Theocentricity...
The most important thing about a man is what enters his mind when he thinks about God.
- A.W. Tozer
. . . and the most important thing to God . . . is God.
The God-Centeredness of God
God dazzles God! The God of the Bible is entirely enchanted with Himself. Conversely, it would be Self-deprecating sin if God did not follow this pattern (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 48:9-11).
Throughout the corridors of eternity God enjoys the radiance of His Glory (Hebrews 1:3). Man's greatest attempts to know God have been but drops of insight into the ocean of His vastness (Job 38; Isaiah 40, 55:8-9). God however is flawlessly aware of the panorama of His perfections, and more, He unceasingly basks in the pool of His magnificence!
Sinners too, once redeemed, are unleashed to revel in the Being of God (John 8:32-36). Upon conversion, Christ awakens affections for God that will not be satiated unless God is as central to the believer as He is to Himself (Isaiah 46:9-10). Thus, the God-centeredness of God becomes the blueprint for the believer's greatest joy. The Christian finds his thirst is both quenched and enlarged as he drinks from the "river of God's delights" (Psalm 36:8).
If the centrality of God in His own affections seems strange, or wrong, you are not alone, but you are in the minority. Yes, the majority of believer's in Christ have already rejoiced with God over His infatuation with Himself. Perhaps you may say this is not true of the majority of Christians you know, but remember those individuals are just a blip on the radar of the totality of the regenerate.
Look at the prisoners of Christ in both Testaments of Holy writ and inquire carefully about their descriptions of God's uppermost goal, and I trust you will see His Self-Centeredness continually rising to the surface.
"But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases"; "Whatever the Lord pleases, He does"
Psalm 115:3; 135:6
"For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another."
Isaiah 48:11
"I shall magnify Myself"; "I glorify Myself"; "I shall be jealous for My holy name."
Ezekiel 38:23; 39:13, 25
"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
Romans 11:33
"and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:11
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
I Timothy 1:17
"Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed and were created."
Revelation 4:11
- A.W. Tozer
. . . and the most important thing to God . . . is God.
The God-Centeredness of God
God dazzles God! The God of the Bible is entirely enchanted with Himself. Conversely, it would be Self-deprecating sin if God did not follow this pattern (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 48:9-11).
Throughout the corridors of eternity God enjoys the radiance of His Glory (Hebrews 1:3). Man's greatest attempts to know God have been but drops of insight into the ocean of His vastness (Job 38; Isaiah 40, 55:8-9). God however is flawlessly aware of the panorama of His perfections, and more, He unceasingly basks in the pool of His magnificence!
Sinners too, once redeemed, are unleashed to revel in the Being of God (John 8:32-36). Upon conversion, Christ awakens affections for God that will not be satiated unless God is as central to the believer as He is to Himself (Isaiah 46:9-10). Thus, the God-centeredness of God becomes the blueprint for the believer's greatest joy. The Christian finds his thirst is both quenched and enlarged as he drinks from the "river of God's delights" (Psalm 36:8).
If the centrality of God in His own affections seems strange, or wrong, you are not alone, but you are in the minority. Yes, the majority of believer's in Christ have already rejoiced with God over His infatuation with Himself. Perhaps you may say this is not true of the majority of Christians you know, but remember those individuals are just a blip on the radar of the totality of the regenerate.
Look at the prisoners of Christ in both Testaments of Holy writ and inquire carefully about their descriptions of God's uppermost goal, and I trust you will see His Self-Centeredness continually rising to the surface.
"But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases"; "Whatever the Lord pleases, He does"
Psalm 115:3; 135:6
"For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another."
Isaiah 48:11
"I shall magnify Myself"; "I glorify Myself"; "I shall be jealous for My holy name."
Ezekiel 38:23; 39:13, 25
"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."
Romans 11:33
"and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Philippians 2:11
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
I Timothy 1:17
"Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed and were created."
Revelation 4:11
1 comment:
When God graciously allowed me to understand "The God-centeredness of God",it helped me to embrace the doctrines of election and other fundamental truths of scripture. Without this understanding of the "arrogance of God" (I mean this in a positive connotation), I would be at a loss for words in my understanding of God, man, sin, and salvation. Thank you for this devotion and often neglected doctrine.
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