Living with Tozer's God

Tozer BlogPost # 9

Right Thinking About God...at Christmas

It's Christmas. Last time we talked about the sad event in Newtown, CT where 20 young children were senselessly murdered. We talked about this tragedy and tried to point out that there is a logical flow to the tragedies we are seeing. If you raise up a generation of young people to believe that God does not exist, then you will see what people act like when there is no fear of God restraining their actions. It's not pretty, it's really quite scary!

On a brighter note, the Christmas season offers a great opportunity to bring back before us the real truth....God never intended that we live without Him. Even knowing about all our sin and rebellion, the Scriptures remind us that 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...'. So, who is He? How should we then rightly think of Him?

Think of Him as .... 'a child' ... 'For unto us a child is born...' Is. 9:6

There is no more helpless, needy person than a child. They are totally dependent beings! Why would God send Him as a child? Why not send Him as a conquering king or at least a mighty prophet? He would be all those things, but in order to establish his true humanity it was essential that He 'share in flesh and blood'. But, He was not just any child.

Think of Him as...'born of a virgin'... '...a virgin will be with child and bear a son...' Is. 7:14

The miraculous birth would be undeniable. A 'virgin birth' is not possible. We know that. And, both a mother and a father are needed. The 'seed' must come from somewhere. But, if not Adam's 'seed' then whose?

Think of Him as... 'Immanuel' ... 'a virgin conceive, and bear a son and she will call His name Immanuel.' Is. 7:14b

The answer is in His name. 'Immanuel' means 'God is with us'. This 'act of God' was more than just a miracle, it was the start of a new race. This child had no 'sin nature', no built-in bias toward evil. He was true humanity, as God intended when He first created Adam. Only now, it was eternally joined to God. Later He would declare unequivocally, 'I and the Father are one'. This is an amazing truth! God and man joined forever.

As He grew 'in wisdom and favor with God and men', He increasingly revealed His manifold mission and purpose in coming. Why did He come?

Think of Him as... 'a Savior' ... 'the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'. Lk 2: 10-11

To the angel at least, the news of a Savior was 'good news of great joy'. The angels know that the 'wrath of God' is the only end for those who are not 'saved' by this Savior. So, someone has to pay the penalty for the sin and rebellion of mankind. The righteousness and justice of God demand it. The responsibility for sin is ours, totally and personally. Our only hope is a 'savior'. 

 

Think of Him as ...'Jesus' ... 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matt 1:20-21 NASU

Think of Him as...a 'Mediator... 'For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all'.1 Tim 2:5-6

This child 'born of a virgin' is 'of the Holy Spirit', He is 'Immanuel', 'God with us'. He is

able to save us from our sins because He is 'one of us', He took on 'flesh and blood'. He was the ransom, His death was the ransom price that had to be paid to free us from the bondage we were in, the condemnation we were under. It is important to note that this ransom was not paid unjustly, we were not imprisoned unfairly. We deserved all the wrath and condemnation we were under.

It's also important to note that His role as ransom was not some mystical, spiritual experience. It was an ugly, bloody and agonizing death. The Scriptures tell us 'He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross'. In His role as 'mediator', He stood between us and the wrath of God which would have eternally separated us from God.

Think of Him then as...the 'Good Shepherd'... " I am the good shepherd ; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11-12 NASU

The one great characteristic of the Good Shepherd is his faithfulness to protect the sheep at all costs...even at the cost of his own life. To truly appreciate the value of the shepherd we have to realize his faithfulness is to a bunch of dumb, helpless sheep. The value of His life is infinitely more valuable than their life...even than all of their lives added together. But, that's the point. This is who He is! This reveals the character of God. This is divine love. It makes no sense from our earthly, human perspective...but, it did make sense in heaven. And, it did make our salvation (and an unlimited atonement) possible.

Peter puts it all together when he writes, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:24-25 NASU

If, as Tozer says, the thoughts which come into our minds when we think about God will determine our eternal destiny, then it's equally important that the thoughts which come into our mind about the 'Savior, who is Christ the Lord' must be right as well. After all, "...when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy,..." Titus 3:4-5 NASU

It really is an amazing mystery. Well, did Wesley write:

'And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain,

For me who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou my God shouldst die for me.'