EXPERIENCING THE GOSPEL
OF THE GRACE OF GOD

. . . I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight . . . And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Luke 10:21, 23-24)

The prophets and the kings had eyes which saw not and ears which heard not, although they believed themselves to be the true seekers of God. Paul would later say of them:

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness. (Rom. 2:17-19)

They saw themselves, however, not as God saw them. It is recorded that He said of them ". . . all day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people" (Rom. 10:21). They had ears to hear but they were not hearing. They were were hearing amiss and even obstinate in their faulty hearing.

They actively sought God, but somehow in their seeking they did not find Him. Paul said of them, ". . . Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for . . ." (Rom. 11:7). They misunderstood the uniqueness of preaching and hearing the gospel.

The question has been raised, "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection" (Job 11:7). Paul, in his Corinthian letter raised the same query, "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God . . ." (1 Cor. 1:20,21). Can man find God in his own searching?

One of the foundational truths of the gospel is that the wisdom of this world is not capable of "finding out God." Regardless of how hard the mind may seek, the wisdom of man cannot cross the great chasm into the mind of God. Paul recorded this statement of God to Moses, ". . . I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Rom. 9:15,16). The secret in finding God lies not in the determination and effort of man, but, rather, it rests in the mercy of God.

If man cannot find out God by his own seeking and searching, then any knowledge of God that is acquired by man has to come from God’s own revelation of Himself. If God had never chosen to reveal Himself, man could never come to know God or anything concerning Him. Paul wrote,

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:9-16)

For man to acquire any knowledge of God, God has to be the giver of that knowledge. In other words, man learns of God as he encounters God through the disclosure of God. God has revealed Himself in a self-opening out of His being. He reveals Himself in the everyday events of life as the people experience him.

This is the statement of John when he wrote, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). If it had not been for the coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate revelation of God, mankind could never have come to "know him that is true . . . the true God." Although man cannot find out God by his own searching, he can know God because God chose to reveal Himself by His Son Jesus Christ.

Again, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gave more of his insights into the uniqueness of the gospel. Speaking concerning the hidden wisdom of God (1 Cor. 2:7), Paul wrote, ". . . God hath revealed [it] unto us by His Spirit . . ." (1 Cor. 2:10). The word revealed literally means "a drawing back of the veil." That which had been concealed from man by a veil and could not be penetrated by man’s wisdom is now revealed or made known by the drawing back of the veil.

Man receives the revelation of God as he encounters or experiences Jesus Christ. All that man has or knows of God is a result of his experience with God. The belief in the existence of God and His gospel are the result of God reaching down to man through Jesus Christ.

Paul recorded another dynamic statement concerning the uniqueness of the gospel. He recorded a statement of Isaiah who was quoting God. God said, " . . . I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me" (Rom. 10:20). This mystery of the gospel lies at the very heart of understanding the unique Christian approach to God.

Although God stated He was found of them that sought Him not, Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7,8). These two seemingly contradictory statements (God is found by them that did not seek Him and Jesus’ admonition to seek and it shall be found) can be understood by recognizing that obviously there is a way to seek God that is not seeking Him.

Paul seems to go so far as to say that man’s effort to seek God by his own study, skills, or acts of wisdom may actually hinder the process of finding God. He wrote, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect" (1 Cor. 1:17). His own preaching was ". . . not with enticing words of man’s wisdom . . . that . . . faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4,5). Man trying to experience the gospel of God is actually hindered by his attempt to know God through his own skill, will, determination, or study of God.

Perhaps it would help to clear up a misunderstanding of the most often quoted verse concerning study in the Bible. In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul stated, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Many people understand this verse as a command or an admonition of Paul to Timothy to study the written Word of God. If the mind of man cannot comprehend the things of God, however, why would Paul encourage Timothy to attempt something that is impossible?

Any good English dictionary will give a clue to begin to understand correctly what Paul really said. All comprehensive English dictionaries give two shades of meaning for the word study. The first one is the more common understanding, "the use of the mind to gain knowledge or the act or process of learning about something." The second definition is "to apply the attention and mind to a subject." This second definition comes closer to the meaning of the original language that Paul spoke.

Paul is telling Timothy to apply his attention, his mind, to the subject of being a workman approved unto God. He is not telling him to study, to use the mind to gain knowledge of God. More specifically, Paul is telling Timothy not only to apply his attention but to make haste about it. For in the original language, the word translated study means "to use speed, i.e. to make effort, be prompt or earnest."

With the phrase to shew meaning "to stand beside," the understanding of study to shew begins to become clearer. Timothy is to "make haste to stand beside." The entire verse will further illustrate the meaning. The word approved in this context means "a workman who has been put to the test and, meeting the specifications, has won the approval of the one who has subjected him to the test." This approval comes only to the one who has been put to the test and who has successfully passed the test.

Two obvious things are necessary if approval is going to be given. First, there must be a test. If there is no test, there can be no approval. Secondly, the test must not only be experienced by the individual, but the test must be successfully completed. Thus, Paul is actually telling Timothy, "Make haste in presenting yourself to pass the test."

The test, the means of being approved of God, is simply the rightly handling (literal meaning of rightly dividing) the word of truth. In other words, rightly handling the word of truth will produce a workman who is approved by God. You will not be ashamed of yourself or of your work for you will have the approval of God because you have rightly handled the word of truth.

Needless to say, the right handling of the word of truth is important. Equally important the believer is urged on, to make haste in seeking this approval. Thus, the study of this statement of Paul to Timothy does not relate to the idea of the use of the mind to gain knowledge. Rather, it is an admonition to make haste in the rightly handling the word of truth, the gospel.

Amazingly, as it may seem, the path to finding God and to understand His ways can never be found in man's attempt to reach God. There is and always will be an insurmountable chasm between man, the creation, and God, the Creator. Obviously, creation can never approach the thinking level of the Creator. Man is in need of the gospel, the good message that Jesus Christ has come to man.

God in His mercy has chosen to cross the chasm between Himself and man by opening Himself to disclose that which He desires to reveal. Paul stated, ". . . eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man [the ways of God] . . . but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (1 Cor. 2:9,10). Paul added, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (1 Cor. 2:12). True knowledge can come to man only by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The knowledge of the ways of God comes not from man's effort to study God. Rather, man must be put in a position whereby the Holy Spirit can reveal the Word to him. By the circumstances of life, the outworking of God for man’s life, man is humbled to the point of realizing that he has no understanding and no capability to pull himself up to the life of God. Being in sackcloth and ashes, dying to his perceived ingenuity, man is now ready to receive the knowledge of God and His ways. When man comes to the end of himself, the Holy Spirit reveals the gospel of the Word of God.

It is this interplay of the Word of God and the Spirit of God that produces the gospel. Understanding of the ways of God comes only from God Himself through His Son and by His Spirit. It is the level of the knowledge of Jesus (the manifested Word of God) revealed by the Spirit of God that determines growth in the ways of God.

Increasing the opportunity to experience the gospel, to experience the abundant life of God occurs only by interaction with the Word of God, by interaction with Jesus. In other words, in Christian learning it is the experiencing of the Living Word that brings understanding to the person. Although the written word, the Bible, is totally trustworthy, it within itself does not have the capability to produce the Truth. It is truth and faithful to the ways of God but to know the Truth you must know Jesus. Obviously, many have interacted with the written word and never come to know truth. Or, as Paul stated, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7).

The written word is important (I believe it is without error as it was originally transmitted to man) but ultimately the Truth is not a collection of writings. Truth is a person, Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Paul added, "In whom [Christ] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). Experience Jesus and you experience the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Conversely, true wisdom and knowledge cannot be ascertained if Jesus is not experienced.

Interaction with Jesus is the pathway to the gospel. Reading the Word and meditation in the Word is the key to that interaction with Jesus. Reading the written word can be, but not necessarily so, a beginning interaction with the living Word. Understanding any person begins with listening to the person. In listening to (or reading of) a conversation with a person, or even a conversation between persons, you are beginning to interact with that person. Understanding the ways of Jesus begins by listening to Him.

Although we today were not there two thousands years ago when Jesus walked this earth, we do have recorded some of the things He said. What He said, I believe, has been passed on to us accurately. The sayings of Jesus are true. However, they are the sayings of Jesus and not Jesus Himself.

Reading the sayings of Jesus is wonderful, but it does not compare to hearing Jesus Himself. The good news is that we do have the opportunity to hear Jesus Himself because He is within us. He has been sent to us by the Father. Reading the written word, just like reading a letter from someone we know, is a means of interacting with the person of the written word. In reading what He said two thousands years ago, we open ourselves to ponder what He really meant, especially if we believe it is a "letter" written to us.

The Scriptures themselves imply that there is only one way to obtain the knowledge of God and His ways. You must experience Jesus. Moreover, experiencing Jesus is like experiencing anyone. You must continually ponder or interact with him. You must continually meditate in the Word of God.

Christian learning, understanding the gospel, occurs when the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus Christ. As you know more about Jesus, not facts about Him but know Him, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge increase with His revelation. Meditation with the Word, experiencing Jesus, is the pathway to the knowing of God and His ways.

History has recorded the power of meditation in the Word. God told Joshua, as he prepared to lead the nation of Israel in the conquest of Canaan, to mediate in the Word and He would give him success. God promised Joshua that meditation in His word and the resulting power coming from experiencing the Word would make his way prosperous and provide good success (Joshua 1:8).

The word meditate here means "to murmur, to murmur in pleasure." Joshua was to murmur constantly (day and night) the book of the law (the Word of God given to man). This engrafting of word of God into the heart of Joshua would result in his way being made prosperous and in his having good success. Although the success would not come by the act of meditation but rather by the revelation of the engrafted Word, Joshua received tremendous knowledge of the ways of God. As a result of his mediation in the Word, he experienced the successful conquering of the Promised Land.

The Psalmist also knew of the great benefits of meditation. He wrote that the man who meditates in the law of the Lord day and night will receive three great promises (Psalms 1). First, the man who meditates in the Word will bring forth fruit in his season. He will not only produce fruit, he will also live life to its fullest (his "leaf also shall not wither"). Finally, the unbelievable promise of "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" is given to those who meditate.

The believer who will slowly ponder the Word of God (talking and listening to Jesus) over and over in his mind will bring forth fruit, will experience life in the fullest, and whatsoever he does he will prosper. Again, it is not the meditation itself that produces the power. It is the experiencing of Jesus, the revelation of the Word of God, that is allowed to come forth into the believer's heart.

The power of Christian learning, the process of meditation in the Gospel, is seen in Psalms 119:

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. (Psalms 119)

Meditation (here meaning "reflection with deep devotion") in the Word by the revelation of the Word will make the believer wiser than this enemies, will cause him to have more understanding than his teachers, and will make him able to understand more that all the ancient wise men. Once more, the power is in the revelation of the Word of God and not in the meditation process itself.

Finally, Paul told Timothy that if he would "meditate upon these things [the things Paul wrote], give [himself] wholly to them" (1 Timothy 4:15), God would reveal His work in Timothy’s life. If Timothy would meditate (here meaning, "to care for, attend to carefully, revolve in the mind) in the Word, his ". . . profiting [would] appear to all." When the interaction of the Spirit and the Word changes a man, it is a change that is visible to all.

One of the basic presuppositions of Christianity is this unique learning process. Paul, perhaps the leading spokesman for Christianity, other than Jesus Christ, seemed to indicate this reality when he wrote to the Roman saints, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." (Rom. 12:2). After the believer has experienced the initial event of salvation (Rom. 12:1), there is a process of Christianity that involves what Paul called the "renewing of your mind."

The implication is that the believer must, or be in the process of experiencing, an entirely new way of thinking. True Christians simply do not think (both in the what and in the how) as the people of the world. The gospel is unique.

What tremendous promises of the good life the Word of God proclaims! If an atmosphere can be allowed to exist in which the Holy Spirit has liberty to reveal the Word of God, the individual can experience a remarkable understanding of the way of life. The gospel (experiencing the revelation of the Holy Spirit through interaction in the Word of God) is "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16).

Interaction with Jesus allows the Holy Spirit the freedom to produce the miracle of understanding the ways of the Creator. By allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus Christ, the believer can understand the ways of God and thereby experience the abundant life of God: a prosperous, successful, and fruit bearing life. The gospel proclaims that the Heavenly Father will send His Son, Jesus Christ, into your life and baptize you with His Holy Spirit. You can experience the life of God, the gospel of the grace of God.