The Thoughts And Way Of Christ

Q: What does the Bible say about God's thoughts and ways?

God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, reflecting His perfect nature and mercy towards humanity. The Bible emphasizes that God's thoughts and ways are qualitatively different from ours. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord declares, 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.' This signifies not only a difference in perspective but also a difference in moral and spiritual perfection. God's ways are marked by love and mercy, as seen in Jeremiah 29:11, where His thoughts towards us are of peace and not of evil. Unlike our continual evil thoughts, God's thoughts are constant and benevolent, directing towards our ultimate good. In understanding God's ways, Psalm 18:30 states, 'As for God, his way is perfect,' highlighting that everything God does is without error and full of purpose. His ways lead to deliverance and salvation, contrasting sharply with our natural inclinations towards destruction and sin. The gospel portrays how through Christ, God's perfect ways are imputed to us, offering believers a secure salvation that reflects His holiness and righteousness.

Q: How do we know God's ways are perfect?

Scripture attests to the perfection of God's ways, demonstrating His flawless nature in all actions. God's ways are described as perfect in Psalm 18:30, which states, 'As for God, his way is perfect.' This perfection is not merely an attribute but a manifestation of God's character. Everything He does aligns perfectly with His holiness, wisdom, and love. In the narrative of scripture, from creation to redemption, God's actions are shown to be purposeful and without error. Moreover, the life and work of Jesus Christ exemplify God’s perfection in action. He lived an impeccable life, achieved a flawless atonement through His sacrificial death, and triumphed in resurrection. The perfection of God's ways assures us that His plans and promises are steadfast, providing believers with immense comfort and security in the faith. Thus, we confidently trust in His perfect ways as they are revealed to us through scripture and the gospel.

Q: Why is understanding God's thoughts and ways important for Christians?

Understanding God's thoughts and ways fosters trust and reliance on His divine wisdom and purpose in our lives. For Christians, grasping the difference between our thoughts and ways and those of God is crucial. Isaiah 55:8-9 instructs us that God's ways are higher than our ways, reminding us that our limited understanding cannot comprehend the fullness of His divine plan. This realization encourages believers to submit to God's sovereignty, fully trusting in His wisdom even amidst life's uncertainties. Furthermore, recognizing that God's thoughts towards us are filled with mercy and love (as stated in Jeremiah 29:11) helps Christians to cultivate a deep sense of peace and hope. By aligning our lives to seek His ways, we are reminded of our need for God's guidance and grace. This understanding leads us to forsake our sinful inclinations and to actively pursue a relationship with Him, resulting in transformative growth in faith and obedience.

Let's turn to Isaiah 55, Isaiah chapter 55. Isaiah 55, we're gonna look at verses eight and nine this morning. Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55, verse eight. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. Whereas the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Now I want to consider who is speaking. Who is speaking here is of the utmost importance. Is this somebody that can speak on the ways and the thoughts of the Lord and our ways and thoughts? It says in verse 8, saith the Lord. Our Lord has the ultimate authority to speak about His ways and thoughts, obviously. He's God Almighty. But He also has the utmost authority to speak to us about who we are, about our ways, and about our thoughts. And I want to show you that in Scripture. Let's turn to Psalm 139 together. Psalm 139. Psalm 139. Let's begin in verse one. This is David speaking.

O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. They'll encompass my path and my lying down and aren't acquainted with all my ways." Now, we think that we know ourselves better than anybody, and in an earthly sense, very true. I'd say nobody knows you like you know you. But the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. David said, you have searched me and you've known me. You've known me since before I was. You knew me in election, before time began.

So our Lord has the ultimate authority. to speak about this, to speak about who we are. And we're going to consider our ways and thoughts, and then we're going to consider the thoughts and ways of the Lord. And I want to be brief in talking about our ways and thoughts, because that's not what the passage is about. The passage is about the ways and the thoughts of the Lord. So let's consider our thoughts. Now, our thoughts is what we think, our thoughts that are running through our head, but that also means our purpose. What is the driving factor behind what we do and what we think?

So let's turn to Genesis chapter 6. Genesis chapter 6. Genesis chapter 6 verse 5. Genesis 6 verse 5. This is the first time that man's thoughts are mentioned in scripture. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Not only are they evil, but they are evil continually. They are never improving. They are never building to anything greater than what they are. Evil when we were born, evil today, evil when we die. Doesn't matter how much we come to church, doesn't matter how much we read the Bible, they are evil continually.

It says in Psalm 94 verse 11, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity. That means they are worthless. They are evil and worthless in the sight of God. That's strong language, but it's the correct language. The Lord said both of those things, and we don't question it. It's true. Now that's our thoughts, now let's consider our ways. I'll read this to you, this is Romans 3 verse 13.

Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. Now our ways are our works, And it is also our direction. That word means our direction. Where are we headed? Now, we are a destructive people. This world is destructive. You can look all around and see the destruction that man puts on other men. But destruction and misery is where we are headed in our ways and our thoughts. They will lead us only to eternal destruction and eternal punishment.

Now, turn with me to Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel chapter 36. Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36, let's read verse 17 together. This is the Lord speaking. Ezekiel 36, verse 17. Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings. Their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. They defiled it by their own way.

What we want by nature, more than anything, is to go our own way. We want our own path. We want our own walk. And we want to bring that before the Lord. We want to take ownership. It does not matter how destructive it is. It doesn't matter how miserable, how evil continually. We want our own way. And that is the great fear, is to be left to go our own way, and to have that for our Lord, that when our Lord would look on us, that he would see our own way, our way. That is the great fear. And that's what he said about our ways and our thoughts. We could look at many more scriptures that say the same thing. Evil continually, worthless, destructive. This is strong language. This is language that you can't take another way, but it is the right language. It is what the Lord said.

Now let's turn back to our text, Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55. Let's read verse 7 together. Isaiah 55, 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God For he will abundantly pardon. Now forsake means to loosen or to cast away. He says forsake your way.

Now I would say this about our ways and our thoughts. We hold on to those things so tightly. And we hold on to the thoughts and the ways of other men, what other men think so tightly. Let those things go. They do nothing for us. They punish us. We will be found guilty before God in those things. Let those things go. And you say, what does that mean? It does not mean to stop sinning. You will not be able to do that if you try to. We have an old and evil nature that can do nothing but sin.

But how to do that is seen in verse six. It says in verse six, seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. Now to forsake our ways and thoughts is to look to his ways and thoughts. We are not just forsaking our ways and thoughts and then have nowhere to turn to. We're blessed to be able to look to our Lord's ways and thoughts and when he reveals himself to you, you will do that. When you see him high and lifted up, and you see something of his ways and his thoughts, and you look back on yourself, you will seek the Lord.

It will not be an option. You don't accept that to happen. It will happen. It will just happen. This is how the Lord saves his people. It says in verse 8, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. All those things we just read, the Lord doesn't struggle with any of that. That means, when he says, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, that means they are completely different. They are not just slightly different. They don't just not line up here and there. They are completely different. They are completely opposite. And the way that the Lord used to describe the difference in them is higher. He says in verse nine, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, an infinite amount of space, So are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

They are higher. Now, our Lord is high. He is so very, very high. He is high in every way that a God, that a man could be high. All of his attributes are infinitely high. It says in chapter 57, verse 15, for thus saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place." The high and lofty one is what he's called. He's called holy. He dwells in the high and holy place. I love that name for the Lord, the high and lofty one. He is so infinitely high. He is higher than man can comprehend. But we're speaking today about his thoughts and his ways. So how are God's ways and thoughts high? Let's start with God's thoughts. Let's turn to Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah 29, right after Isaiah. Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah 29. Let's look at verse 11. Jeremiah 29, 11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. Thoughts of peace and not of evil.

Do you see the stark difference, the wide difference, the infinite difference? What did it say about our thoughts? Evil continually. And what did it say about his? Peace. And what's so amazing is it's peace for the people that have the evil continually thoughts towards him and the sin towards him. That's God. That's God's mercy.

And it says, his thoughts are to give us an expected, and you know, everything is expected with God. Nothing is taking him off guard. Nothing is catching him by surprise. We get knocked down in this life by surprises, by things that we did not know were coming. And when that stuff happens, we are just catching up to find out what the Lord has always known is gonna happen and what he has always eternally purposed. That's the stark difference. That's the higher thought.

Let's turn to Psalm 40, Psalm chapter 40. Psalm 40. Let's look at verse five together. Psalm 40, verse five. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them. They are more than can be numbered.

Thoughts which are to usward, the Lord thinking on us. That's a whole message in and of itself, that the Lord would think on us. Now we think about our Lord so flippantly and so not as we ought, and not with the proper reverence, but the Lord thinks on us, and that is what is important. We're not bringing before the Lord our thoughts toward him. We're relying on his thought toward us and on his mercy and on his great towards us. It says there more than can be numbered.

That's why David could say you've searched me and you've known me, because he's always thought about us. He thought us before time began in election. He thinks about us today. He thinks about us in the future. And when we behold him in glory, he will still be thinking about his people. His thoughts are constant toward his people.

They are more than can be numbered. God is a thoughtful God. He's a thoughtful God. You've searched me and you've known me. Now let's consider God's ways. God's ways. Let's turn to Psalm 18. Psalm 18. Psalm 18. Psalm 18 verse 30, this is the only passage we're going to read on God's ways. As for God, his way is perfect, and the word of the Lord is tried. He is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Everything that God has ever done and ever will do is perfect. God was perfect in creation of this earth, in the creation of man, in the election of his people. He was perfect in all of that. There was no error in any of it. God was perfect in being born into this earth. What an amazing thing that God was born here and made a man. God was perfect in his works on this earth. It is so amazing to read this word and read what the Lord did while he was on this earth.

And it is so amazing to think of all the things that wasn't recorded in scripture that he did that were so great. He came and never sinned. We're evil continually, and he never sinned. He was perfect in his work on this earth. Our Lord was perfect in death, the only death to ever accomplish anything. Perfect in death, going to the cross for his people. He was perfect in resurrection, rising, to sit on the right hand of God, and as he sits today on the throne, ruling and reigning, he is perfect in all that he is doing, all that he is purposing, all of his thoughts, he is perfect.

Now, to sum up these two verses, if I had to sum them up, what I would say is that the Lord is other. He is other. And that's something that our pastor has been saying a lot over the last few years, and I've been so blessed by that, to just know that he's not like me, and that he's not struggling with these things I'm struggling with, and his faith isn't weak, and he's not constantly looking to himself. No, he is other. He is other. He is greater than I in every way that one could be.

And there are so many great examples of it, of the great otherness. And you could look in just Isaiah 55 and you can see three or four great examples of the Lord's great otherness. But I want to consider the great example, because there is one great example, and it is the same example if you want to know anything of our Lord, and you want to know who he is, and you want to see him, his person as bright as you can, and as clear as you can, you look to one place, and that is the cross. The cross, that is where our Lord is magnified greatest.

Now the ways and the thoughts of the cross, what was man's way and thought of the cross? What was our purpose in the cross? It was a work of hate. We had a purpose of hate and a thought of hate toward our Lord. They said, we will not have this man to rule over us.

He had never sinned. He had done great by man. He treated man so good in the Scripture. He preached to man. He saved man in the Scripture. And they said, we will not have this man to rule over us. It was murder on the cross. It was a work of murder. Pilate said, I find no fault with this man. He never did man wrong in his time on the earth, and yet they still put him to death.

And you think about what was the result of the cross? When the cross happened, what did man think? When they saw, when they said, we're not gonna have this man to rule over us, and they put him on the cross, and they see him there dead, and they put him in the tomb, what did they think? They thought, that's God defeated. The cross was God defeated. We said, he's not gonna rule over us, and he's not ruling over us, he's dead.

And then you think about what the Lord's ways and thoughts were at the cross and that's where you see the highway and you see the high thought our Lord had ways and thoughts of mercy at the cross for his people and love and there has never been love shown like shown at the cross that love.

I was listening to Gabe, this was a few months ago, and I can't even remember what he was talking about, but he just kept saying, this is bigger than me. Speaking of our Lord, this is bigger than me. And the love of God is bigger than me. It is love like, I can't comprehend that love. The love of the son to willingly go to the cross, the love of the father to send his only begotten son. That is love that is bigger than me, and that is love That's love with action behind it, that's our Lord's love.

There was such a purpose at the cross, we act so often with no purpose and yet our Lord had infinite purpose in what happened at the cross. And the result of the cross, man thought it was Christ defeated. The cross was Christ victorious for his people. First Corinthians 15 verse 57, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ victorious for his people. Christ victorious over the sins of his people. That victory was at great cost to him, but victory for us. Victory in the Lord accomplishing what he came to do as he always does.

You remember what Joseph said to his brothers after they'd sold him into slavery. And then all those years later, he becomes king and he revealed himself to his brothers. And what he told them about what they did when they sold him into slavery, he said, you thought it evil against me, but God meant it unto good. And at the cross, that's what it was.

It was the evil of man and the goodness of the Lord and the purpose of the Lord. And you saw what happened when those two things met. The Lord prevailed in that. And the evil did not take hold of the love that the Lord was showing. And the love was done, and the goodness was done. And the Lord prevailed.

And he always prevails over the sins of his people. Our sin will never defeat our Lord, because these sins have been already put away. Our sins are not going to be put away. They have already been put away. That's such a secure salvation. It's already happened. We're not relying on something in the future. We are relying on something that has already happened for us. God prevails over sin. And as a result of that, and as a result of that great victory and of the goodness prevailing, I want to keep reading Psalm 18. I think you're still on Psalm 18. Let's keep reading. Psalm 18, verse 30. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God, save the Lord, or who is a rock, save our God. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect.

That is what the cross did. The cross gave us the ways and the thoughts of the Lord as our own. It made it to where there is no difference. When God looks on us, he sees the ways and the thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ and that's the gospel. That's the gospel that the Lord would do that for the evil continually and the worthless and the destructive. That he would make our way perfect. and that he would give us the ways and the thoughts of Christ. And that is such a secure salvation and there is so much rest in knowing that our sins have been put away and that he has already made our way and our thoughts perfect. All right.

The Thoughts And Way Of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's thoughts and ways?

How do we know God's ways are perfect?

Why is understanding God's thoughts and ways important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

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The Thoughts And Way Of Christ

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's thoughts and ways?

How do we know God's ways are perfect?

Why is understanding God's thoughts and ways important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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