Knowing God : God Only Wise

Romans 16:25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

If i have the chance, i would like to slowly drink in one chapter of Knowing God per week. And to actually reflect about it. In a "packed-out" chapter , Packer explained God's wisdom and linked it to human suffering and challenges us that in such suffering, God is only pointing to one direction: transformation.

Here is the theological part just to clear the way: (page 101) ... "But God's wisdom cannot be frustrated in the way that Ahithophel's 'good counsel' (2 Sam 17) was , for it is allied to omnipotence. Power is as much God's essence as wisdom is. Omniscience governing omnipotence, infinite power ruled by infinite wisdom, is a basic biblical description of the divine character. ' His wisdom is profound, his power is vast' (Job 9:4). ' To God belong wisdom and power' (12:13). ' He is mighty in strength and wisdom (36:5 KJV). He has great power and mighty strength... and his understanding no one can fathom (isa 40:26, 28) 'Wisdom and power are his' Dan 2:20. The same conjunction appears in the New Testament: Now o him that is of power to establish you according to the gospel.. God only wise...' (Rom 16:25,27 KJV). {listen closely to this} Wisdom without power would be pathetic, a broken reed; power without wisdom would be merely frightening; but in God boundless wisdom and endless power are united, and this makes him utterly worthy of our fullest trust. "

JI Packer later went on to describe how God deal with His people, through the illustration of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph. God allowed suffering and difficulties to come to this people so that he can mould them. They never fall out of the plan that God promised them. In fact, despite their sin, pride and disobedience, God still choose them to carry out the promised plan. (here is where i would highlight Unconditional Election). God had to bring all of us to a humble point in order to bless us.

Here's a paragraph that speaks right through my heart : (pg 106)
"To make this doubly clear to Jacob, as they wrestled God lamed him(v25), putting his thigh out of joint to be a perpetual reminder in his flesh of his own spiritual weakness, and his need to lean always upon God, just as for th rest of his life he had to walk leaning on a stick. "

... pg 108... Perhaps he means to strengthen us in patience, good humour, compassion, humility, or meekness, by giving us some extra practice in exercising these graces under specially difficult positions. Perhaps he has new lessons in self-denial and self-distrust to teach us. Perhaps he wishes to break us of complacency, or unreality, or undetected forms of pride and conceit. Perhaps his purpose is simply to draw us closer to himself in conscious communion with him.... as all saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and Christian joy is greatest, when the cross is heaviest. Or perhaps God is preparing us for forms of service of which at present we have no inkling.

i find that in my study of Matthew, Jesus was prepared in the same way.. God did not allow him to launch his ministry straight away... John the Baptist has to come, Jesus had to be baptised, Jesus had to be tempted, John had to be arrested- all these things happen before Jesus start to recruit his first disciples- only then Jesus went out to start doing what he did.

Finally, some kind pastoral advice:

page 109 "But how are we to meet these baffling and trying situation if we cannot for the moment see God's purpose in them? First, by taking them as from God and asking ourselves what reactions to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us; second, by seeking God's face specifically about them."


Lesson i learnt:
1. God prepares his people.
2. God allowed suffering in this world, but the chief end is for the glory of God
3. God , in his wisdom, allowed this suffering.
4. When we talked about God as Wisdom, we are talking about the omnipotence and omniscience aspect of him. Only such a powerful God can engineer problems yet still plan and see the good out of a dire situation.
5. God has his timing... do you dare to trust.
6. To always seek God in times of darkness.
7. Only a wise God can allow suffering to happen yet still restore us in the process; while through that process draw us closer to his heart. this achieves the chief end of man: to enjoy God forever.

I will end with a hymn...


Based on I Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever", "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" reminds us of the awe and reverence that we need to have as we worship our God. Even as we cannot see the sun, we see merely the light reflected by the hot gases surrounding the sun, so God's glory is hid from our eyes. Even the angels cover their faces in God's presence (Isaiah 6:2) because they cannot look on God's full glory.

"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" draws from other Scriptural references as well. "The Ancient of Days" from stanza one is from Daniel 7:9. "Thy justice like mountains" from stanza two is from Psalm 36:6. Originally written with six stanzas, stanza four referenced II Corinthians 3:15-16. The original stanzas four and five were combined to make the contemporary fourth stanza.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart -
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.
All laud we would render; O help us to see
'Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee,
And so let thy glory, almighty, impart,
Through Christ in his story, thy Christ to the heart.
"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was first published in Hymns of Christ and Christian Life, (1876). The text was altered by the author and published in W. Garrett Horder's Congregational Hymns. (1884)