Voigt theological understanding same time is not to be intellectual assent, devoid of personal devotion. Both are to go together.

The understanding of doctrine and the practice of duty and so many times Paul begins his letter by laying down the doctrinal foundation and on that foundation.

He calls the believers to live out the life of the teachings of our faith.

There is belief and behavior. A reminder that Christian duty Christian doctrine are to go together. We are to avoid an un-thinking, devotion, and we are to avoid an un-committed doctrine, the life of our faith in the teachings of our faith are to go together. We see this in Romans as chapters 1 through 11 laydown doctrine and then chapters 12 to 16 laydown duty but in that broad structure. We miss sometimes the magnitude of Romans 11 verses 33 through 36 which is a bridge between doctrine and duty.

Paul does not rush from the teaching of doctrine to show us how to walk in it before he shows us how to walk in it. He first dances over it are can't use, said it well that the study of God and his ways should turn our hearts to music. This is what we find here in Romans 11 verses 33 through 36. In these 11 chapters, Paul has climbed as high as he can up the mountain of Christian truth, and having scaled the mountain as high as he can. He bows and worship before God, who is in comprehensible this doxology, though totally God centered, God exalting God focused is a blessed assurance for us, that assurance is simply this, God knows what he's doing even when we don't understand even beyond our understanding. God knows what he's doing.

Consider the greatness of God as expressed in this doxology. First, Paul celebrates the wonder of God's greatness. He celebrates the wonder of God's greatness verse 33 says old the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgment and how inscrutable his ways. Verse 33 is feel with theologically important terms but I think maybe the greatest term of the verse is the opening term of the verse. All it is the cry the grown the side of an enraptured heart and mind. This is more than an intellectual pursuit here. Paul's heart is caught up in the greatness of God. He celebrates the wonder of God's greatness. Inasmuch as God, he will say here is too deep for us to understand him and too high for us to understand the one hand he says God is too deep for us to understand them old the depths of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God by the terms piled up there in this declaration of praise, but essentially here's what Paul says God is deep. The truth of God is deep. The truth of God is shallow enough that a little child can come and get a drink without the fear of drowning, but the truth of God are so deep that the greatest of scholars can dive in and never touch the bottom.

God is deep. There is a depth in the sea that gets dark and no one can dive into that is the place he says were God abides God is deep. His riches are deep. His riches are deep old the depth of his riches in chapter 2 verse four Paul ask or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.

Chapter 9 verses 22 through 24. Paul writes, what if God designed to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he is prepared beforehand for glory even assume he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles and then in chapter 10 verses 12 and 13, Paul says, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call upon him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And now, in this doxology, just as the riches of God at the head. Not only are the riches of God deeply says the wisdom of God is deep is maybe best to understand wisdom alongside of knowledge.

My pastor back home would say that wisdom teaches knowledge how to behave.

God is deep and wisdom. He knows what he's doing at all times. If I James one verse five says that we need wisdom we should just ask God for he will give it to us generously because he is rich and wisdom. His wisdom is deep in his knowledge is deep God is to deep, says Paul, for us to figure them out and then in the bottom part of verse 33. He shifts gears and says not only is God to deep for us to figure him out. But God is too high for us to figure them out.

God is transcendent. He is infinitely above us and beyond us. Isaiah 55 verses eight and nine, declares the God's thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts and ways as the heavens are higher than the earth.

Here in verse 33. He says how unsearchable are his judgment and how inscrutable his ways. Judgment is a judicial term speaks often of the condemnation and punishment of God, but here it is used more broadly for God's decrees.

God's decisions and he says when God renders judgments there unsearchable. They are beyond our understanding.

Isaiah 40 verse 28 says, have you not known, have you not heard that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. There is no searching of his understanding. There is no searching of his understanding his ways are on searchable. We don't. We cannot fully understand the punitive judgments of God and for that matter we cannot begin to understand the gracious judgments of God.

When God is punishing and when God is blessing. He is beyond us is judgments are unsearchable and his ways are inscrutable. Judgment speaks of his decisions ways here speaks of his activities, his path the role he takes a seat carries out his judgment. Psalm 77 verse 19 says that your way was through the sea in your path through the great waters, but your credit was unseen God walks the path of his judgment, but leaves no DNA evidence.

His ways are inscrutable beyond us finding out.

And so Paul after 11 chapters of rich theology sound doctrine gospel proclamation doesn't stick his chest out about how much he knows it bowels in humble adoration to the greatness of God, who is beyond figuring out he first celebrates the wonder of God's greatness and then secondly he business here to embrace the truth of God's greatness to embrace the truth of God's greatness. We speak of God's attributes to ways communicable attributes and communicable attributes.

There attributes of God that we can emulate particularly wisdom and knowledge, but there are perfections of God that are beyond us and these are declared in verses 34 and 35, who has known the mind of the Lord, who has been his counselor who is given a gift to him that he might be repaid to verses that make two declarations about the truth of God's greatness God does not need your advice and God does not need your assistance. God does not need your advice. Verse 34 who is known the mind of the Lord, who has been his counselor. You know the answer to this rhetorical question, absolutely no one, we are able to think God's thoughts after him because he is revealed himself to us in his word. Second Timothy 316 tells us that all Scripture is breathed out by God's spirit gives us understanding of his truth.

First Corinthians chapter 2 verse 12 we cannot know the mind of God's one.

We must be careful, just dealing with one another about criticizing motives words actions choices are fair game, but gotta be careful about criticizing motives because we don't know what's in another person's mind or heart, you know how I know because we don't know what is in our own mind and heart right Jeremiah 17 verse nine he says that the heart is deceitful and desperately sick cool who can understand it.

Each of us if we were honest enough saying and doing things that we can understand why we did. How can we know the mind of God. We cannot and we cannot be God's counselor cannot be God's counselor.

It is folly to try when you are tempted to.

I would advise you to go talk to Joe Joe in the mist of his suffering is a dissident who questions the moral government of God and man is a God show up and answer questions about his management of the world. He got halfway what he wanted. God showed up but God didn't show up with answers. God showed up with questions. Joe you want to know where was I let me ask you where were you when I created the heavens and the earth, and Job chapter 42 we just read verses two through six listen to Joe.

I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be sorted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge, therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know here and I will speak I will question you and you make it known to me. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.

Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Let me translate that for you. No man can be God's counselor.

God does not need your advice and God does not need your assistance in verse 35, who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid.

This is Job 41 verse 11 who has first given to me that I should repay him what ever is under the whole heaven is mine who can give God anything is already his, that's the first principle of Christian discipleship stated in four words, God owns it all. David the psalmist, the singer, the shepherd, the king apparently was an accountant as well and did an appraisal of God's assets and left on record God's assets is what he says the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof the world and everyone that dwells therein belongs to God.

No one can give a gift to God. He already owns everything first Chronicles chapter 29 God will not allow David to build him a house but he will permit David to raise the offering and his son Solomon will build the temple in the first Chronicles 29 there is his prayer of dedication and thanksgiving to God. After the people of given so generously in first Chronicles 29 verse 14. They would ask for my and/or my people, that we should give so generously to you for all things belong to you oh Lord, and only of your old have we given you. We gave a lot, but we didn't give anything everything we gave was already yours God does not need your advice. God does not need your assistance is a little parable Jesus tells in Luke 17, verse seven through 10 no master would say this server when he comes in from the field sit down to eat you first tell them you make me something to eat and then when I finish you eat and after that he won't give him thanks Luke 17 verse 10 Jesus asked his disciples, likewise you after you've done all that I have commanded you should say we are unprofitable service for we are only doing what was our duty. Luke 17 verse to assist even if we do everything he commands were still unprofitable service. How much more are we unprofitable as sinners who fall short of the glory of God pauses as we look down into the truth of God's word. We should look up to God and worship and celebrate the wonder of God's greatness embrace the truth of God's greatness and finally affirmed the scope of God's greatness for from him and threw him into him are all things to him be glory for ever a man sweat secular humanism can never help man discover the purpose of life because it cannot recognize this fundamental truth about life. It's not about you, what is it about verse 36 for from him and through him and to him are all things I don't think you got the magnitude of that the me help you understand the scope of God's greatness.

This is the history of the world in one sentence for from him and through him and to him are all things I don't have to know your story, but this is the testimony of your salvation in one sentence for from him and to him and through him are all things. This is the story of your life in one sentence from him and through him and to him are all things. God is the first cause and the effect of causing the final cause of all things is the source and sustainer and significance of all things.

He's the source and the force in the course of all things.

He is the originator of all things. He perpetuates all things. He terminates all things.

He is the foundation of all things, the being of all things. The purpose of all things. He is Alpha and Omega and every letter in between for from him and threw him into him are all things, but that is left to say to him be glory forever. To him be glory forever. Psalm 115 verse 1.unto our soul Lord not on to us but to your name. Give glory for your steadfast love and your faithfulness which is sitting with the Angels in Isaiah 6 and three holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. First Corinthians 10 verse 31. Therefore, whether we eat or drink or whatever we do she do it all to the glory of God. A man and a man.

We truly understand who God is, we can't help but praise him should praise God for all of his attributes. Everything that makes him who and what he is, including his wisdom, power, and holiness, as we've learned today from Dr. HB Charles Junior.

There is so much we can learn about God from the blessings and doxologies that we read in Scripture, including hell got protectionist answers our prayers sent holds us up during the challenging seasons in our lives. These lessons are featured in an eight part DVD teaching series by Dr. HB Charles Junior it's called blessings and praise benedictions and doxologies in Scripture would like to send it to you for your donation of any amount to look at your ministries you can make your request online@renewingyourmind.org or if you prefer you can call us. Our number is 800-435-4343 and in advance let me thank you for your generous donation to Wagoner ministries under the timidity of you are familiar with our monthly magazine table talk. If not, to every issue features daily devotionals and thought-provoking articles on theology, apologetics, church history or Christian living already and some of the themes that we covered this year include the state of theology, anxiety, and God's providence that you thought about subscribing to table talk or you've wanted to introduce her to a friend or family member.

Either way would be happy to start a free three month trial subscription for your you can find out more when you go to try table talk.com. Glad you could join us this week for Renewing Your Mind will proceed right back here next week as Dr. Strohl return study this part of the message of the New Testament is that the more we examine the person of Jesus, the more we probe the work of Christ, the larger and the deeper our understanding of Jesus of nationalist become will feature the series. Your Christ is too small, beginning Monday here on Renewing Your Mind. I hope you'll join us