God the Father
GOD IS INSPIRATIONAL AND LOVING
God the Father
GOD IS INSPIRATIONAL AND LOVING
God is inspirational and loving. It should not be surprising that after a lesson on how God has revealed Himself we should turn to consider how God has inspired His messengers. Inspiration is a special means of revelation. In this lesson we will speak of our God as “inspirational” in two related but distinct aspects, both having to do with His relationship with us.
The first thing we consider is His influence on us. First, God is inspirational because who He is and what He does has an exhilarating, enlivening, and exalting influence on all who yield to that influence. He is the one true and living God who has done and continues to do a great work. His greatness and power are seen in His creation and in the gift of life that animates us. We are aware of Him as Originator. In Him we see our beginning. We are aware of Him as our Director. He gives direction to life and makes history meaningful. We know Him as Preserver. Our life is sustained by His power. The present is significant because we live for Him. In Him we are certain that the future holds promise for us; He holds the whole world in His hands.
Our concepts of God as our Creator and Guide are part of our reality. They are encompassed in our reason for being. When we trust in God, life becomes more than mere existence. The routines of day-to-day activity are engulfed in the larger scope of life. The boredom of mundane tasks and superficial values is replaced by joyful appreciation for the beauty of God’s world and the pleasure of fellowship with God’s people. Life becomes an adventure. Zest for living becomes the norm.
Is this a Pollyanna-type picture, you say? Not at all. We are describing the influence of an inspirational God on those who submit to Him. We can know that the preceding analysis is not wishful thinking. We have access to records that show how inspirational His influence can be in the lives of His people.
Abram was given great assurance when he expressed concern about the future and his relationship with God. He was told, “‘Look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them . . . So shall your descendants be.’ Then he believed in the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:5-6). Abram was lifted up by the promise of posterity and by the knowledge that his faith in God was not misplaced.
Life was not easy for the Israelites during the days of Joshua. They had lost their great leader, Moses. The times were uncertain. The invasion of Canaan was impending. Bloody warfare against strong, entrenched peoples lay ahead. How was Joshua able to lead the people during such a stressful time? “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you’” (Joshua 3:7). Joshua received strong encouragement from his God. Even in difficult times it is possible to see obstacles as opportunities when we are convinced that God is leading the way.
Hannah was the wife of Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim. They had been married for years. Her husband loved her dearly. However, she was distraught because she had not given him a son. Childlessness was a devastating blow for women who lived in ancient Near Eastern countries during the second millennium B.C. – Barren married women felt a heavy burden. Hannah certainly did. Therefore, while in Shiloh at the tabernacle of God she prayed earnestly for a child. Her prayer was answered. In her great joy, she gave the name of the child that expressed her gratitude to God: His name was Samuel.
Then Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord, my mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I rejoice in Thy salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord, indeed, there is no one besides Thee, nor is there any rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:1-2).
We read of another woman, more than a thousand years later, who praised God in rapture because of news from Him. He was going to bless her with the conception of a child from the Holy Spirit. His name was to be Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21). What a change in her life! What a sense of purpose, mission, and privilege! Her gratitude and joy were expressed in song: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior . . . the Mighty one has done great things for me; and holy is His name” (Luke 1:46-49).
One of the greatest examples of how confident and positive one can be when living under God’s influence is Paul. His life as an apostle was filled with turmoil and stress. Paul suffered many hardships, traveled thousands of miles, and spent years in jail because of his loyalty to God. Was he confident? He said: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Was he positive? He said: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1). Was he contented? He said: “. . . I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). What about his evaluation of his life? He said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
These examples from the Bible could be multiplied. The truth illustrated would be the same. Through the ages, countless millions have found out what these early followers of God experienced. God is indeed the great Encourager. He lifts us up. He leads us on. He gives meaning and significance to life. He even calls us to eternal life. There is no question whatsoever that our God is inspirational.
We also find in the Scriptures we call the Bible, that God expresses His inspirational nature in a second way – in His inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, which is the bedrock foundation of their reliability. The Bible tells how Abraham, Joshua, Elijah, Mary, Stephen, and many others were able to live triumphant lives because they trusted in God and did His bidding. Of course, we could not know that these are “true stories” if we had no assurance that the Scriptures are true. We do have that assurance, however.
The vast field of Christian evidences, such as Bible archaeology and ancient writings contemporary with Bible times, has come a long way in establishing the validity of biblical history. Studying these sources can be beneficial in providing a high view of the Bible. We are thankful for the progress being made. While these evidences enhance our confidence in the Bible, they do so because they bolster our awareness of its historical accuracy. The Bible must be accurate if it is to be what it claims to be – God’s Word inspired. We read: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
As we look at the phrase “All scripture is inspired by God” in Greek being pase graphe theopneustos, ambiguity is caused by the various translations. This arises because the Greek word theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed,” has been translated by way of the Latin divinitus inspirata and become “God-inspired.” In the process, the “outbreathing of God” has been turned on its head to mean the “inbreathing of God.” Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 was stressing that the Scriptures are the result of God’s divine power and are profitable for us in the ways stated.
In fact, the grand theme of God’s creative power by way of His “outbreathing” is found elsewhere in the Bible. We saw this demonstrated as we studied God’s human creation. We see the exhilarating picture of His creation described in Psalms 33:6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” Thus we see the “outbreathing of God” as a way of describing the outpouring of His power to accomplish His purpose. This is the case whether His purpose is the giving of life, the creation of the universe, or the writing of His Word. Just as surely as the creation came by the “breath of God,” so also the Bible came by His “breath.” Both are the product of His power and work.
While we are thankful for Christian evidences that point to the historical accuracy of the Bible, our appreciation for and love of God’s Word is largely a matter of faith. When we turn to the Word of God, written, we find that this is where our faith is generated – not from archaeology or any other science (Romans 10:15-17). The power of God’s Word, written, is a faith-generating, faith-saving power. In the Bible we find a latent power greater than any we can experience elsewhere! We know of the power of raging storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, forest fires. In the Scriptures we find a Power so strong that it can transform and save a human life! This Source is more powerful than the destructive forces mentioned, the devastating power of sin, and even the death we all face from birth.
This power can set us free (John 8:32). The psalmist said: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The apostle John said of Jesus: “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In the Bible, written by inspired man, we meet the most inspirational Person we could ever know. He said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Our God is truly inspirational, in more ways than one.
Now, let us consider the highly exalted aspect of God’s love. In the lesson “Our God is Moral,” we learned that holiness is the supreme, or fundamental, attitude of God and we are called to be holy as He is holy. This attribute, like all of God’s attributes, is a characteristic of His divine nature. It cannot be conceived in its perfection apart from God. It is the ground of all of His manifestations to us. It is His nature to act morally because He is holy.
Another attribute of God is love. Like holiness, love is seen in its perfection only in God Himself. It is so much a part of God’s nature to be loving that we read: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We now see how God’s love is described in Scripture. Humans have trouble talking about God’s perfect love. We have difficulty talking about anything perfect. In fact, we are often a bit embarrassed by perfection. For all our talk about the perfect, we are painfully aware of our own imperfections. How often have we heard someone attacking the words, actions, or motives of another with the qualifying expression “I’m no saint, but . . .”
When it comes to the “virtues,” we all have our limitations. This has always been true. Virtue has been a topic of major concern throughout the course of history. The Greeks of the fourth century B.C. believed the four cardinal virtues to be wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice. During the Middle Ages of the Christian Era, the scholastics saw the four preceding virtues as “natural”; faith, hope, and love were considered “theological” virtues.
The Bible is much more inclusive in its overview of virtue. We can relate to the agonizing cry of David: “Create in me a clean heart, O God . . .” (Psalm 51:10). We may echo the words of Peter as “he fell down at the feet of Jesus, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” (Luke 5:8). Observe how closely virtue and love are related in the two major lists of the New Testament that stress Christian qualities: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Again, “. . . applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control; and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
Morality and love are to keep company, and we are to join that grand and noble company. This is the challenge for us as Christians.
Our general feeling of inadequacy comes from two directions: First, we live in a world that has, for the most part, lost the knowledge of what “love” means. Our language betrays us: “I love ice cream”; “I love to tell the story of unseen things above”; “I just love my automobile.” Second, because of our lack of understanding “love” in our relationships to objects and people, we are mystified by the love of God. The mystery is indeed great, at best; but when we have lost the meaning of love at the human level, how can we hope to understand love at God’s “level”?
There is a way to come to grips with this tantalizing question. Paul prayed, “. . . that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).
It involves three activities on our part: prayer, study and practice. Any search for God’s love that does not send us to our knees in prayer will end in failure. Humble and searching prayer is essential for a successful quest. However, prayer is not enough.
The study of God’s Word is necessary for us to come to a better understanding of God’s love. His Word was written for our instruction (Romans 15:4), and we must study it to be enlightened in God’s way (2 Timothy 3:15). In our lessons thus far we have already emphasized God’s moral excellence, omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. We have noted the infinite nature of all these qualities exists in God. Love is also infinite in God. God’s people have spoken of His love as eternal, everlasting (1 Kings 10:9; Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 8:35-39).
The eternal nature of God’s love raises a question. Whom did God love before He created humans? Before time, the capsule in which we find ourselves, there was eternity – and there was God (Isaiah 57:15). The question before us is relevant, and the answer is crucial. The question is relevant because, of necessity, it implies the Persons of the Godhead. Since the absolute love of God existed before creation, we conclude that this love was a free-flowing self-communication among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus touched on this as He prayed to the Father; saying, “Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). Then, independently of the universe, God has full communication with Himself, full devotion to Himself, full impartation of Himself.
This is the awesome love of God in the absolute sense. Perfect harmony, infinite peace, sublime self-willing, tranquil immutability, and sacred blessedness exist within the context of the Holy Trinity. This is God’s absolute love; the object of His love is within Himself.
