Bible Thoughts April 2, 2000
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your
thoughts"(Isaiah 55:8-9).
God does not think like men. As a divine being, his thoughts and ways are far superior to what he endowed in human beings. When one begins to recognize the spiritual needs of the human part of man, a step has been taken to place oneself in subjection to the Lord's will. Until one understands this principle, which was taught by Isaiah many centuries ago, it would be impossible for him to be subject to the Lord's will.
It is not easy for people to humble themselves to another person, yea, even to a divine being. Surrendering one's mind takes humility, a trait that is not promoted by those who are worldly minded. For one to serve the Lord, there must be a change of attitude as well as actions.
When a person desires to be saved by becoming a Christian, the first action is to place oneself in subjection to the Lord's will. Until that willingness is evident, one cannot please the Creator of all mankind.
The willingness to do the will of the Lord will be manifest in a person obeying the commands of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament. As one becomes a Christian and remains faithful, his thinking(thoughts) will reflect the righteousness that characterizes a Christian. When one thinks right, it will lead one to do right!
No man has the power in himself to direct his own steps. In fact, an inspired man said, "O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man to direct his steps"(Jeremiah 10:23). All of the earthly wisdom possessed by man cannot lead him to eternal life. Man's journey to eternal life must be directed by Jehovah. The thoughts of men must be directed by God's thoughts; the ways of men must be directed by the ways of God.
All that one can know about the Lord and His way comes through divine revelation according to Jeremiah. However gifted, however intelligent, and however powerful, man is still man. The only hope for his future is by following the thoughts and ways of God as revealed in the Word of God. Yet, men have often ignored the Bible, polluted the words of truth, and attacked the credibility of what God has revealed. Still, these same ones must some day give an account for their neglect to follow the revealed words of truth.
A rejection of the thoughts and ways of God is not limited to the atheist and infidel. Religious people are guilty as well. When one does not search the scriptures(John 5:39) in order to find guidance in the thoughts and ways of God, such a one is without hope. Since every scripture that is "inspired of God" provides us with every spiritual need(II Timothy 3:16-17), the Lord has been mindful of us by revealing His will to mankind. To reject that by teaching or practicing what is not found in the scriptures constitutes rejection of the thoughts and ways of God. Such also needs to be noted by those who claim to be churches of Christ.
Simply believing in God is not enough. Learning and following the revealed word of God is the only hope for any human. "For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart"(Hebrews 4:12). Our thoughts and our actions, then, are to be guided by the revealed word of God. Anything less or anything more would not be making God's thoughts our thoughts and God's ways our ways. Isaiah said it well.
This principle applies not only to the alien, but also applies to Christians. This writer has been asked many times when someone died, "Was he baptized?" A legitimate inquiry because one must obey the gospel to be saved. Perhaps a better question would be, "Was he faithful to God?" Contrary to what some sectarians have accused Christians of believing, baptism alone does not save. When one becomes a disciple of Christ, it is the beginning of a life that is dedicated to the Lord. One's thoughts and one's ways please the Lord because of the faithfulness to the will of Christ. In the process of such a life, God's thoughts and God's ways become a part of the obedient life of a disciple of Jesus Christ.
The life of a Christian will be observed by others. When relatives, friends, neighbors, fellow workers, or any other person with whom one has contact observes the life of a disciple, the thoughts and ways of God become obvious to the observer. When the world's thoughts and ways invade a disciple's life, one's failure or hypocrisy becomes obvious to those with whom we come in contact.
Let us think the thoughts of Christ and let us follow the ways of Christ. Let us remember, always, that the name Christian that we wear contains the name of the one who died for us so long ago. Let nothing enter into our thoughts and activities that would in any wise bring dishonor to the Christ or to the church for which He died. Make His thoughts our thoughts; make His ways our ways.