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“ Summary, Part 5 (final) ” 5. BEHOLD GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE PEACE (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) [37:30]. God is infinitely secure and tranquil in His heart no matter what happens. He is never oblivious to events on earth; in fact, His peace is integral to ours, and our prayers convey His peace to us. The prayerless have angst because they don’t bring their concerns to the Lord. This peace, a. SHELTERS THE HEARTS OF GOD’S PEOPLE [40:20]. Cf. ISAIAH 26:3. Prayer keeps the Christian at peace even amid severe trials. He fears no evil in the shadow of death because the Lord is with him. Sometimes he is even a mystery to himself, at peace in times that shatter many. b. ATTENDS THE PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE [43:15]. The key is prayer with thanksgiving. God knows our groanings, but if we express them with thankfulness, He will grant us peace. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” CONCLUSION [44:25]. Human logic and reason cannot package God’s incomprehensibility, especially to claim that He is unknowable.
Ian Migala (5/26/2014)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 4 ” b. BEHOLD THE PROFITABILITY OF CHRIST’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE [29:40]. This love is not a wall to understanding, but a well of it. His love calls us to prayer, not speculation. True emptiness is to fill one’s soul with things other than this love, especially the trivialities of this life. 4. BEHOLD GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE POWER (EPHESIANS 3:20-21) [32:55]. Paul is referring to a very specific display of God’s power, which is the power of true religion. a. INCOMPREHENSIBLE POWER OPERATES IN THE CHRISTIAN HEART [34:20]. Christians are enabled to trust, obey, love, hope, endure, enjoy God, and sanctify by this power. This helps us conceptualize the truth that we cannot do more than God enables us to do. It also helps us understand why we don’t receive when we don’t ask. b. INCOMPREHENSIBLE POWER LEADS TO GOD’S GLORY IN HIS CHURCH [36:50]. God alone deserves our praise.
Ian Migala (5/26/2014)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 3 ” 2) APPLIES GOD’S UNSEARCHABLE UNDERSTANDING (vv. 28-31) [17:50] with the promise that they that wait on the Lord will receive strength. We must trust God in adversity; our way is not hidden from Him. Again, consider this as a Christian: in our darkest moments, God is there as much as always, and put us there for a reason. c. THE WITNESS OF ISAIAH 55:8, 9 [19:30]. God’s understanding is infinite. Isaiah employs three motivations for sinners to repent and believe (vv. 8-13): His unsearchable thoughts and ways (vv. 8-9), His efficacious word (vv. 10-11), and the promise of His blessings for His people (vv. 12-13). 3. BEHOLD CHRIST’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE (EPHESIANS 3:19) [23:30]. Paul emphasizes that Christ is not wholly other: His love is knowable and profitable. a. BEHOLD THE KNOWABILITY OF CHRIST’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE [25:00]. 1) NOTE WHO CAN KNOW IT [25:10]: all true Christians, not just their theologians and scholars. 2) NOTE HOW THEY CAN KNOW IT [26:00]: by the indwelling Spirit (cf. ROMANS 8:8-9, EPHESIANS 5:1-2, 25-27). Therefore, the doctrine of whole otherness comes from theologians who don’t know Christ.
Ian Migala (5/26/2014)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 2 ” 2) THE SOURCES OF GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE KNOWLEDGE (vv. 7-16) [7:05]. As God is omnipotent, no man can run from Him: a great encouragement to Christians, but a great terror to the wicked. There is literally no place that is God-forsaken. As our designer and maker, God knows us completely. By His decrees, he ordained everything we do, think, and say for His purpose. 3) THE SUMMONS ISSUED BY GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE KNOWLEDGE (vv. 17-24) [10:20]. It is threefold: a) TO TREASURE GOD’S KNOWLEDGE AND PRESENCE (vv. 17, 18) [10:25]. David does not regard God as wholly other. He doesn’t long for God’s knowledge and presence, he treasures it. b) TO DEPART FROM WICKED MEN (vv. 19-22) [11:35]. The wicked hate God, and we stand either with them or with Him; there is no neutrality. a) TO PRAYERFUL SELF-EXAMINATION (vv. 23, 24) [13:50]. As God knows everything about us, our prayerful self-examination can be extremely effectual. It is a matter of revelation, not speculation. b. THE WITNESS OF ISAIAH 40:28 [16:00]. Note how Isaiah, 1) INTRODUCES GOD’S UNSEARCHABLE UNDERSTANDING (v. 27) [16:30], with Israel’s assumption that God had been overlooking them. Actually, they had forgotten God.
Ian Migala (5/26/2014)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 1 ” [Pastor Nutter credits his former professor, Pastor Greg Nichols of Grace Immanuel Reformed Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the outline of this message, which can be found in Pastor Nichols’ book, *What does the Bible say about God?: The Biblical doctrine of God*.] Last week, we began to study, II. THE DISPLAY OF GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBILITY, specifically A. GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE NATURE, 1. GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE WRATH AND ANGER. This week, we examine four more facets of His incomprehensible nature, beginning with, 2. GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE KNOWLEDGE (PSALM 139:6, ISAIAH 40:28, 55:8, 9) [starting at 3:49 of the audio]. [As a reminder, Pr. Nutter established the important difference between the Biblical doctrine of incomprehensibility and the false neo-Orthodox doctrine of ‘Wholly Otherness’. It is important to have it in mind for this subject. –IM] a. THE WITNESS OF PSALM 139:6 [4:20]. David marvels at this knowledge. 1) THE SUBSTANCE OF GOD’S INCOMPREHENSIBLE KNOWLEDGE (vv. 1-5) [5:55]: everything there is to know about us.
