But God
by Ted Slater on 08/08/2008 at 9:33 AM
I find myself once again pausing at Ephesians 2:1-7, once again powerfully moved that the fearsome Creator of everything is "rich in mercy." And that this mercy, this "great love," this "grace in kindness" ... is expressed not in an abstract way, but is extended specifically to me. Me whose heart has enjoyed rejecting God by eagerly disobeying His clear and reasonable commands.
And so I find myself reflecting on truths I had written about on The Line a couple of years ago....
During yesterday's devotions I was reminded again how much I love the "But God" verses. Consider Ephesians 2:1-7, for example:
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience -- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved -- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
I had everything against me. I was not "sick," but "dead" in my sins. I was following the "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." I was a slave to "the passions of my flesh." I was by nature a "child of wrath."
I was in an unfathomable predicament.
Ah, but God....
I find that as I meditate on the gap between the severity of my helpless condition and the Lord's insurmountable grace toward me, and how He so mercifully and sovereignly chose to make me "alive together with Christ," my love and appreciation for Him deepens. Other "But God" passages include Romans 5:7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:25-29 and Galatians 3:18.
May your ever-widening grasp of this "But God Gap" serve to stir your affections and expand your love for the Lord.
1. Rachael said the following at 10:06 AM on Aug 8:
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Thank you for posting about this again. I really like the words "but God." My attention has been drawn to them through this blog and through my sister.
I need to reflect on salvation way more and contemplate and learn to live in its transforming power. I think most of my sins have been after becoming a Christian since I've been in the faith most of my life -- accepting Christ at age 3 (knowing a couple things I said in my young age, it is evident I didn't fully understand that salvation is by grace and who Jesus was, though, so I'm not sure that 'conversion' can completely count, but, from what I could comprehend I knew I wanted God [and heaven, probably]).
For me the distinction between the old self and new is blurry because both continuously live inside me and it doesn't seem that one is 'old'. But I know that even if I had some kind huge, amazing [from a human perspective] conversion story I would still struggle with sin now. Some sin can be quite punishing on the conscience, often remaining there on the back of my mind, and I think it would be a hassel to try to deal with the things, and I procrastinate from doing that. I hate that sin. Then there's other sin that my flesh loves and hasn't learned to completely hate. Sure in my mind I wish it wasn't there, but, my flesh overpowers the mind. I suppose a hate of that sin would come from being filled with the Word and thinking about how it goes against what God wants. But I should fight it through God's power even if the feelings of hate aren't here.
So I feel like I hate sin and love it.
Sin can be overwhelming. Ugh.
Often guilt plagues more than it should about certain "small" things and things that I didn't need to feel guilty about. This used to happen to me more often and in more multifacted ways.
One time when I was at a high school swim team practice I had an amazing thought transformation experience that I wrote about here, basically remembering that Jesus died in my place. I ended up writing about that thought transformation experience in a high school essay. I really think God worked in my heart just by causing me to remember salvation through the words "That's why Jesus died."
Yep. Jesus died so I don't have to. He took that punishment that I often struggle with carrying. Why do I often carry that punishment instead of let it go at the cross? I think often it's because I think things need to be dealt with. I just wish I didn't procrastinate so much because now I feel like there are so many things I should do. But God can provide the power to try to address the issues, and if 'resolution' in my mind doesn't take place, then hopefully He'll cause me to let the things go after I try.
2. Esther said the following at 10:08 AM on Aug 8:
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So utterly profound, indeed. Thank you for reminding me of this great truth on this Friday morning!!
3. Dr. Ransom said the following at 10:18 AM on Aug 8:
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Remember when, perhaps, your perceptions of the Bible seemed more vague and muddled?
Remember when, perhaps, the Bible seemed to be a collection of short stories, strung together loosely by different approaches by God but mostly the people He worked with, who were more or less the star of the story, with God as cameo-appearance supporting character?
Remember when, perhaps, Moral Lessons were the point of those Bible stories, like a legalistic litany from a Book of Virtues -- honesty, bravery, fidelity, trust, self-esteem, loving God, helping neighbors?
Remember when, perhaps ... perhaps one wonderful year, month, or even week or day(s) ... all that somehow began shifting ... and God, in all His glory, became the main Character of Scripture; His plan of redemption, suddenly more paramount; our own pathetic dead-in-sin nature somehow even more disgusting to us, and yet God and His plan of redemption all the more glorious because He resurrected us from that death, adopting us into His family and Kingdom as sons and heirs instead? Who ever would have known that re-realizing the depths of our own depravity would be so ... joyful sometimes?
And now we remember, perhaps, looking back on whatever we thought (or were we thinking?) before -- though likely we were truly redeemed then, it's as if spiritual growth has began increasing, because of nothing for which we can take credit at all.
But God indeed. Absolutely, for Christ-followers, it all starts with, continues with, and ends with Him.
Thanks for the great little dox-blog-ogy, Ted. :-D
4. 'Guerite ~ BoldLion said the following at 10:54 AM on Aug 8:
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Thank you for the reminder of that! My wonderful pastor loves to point that out too. He would explain it and get excited about "But God...".
Hungry to eat His Word!
'Guerite ~ BoldLion
5. Rachael said the following at 10:55 AM on Aug 8:
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Dr. Ransom - nice comment! Yeah, I think the themes of redemption throughout the Bible didn't really hit home to me in my youth.
And now I feel like I can recognize differences of mindsets -- one that seems to emphasis the responsibility of man, and one that seems truly recognize God's sovereignty. Indeed the latter view should not be about sitting back and doing nothing, but I feel like I've recognized a mindset difference. I look forward to growing more in my walk and knowledge of Him.
6. Thomas Terry said the following at 3:46 PM on Aug 8:
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Another fascinating "but God" quote is given when the Pharoah asks Joseph to interpret a dream for him. Joseph had been through so much suffering even to gain the king's ear and in this hour of greatest trial he did not boast of past interpretations or any personal ability. He was a man who understood the role he was to play, and the role God would play.
7. Kimberly Eddy said the following at 11:03 PM on Aug 8:
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Ted, this was again timely, as I observe and celebrate my 18th spiritual birthday (I got saved in Prague, Czech Republic on August 3rd, 1990, praise Him!)...and I think that the more I grow in Him, the more in awe I am of the Lord and of His mercies, and His compassion, and His holiness, and just the wonder of it all...of this God who is able to do "exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ask or even think" (Ephesians 3:20). It really just blows my mind to think of the miry clay He lifted me out of and how my life has changed (for the better) because of it...and well, you knew me in college and I knew you in college, and so we both probably know full well just what a shipwreck both of our lives could have been....BUT GOD...
8. Rachael said the following at 3:18 AM on Aug 10:
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Re: somewhat related to Dr. Ransom's comment, #3, paragraphs 2-4:
-->Is it a big thing if one person in a relationship is more of one of those mindsets, and the other is more of the other mindset, if the faith is important to the both of them, and they both want their views to be lined up with Scripture? Can they complement each other? I wonder if a lot of the difference in the mindset is the kind of teaching the person has been exposed to. And really, I guess, what is a mindset if it doesn't fully inform the practice? (Although I think it can be a starting point...)
9. Leah said the following at 12:11 AM on Aug 12:
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These things always remind me of how in control God is- a reminder that we've truly done nothing and that we'd be in hell- but God pulled us out.
10. Paul H said the following at 12:22 PM on Aug 12:
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Ted, Dr. Ransom, Rachael, and Leah:
It's true that human beings have turned against God, and that unless we repent and receive God's gracious offer of salvation, we will be eternally separated from Him. And it's true that our righteousness is as filthy rags. We can never be good enough to gain entrance into heaven on our own merits and it's disgusting to even try. We should humbly acknowledge that we're just not good enough, and that if God would let us into heaven on our own track record, we would soon turn heaven into hell.
Having said that, I'm thankful that I serve a loving, merciful God who doesn't create certain people just so He can send them to hell with no hope, but that ...
He sent His Son, "the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world." (John 1:9)
That He "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Ti 2:4)
That He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Pe 3:9)
And that He says "'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev 22:17)
.
11. BDB said the following at 6:33 PM on Aug 12:
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Rachael (#8) wrote:
>>and they both want their views to be lined up with Scripture? Can they complement each other? <<
Honestly, I think that as long as they both agree to line up with Scripture, they can complement each other no matter how different their previous experience or teaching. Taking conflicts to scripture is much, much, much better than the alternatives, such as taking Oprah's advice to be selfish and put yourself first...
12. Rachael said the following at 8:47 PM on Aug 13:
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Paul H -
Did anyone ever say God creates people just so He can send them to hell?
Yes I believe in predestination. And as in the verse you mentioned, yes, He desires all to be saved. Do I understand exactly how it works? Absolutely not. But who are we to talk back to the potter?
Long ago I took some notes on RC Sproul's "Chosen by God" series on tape. He talked about God not being obligated to save people. He said that it's a pitfall to think that God MUST be merciful, and that he OUGHT to be kind. He talked about how if that were the case, then it wouldn't be mercy. He mentioned that as soon as you think he owes us mercy, it's not mercy anymore.
I don't know about thinking about it exactly like that, but I do like the idea of thinking about mercy as a gift, and not something that we deserve. God doesn't owe us eternal life.
Here's part of my notes on what he said:
"One group gets mercy, and one group gets justice. Who gets injustice? Nobody gets injustice. Mercy is NONjustice. INjustice is nonjustice, but injustice and mercy are not the same thing. Mercy is perfectly good. Is there anything sinful about injustice? Yes, injustice is a violation of justice – it’s sin, it’s evil.
God gives justice to one group, and mercy to another group."
I don't know if this will help anyone think about the predestination issue. Of course I'll never "get" everything, but it's good to remember that mercy is something we don't deserve. God is just. We all justly deserve hell. However, he shows mercy to those who he has called.
You know, I think more than one's opinion about how one understands predestination is the overall mindset of the belief in the sovereignty of God, and even if people say they believe in it, is that belief truly reflected in their speech and seeming values? I don't think it always is.
I've talked to people about 'the mindset' kind of thing...one person described it to be like a grid, and opinions over particular issues are like a point on that grid.
I think it's interesting...I don't think this mindset is just useful for someone to know how to respond to the predestination issue. I think lots of things can stem out of the way one views God's sovereignty/greatness/holiness and the deep sinfulness and inability of man.
Just some thoughts...
13. Leah said the following at 11:15 PM on Aug 13:
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Paul H-
If you have an issue with something I said, then spit it out. Don't quote scripture at me, because I don't know what I said that you disagree with.
14. Leah said the following at 11:27 PM on Aug 13:
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Having read Rachel's comments, I see that Paul H has a problem with the predestination aspect of my comment, even though that is not the aim of my comment.
Paul, can mere humans resist God? If not, and if God truly has tried to offer salvation to everybody, why hasn't everybody taken him up on it?
Rachel's spot on. God is not picking people off and throwing them into hell. We are all heading to hell- that's justice- but some of us, he shows mercy on, and pulls us out. Why? I don't know. But thank Him that he did.
Some people like to paint salvation like this: we are drowning in a river, and Jesus comes in a boat, holding out his hand, and we just have to grab it.
A more realistic painting is this: we are drowned, dead in a river, Jesus comes along in a boat, pulls us out, gives us CPR and brings us back to life.
Because we were not dying; no, we were spiritually dead in our trangressions before Jesus saved us. How can a dead person choose to come back to life?
15. TINA said the following at 6:37 AM on Feb 12:
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What about when your but God is I tried they would not listen?What about when you seen God give so so many chances and they ignored you?What about when you see them at ground zero because they ignored all the windows of opportunity?They lay broken and you can not help them anymore?What do you do then?