God Loves… Himself

“Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any other is more hateful to God than idolatry, for idolatry is at bottom a libel on His character. The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is-in itself a monstrous sin-and substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness. Always this God will conform to the image of the one who created it and will be base or pure, cruel or kind, according to the moral state of the mind from which it emerges.” (A.W. Tozer)

Tozer says that idolatry is one of the sins “which the human heart is prone” and John Calvin said that the human heart is an idol factory. Jesus Christ said that no man can serve two masters. Man is born in sin and opposed to living to the glory of God as a life of worship. All that man does is an offering to his chief love which is his real God or god. If man does not love God in what he does, then man is really offering what he does in worship of himself. Man cannot escape the inner pressure to have a primary or terminal love in all that he does. As seen in Romans 1:18-32 every sin that man does is an exchange of the truth of God for a lie. All that man does in seeking his own glory is really exchanging the glory of God for idols. In other words, finite and sinful man is constantly in full worship of himself and in doing so he is rejecting the real and true God. That is idolatry.

While many want to focus on the outward works of man and leave the heart untouched, the heart is really the seat of worship. The outward man is simply the offering of the inward man. The outward man is the activity that expresses the intents of the heart. If this is correct, then we must examine what worship in the church really means in light of idolatry. It is imagined by many that worship is singing words to God that are correct and have at least an element of praise in them. There is a bit of truth there. However, the heart is the true seat of worship. A person can be singing with energy and excitement a song with great words and have zero worship in the singing. The focus of the heart can be on the feelings generated and how wonderful the person feels. The person can also be mindful of his own singing and what others are thinking of him. The person’s mind can be far away dwelling on the things that he truly loves. That is idolatry.

The reason, I think, that idolatry is worse within Christendom than anywhere else is because it is choosing self and things for self over God with more knowledge of God. While the un-churched unbeliever rejects the truth of God as revealed in nature, those who attend church are exposed to a greater amount of revelation about God. Their idolatry, then, is worse since it is a rejection of more information about God. It would appear from the Old Testament that God hates it when true worship of the external kind is offered up and the heart is not fully His. In the New Testament we see the stringent outward morality and religiosity of the Pharisees and yet Jesus condemned them with the harshest words. Christians claim to bear the truth of God through Christ. When they choose ways and attitudes that do not honor Him, they are in idolatry.

Preaching is also idolatrous when it does not focus on God and His glory. It seems as if idolatry in the pulpit may be the worst kind of all. The preacher is to be proclaiming the truth about God and yet he would rather fill the pews by tickling the ears of the people. I heard R.C. Sproul say in a lecture one time that a woman came to him and with anger or frustration said that it appeared to her that her pastor was trying to hide the truth of the character of God from the people. Whether she was right or not is not the issue, but we can say with great sorrow that this does appear to be the case in many places. Why are preachers so afraid to stand up and declare with conviction that God is really God? One reason might be because they will lose their position as CEO and lose the honor and the salary. Paul said that he was innocent of the blood of all men because he had preached the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). That is an incredibly powerful statement. We could also say that not to preach the whole counsel of God is to be guilty of being ashamed of God and His Word. This would make preachers guilty of idolatry and of the blood of men. If a man is not going to preach the whole counsel of God, then he should simply get out of the pulpit so that he would stop his idolatry and be guilty of less blood. While these words may sound harsh, I believe that I am trying to declare the whole counsel of God on idolatry. Religious people are guiltier of idolatry than anyone. Preachers are even guiltier than them all because of leading others into idolatry by not declaring the truth about God. Perhaps we need fewer preachers rather than more if this is the case. Let us remember what God says about false prophets in Jeremiah. How wicked it is to be an idolater leading others in idolatry all the while smiling and proclaiming something that is wrong as the truth of God. That is idolatry. Another Reformation is needed.

“Among the sins to which the human heart is prone, hardly any other is more hateful to God than idolatry, for idolatry is at bottom a libel on His character. The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is-in itself a monstrous sin-and substitutes for the true God one made after its own likeness. Always this God will conform to the image of the one who created it and will be base or pure, cruel or kind, according to the moral state of the mind from which it emerges.” (A.W. Tozer)

The sin of idolatry is a libel on the character of God. No one really likes to be spoken of as worse than he is, so how much worse is it to libel God? Man is the image of God and is to shine forth the character and glory of God. With each sin man not only breaks the Law of God, man lies about God to humanity as well as those in the spiritual realm. Since with each sin man is lying about the character and glory of God, it is clear that man is really choosing things or people over God. With each act of idolatry man is also having another god before God and as such is also violating the first commandment which is a violation of the Greatest Commandment. Each time a man profanes the name of God, that man is also an idolater and has another god (himself). Each time a man breaks the Sabbath, that man violates the first three commandments. Each time a man dishonors his parents (not to mention the Father who is in heaven), he is an idolater and also a violator of the other commandments. The covetous person (10th Commandment) is a person that in his heart is given over to greed and idolatry. The covetous heart desires money, sex, power, and many other things. Within that covetous heart is a heart that does not love God but is fixed on other things as being good for self. In this sense, then, the idolatrous heart is in worship of self. The human heart is given over to idolatry to the degree that the heart loves things for self.

Clearly, then, we can see how idolatry is a libel on the character of God. Men do not usually go around committing idolatry on purpose, they simply create the god they want in their minds and pursue that. The truth of God is hidden beneath piles of notions from the secular or religious world and people go on in life without any real regard for the majesty of heaven. They live as if God really was just as they want Him to be. However, that too is idolatry. There is as much if not more idolatry within the walls of religious institutions as without. In fact, if I may be so bold and perhaps arrogant, there appears to be as much idolatry if not more within the walls of Christian (in name anyway) churches as anywhere else these days. If I am correct, idolatry within Christendom is worse than in the world. I base this on how God treated the Israelites and the Pharisees in the respective Testaments of Scripture. They had more revelation and yet they were still idolaters. They had more light and yet they still abused the holy name of God by their worship and lives.

If idolatry is simply assuming that God is something other than He is, then it is hard to believe that there are more than a few true Christian churches in America. Can it be the case that the majority (if not vast majority) of churches in the United States (even conservative ones) are really in the full practice of idolatry when they meet? If Tozer was correct about the state of the Church in 1961 and its low view of God, then how low of a view of God do we have now? How utterly bankrupt the Church is in our modern day of a truly high view of God. We are given over to glib songs and jokes during the so-called worship (singing). Preaching has degenerated into a mixture of jokes and stories. Even when some preach a text of the Bible it is almost as if God has been forgotten. Where is the true God exalted and declared with reverence and love? Where is God declared as sovereign over all? Where are the churches that desire to have the visitation of God more than human visitors with thick wallets?

In this user friendly day it is clear that idolatry is far more common than true worship. The teaching of sin and of the glory of God has been rejected in favor of ear tickling sermons so visitors will come back and hopefully tithe. Let us be honest, even brutally honest. That is nothing but idolatry and a vicious form of it. The desire to have numbers and visitors at the expense of God’s glory and truth is a hideous form of idolatry. Yet this is probably the most common form of church growth material and perhaps what is taught at the vast majority of conferences. God is not pleased with our man-centered methods to get people in the doors of a building. He is never pleased with idolatry. While we may not be able to read the signs over the doors, yet it is clear that many “churches” have “Ichabod” (the glory has departed) written over them. God will not dwell in idolatrous places and there is simply no other way to term what a place is that is so focused on bringing people in that it has forgotten the truth about God. Not only that, they are not afraid to offend Him in order not to offend human beings. That is idolatry.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A.W. Tozer). 2 Cor 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.””

As we continue on trying to show that the power of the Gospel is really in the display of the glory of God, we will look at a few more verses that shed light on the issue. “Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth” (Col 1:6-6). In this text we see that there is hope laid up in heaven and that the readers had heard of this in the Gospel. Then we see that it was the Gospel that came to men and it was the Gospel that bore fruit in them since the day they heard and understood the grace of God in truth. The Gospel, then, is presented in this text as the grace of God. The Gospel is also understood as that which has such power that since the day the people had heard and understood it the Gospel had been bearing fruit.

The connection between the power of the Gospel and the Gospel of the grace of God should not be missed. Can we miss the connection between the power of the Gospel that delivers from the power and dominion of the darkness of the evil one (Col 1:13) and that which bears fruit and increases since it is heard? It is a powerful Gospel that takes men from the grasp of darkness and bears fruit in the kingdom of the Beloved and the kingdom of light. It is by grace that the Gospel comes to men and gives them an inheritance. Is this grace a weak little grace? Oh no, grace is the grace of a God of omnipotent power. It is the grace of a God that is determined to defeat the kingdom of the evil one and will do it. “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (II Cor 12:9). This verse is just one that shows that grace and power are connected. The Gospel of grace is the Gospel of God that is the power of God for salvation.

“Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake” (I Thess 1:5). Again we see that Paul is concerned with more than just the word or the words only. When Paul went to preach he preached in power and with the Holy Spirit. Notice once again that power and the Holy Spirit go together. If preaching and teaching are to be done in power, the Spirit must be there and be working. It is the Spirit who opens the minds of men and gives them the true wisdom and by that overcomes their humanistic worldview and reasonings. It is the Spirit who alone can show men the glory of the Gospel and make it powerful to their souls. In some way this must be connected with God’s shining Himself in the hearts of men as the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. It is the Spirit who shows this glory and the beauty of it. That is powerful.

But is this related to high views of God? Men who have low views of God take it upon themselves to preach the Gospel in power. They try to convince men using their own wisdom. They try to have power by using rhetorical devices and theatrical displays. They may say that they believe the Gospel is the power of God for salvation, but their actions show that their true view of God has been hidden under the rubbish piles of religious notions. The true preaching of the Gospel demands a high view of God. A high view of God is when the preacher knows that God alone can open the eyes of a spiritually dead sinner. It knows that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation and that, in conjunction with I Cor 1:18-2:14; Colossians 1:13; 2:5-6 and II Cor 2:4,6 means that the glory of God must be declared through Christ. So this preacher focuses on setting out the character of God and its beauty in Christ knowing that in that the power of the Gospel resides. It is that message that the Holy Spirit will use to show how foolishness the wisdom of man really is. It is that message that shows that a man has a high view of God and His glory because He believes, loves, and trusts it and not himself. A low view of God destroys the Gospel.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (Tozer). 2 Cor 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.””

We are continuing to look at how the Gospel of the glory of God is indeed the reason that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Last time we looked at how I Corinthians 1:18-24 sets out how the Gospel is a Gospel of power. It is also about the glory of God’s wisdom and power in making men’s wisdom and power look foolish and weak. But how did Paul preach with power? “My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (I Cor 2:4). When Paul preached, he did not do so as a mere recitation of facts with man’s wisdom that lead to knowledge and pride (I Cor 8:1). Paul preached with power and in demonstration of the Spirit. How does the Spirit work? The Spirit pours out the love of God in the hearts of men (Rom 5:5), works all of His fruits which are the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22ff), and enables men to share in the life of God. But it is also the Spirit who alone enables men to understand the things of God. Let us look at that.

“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory” (I Cor 2:6-7). The work of the Spirit (in context with the power of v. 4 & the power of the cross in 1:18) is in speaking God’s wisdom. This wisdom actually leads to our glory or to our obtaining an understanding and possession of that glory. This is seen in the following verse: “8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” The power with which Paul preached was wisdom and power that came from preaching the glory of God by the Spirit. There is a wisdom that people did not have and so they crucified the Lord of glory. In other words, they did not see His glory with their wisdom. But the power of the Gospel that Paul preached is that it is the wisdom and power of that same glory. The glory of God is the power of the Gospel and that is why it is the Gospel of the glory of God.

“But just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God” (I Cor 2:9-11). It is the Spirit of God who opens the truths of God and His Word to man. God reveals these things by the Spirit and only the Spirit can reveal the thoughts of God because no one knows them but the Spirit of God. What are those things that the Spirit reveals and that with power? Remember we are in the context of the Gospel and the cross as the power of God.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (I Cor 2:12-14). What we see here is that the Spirit teaches certain men things that are not taught by and in human wisdom. These are things that are spiritual. The natural man does not accept them and cannot understand them because they are spiritual things. But again, if we go back in the context, we see that it is the power of the cross and of the Gospel that is being discussed. The Gospel is of the glory of God because it is all about the righteousness and wisdom of God. The Gospel is powerful because the Spirit opens the things of God to the mind and soul and shows that the wisdom and glory of God are far better than anything man has to offer. In that God overcomes the dominion of darkness by shining Himself and His glory in the hearts of men. A low view of God destroys the Gospel.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4: “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.””

We are now looking at the power of the Gospel and its link to the glory of God and low views of God. There is a power to the Gospel that cannot be explained by a mere recitation of historical facts. Paul says that the Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” But faith is also that which sees the glory of God. It is by faith that we behold the glory of God. So we must link the power of God to faith and we must link the glory of God to faith. If faith is the eye of the soul or the spiritual man (Hebrews 11), then we can understand how faith and glory are linked. We can also see how the Church must have a high view of God and it must preach Him and His glory so that the power of the Gospel would be set out. Let us look at a few more passages of Scripture.

Isaiah 53:1: “Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”

In this passage we see the parallel. The one who has believed the message is the same one to whom the arm (or power) of the LORD has been revealed. The message is the message of God and it is through that message that the power of God operates. Will a weak little message about a weak little God be enough for souls to be saved from the power and dominion of the evil one? We must never forget that the new birth and salvation is when God transfers a soul from the power and dominion of darkness of the evil one into the kingdom of His beloved (Col 1:13). We must not again that the power and dominion of the evil one is in darkness. The darkness must be shattered by the light and that is the Gospel. The power of the Gospel is when the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is shone into the heart.

1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.’ 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

This passage in I Corinthians is another passage that, shall we say, puts meat on the bones of Paul’s statement about the Gospel in Romans 1:16. The word of the cross in v. 18 is surely not distinguished from the message of the Gospel in which man is to boast (Gal 6:14). But to those who believe in the word of the cross, it is the power of God. In what way is it the power of God? Well, in different terms than the text, because it displays the glory of God. Remember, God saves to the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph 1:6). The power of the cross is in destroying the wisdom of the wise. Now how does that work? The wisdom of the wise is seen within a particular viewpoint and worldview. That type of wisdom sounds so good to those who are humanistic and focused on the good and glory of man. However, when the glory of God’s wisdom shines through to the heart, there is the power that crushes the wisdom of men and shows how foolish the wisdom of men really is. To those who are called, Christ Himself is the power of God (v. 24).

Now, we must look again and realize that the Gospel is the Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ. So where does the power reside in Christ? It resides in the glory that shines in His face. It is God’s glory that overpowers the glory of wisdom and signs in this world. A low view of God destroys the Gospel.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”” This text should be a puzzle for all those who believe that the recitation of historical information is the Gospel. Yet Paul was eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome. He was not just willing, but he was eager. There was something about the Gospel that made Paul eager to preach it. We can ask if something about man made him eager to preach the Gospel. We can wonder if there was something about the honor he was obtaining from the persecutions he was receiving that made him eager to preach the Gospel. But in fact, Paul tells us that he was eager to preach the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation. He then goes on in it and says that “in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.

It is interesting to note that from Romans 1:18-32 Paul sets how man descends into sin and that is by suppressing the truth of God and exchanging the glory of God for idols. But when Paul gets to the Gospel in chapter three, he shows that it is the righteousness of God. He shows that the Gospel is all about God. In fact, he hardly even mentions man while he is talking about the Gospel. The Gospel is all about the character of God. So what was Paul doing in chapter three of Romans in explaining the Gospel that is the power of God for salvation? What was Paul doing in Romans 11:33-36 when he broke out in doxology? Paul was in worship of the living God. Paul exalted God and exulted in Him. Paul was delighted in the glory of God and thought it abhorrent that anyone would preach a different Gospel (Galatians 1:6-8). Now if Paul’s Gospel was centered upon God and was the power of God for salvation, we need to be careful that we preach the message he preached with the same focus.

As we draw back and wonder what the power of the Gospel really is, I think that we must consider the passages above in II Cor 4:4 & 6 as explaining that. The power of the Gospel is God shining Himself in the heart of a sinner and revealing the light of the knowledge of His glory in Christ. That and that alone can answer how the Gospel has so much power in the heart of sinners when God moves to work through it. In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, that is, the Gospel is all about the glory of the righteous God and the righteousness that He gives as a gift by grace alone. The message that reveals the righteousness of God is only understood and received from faith to faith. It is interesting how II Cor 3:18 uses a different phrase and yet one that is closely tied. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (II Cor 3:18). Other passages tie in the concepts of faith glory: “with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20). “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44) and Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).

The link between faith and glory are closely tied together. When one grows in faith, he sees the glory of God. Hebrews 11 sets out what faith is and it is essentially the sight of the soul. This means that the believer walks by faith (spiritual sight) and not by sight (physical sight). But what is it that faith grabs hold of? Can it be anything other than God Himself and His glory as seen and promised in the Gospel? “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8). The power of the Gospel is that the one who has faith or belief is the one who sees the glory of God. This faith in God is really a trust in His glory, that is, that His beauty and expressed character is worth far more in this life and in the eternity to come. The power of the Gospel is the God shining forth His glory.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” These verses are quite clear regarding the issue that we are discussing. One, the gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ. Two, the Gospel of the glory of Christ is light. Three, Christ is the image of God. Four, the light that God commanded then and commands now is the light of the Gospel. Five, the light He shines is Himself because the text speaks of “the One who has shone in our hearts.’ Six, when He shines in our hearts that gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Seven, the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Christ.

Genesis 3:1ff sets out the doctrine and reality of the fall. What happened is that the serpent promised Eve that she would be like God. Evidently Eve believed the promise and ate of the fruit. Adam then ate the fruit and spiritual death happened immediately and man also began to die physically. But the promise that man would be like God is indeed the nature of the fall into sin. The essence of the fall is that man wants to be like God and so is now proud. It is nothing but pride that would make men even think that he can be like God. As Romans 1:18-32 sets out; man has to suppress the truth about God in order to sin. Man is always exchanging the glory of God for something lesser, and that lesser is always himself. Man thinks that he can live according to his own will and wisdom. Man thinks that he can obtain his own righteousness and this is known as self-righteousness. Man loves himself and so lives as his own chief end and goal in all he does rather than love God in all that he does.

The Gospel is God’s work in setting man right and bringing man back to living for His glory. The true Gospel must be something that would lead men to exchange seeking their own glory to seeking the glory of God. Can anything but the Gospel of the glory of God do that? The true Gospel must be something that leads men to suppress the sin in their hearts for the glory of God. The true Gospel must be so glorious that it will lead men to living by His wisdom and will rather than seeking their own. The true Gospel must be so glorious that it will deliver man from trying to obtain his own righteousness and rely on the righteousness of God through Christ alone. The true Gospel must turn a man from self-love to a love for the glory of God so that all the man does is for the glory of God. As you can see from comparing the present paragraph with the previous one, the Gospel must turn men from serving, loving, and trusting in self to serving, loving, and trusting in God.

I can’t think of anything more deceptive than a man-centered gospel. A man-centered Gospel comes to man who is a slave to his own self-love and tells him that God loves him so much that He sent His Son to die for him. Now all man has to do is to trade some sinful actions for eternity in heaven. All man has to do is to make a choice and go to church and be reasonably good. With this method God is thought to be centered on man and would do almost anything to save man. Man is left in his own self-love and pride and so is never truly humbled in order to see the glory of the true Gospel. Whenever the true Gospel is heard by people like this, they hate it since it calls upon them to deny their chief love which is self and to follow Christ. They do not want to follow Christ but rather follow their own wills and loves.

In lowering the view of God the Church has exalted man to the center stage. We have kicked the living God out of Church and replaced Him with many little gods. Each human being is a god to himself and he will have the church operate as he wants and it must operate in a way that pleases him. After all, he is god to himself and wants everybody else worship him. The Gospel of the glory of God must be preached or the churches will remain full of little gods. To rephrase one Scripture, each god will be doing what is right in his own eyes. The truth of the exalted God has been lowered and so the true Gospel has been lost. What has happened is that man has lowered the truth of God and so has exalted himself. The Gospel of the glory of God, therefore, as been lowered to be the gospel about how all the gods can retain their godhood. The exalted man cannot bear to hear of a rival in terms of the Gospel of the glory of God. Low views of God destroy the Gospel.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” These verses are quite clear regarding the issue that we are discussing. One, the gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ. Two, the Gospel of the glory of Christ is light. Three, Christ is the image of God. Four, the light that God commanded then and commands now is the light of the Gospel. Five, the light He shines is Himself because the text speaks of “the One who has shone in our hearts.’ Six, when He shines in our hearts that gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Seven, the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Christ.

We must always remember that to preach the Gospel of the glory of Christ is to preach the Gospel in such a way that the glory of God is seen in the face of Christ. Perhaps the most important thing for a preacher to do is to enter the pulpit with a humble heart seeking to see the glory of God shining through His text. The goal is to set out the glory of God more than anything or anyone else. We speak glowingly of food, entertainments, cars, sporting events, and so many worldly things. But we think that we have to speak in a monotone when we talk of God. That is sheer and utter nonsense. While it is not necessary to speak with elevated tones and wild gestures, it is necessary to speak of God as if one believes He is better than all of the things of the world. In his early ministry Jonathan Edwards was said to stand in the pulpit and hold a candle in one hand and the manuscript in the other hand as he read his sermon. But, one witness said, there was an intensity and conviction about him that made him an eloquent speaker. True speaking of the glory of God comes from the inner man.

It is a necessary and self-evident truth that a person must really believe that God is better than the whole world if he is going to be genuine in speaking like that. So in one sense the real work is done in the study by prayer and meditation. God will only be exalted when the heart that speaks of Him exalts in Him. God will not be exalted by a person who has techniques to speak of Him and simply high words to speak of Him. No, it takes a heart that loves and breathes forth the truth and beauty of God. It takes a man who loves the glory of God more than his own glory as a preacher to preach the Gospel of the glory of God.

The Gospel of the glory of God will only come from the man who has within him high and exalted views of God. This will be a man who studies God as infinite rather than an object of study to be learned from a book. In other words, for the Gospel of the glory of God to be preached and taught it will take men who will spend time with God in prayer, study, and meditation over the character of God as displayed in the Bible. A mere outline of a text will not do and the mere speaking of a text in an expositional manner will not do either. Good doctrine is important but it must also be done with servitude to the Gospel of the glory of God in Christ.

Men must strive to interpret Scripture and all events with the character of God foremost in mind. They must learn to set out the character of God from the text they are preaching. After all, first and foremost the Bible is the revelation of God. It is in God that we live, move and have our being. It is God that gives us our every breath. It is God whose glory is shining all around us each moment of the day and night. It is God who created the world to display His glory. It is God who created man in His image in order that man would live for His glory. It is God who sent His Son and gives the Gospel in order to display His glory. There should always be the glory of God in preaching and teaching because we should always be about the glory of God that shines everywhere.

We must never forget that the mere reciting of information is not enough. We must strive to show the beauty of God in everything. We must strive to have our hearts full of His beauty and desirability in order that our preaching and teaching will always be salted with His glory. If we don’t do this, we will not be preaching the glory of the Gospel of God. If we don’t do this, what do we love most in preaching? Ourselves? Our honor? Having a big church? Being acceptable to others? Low views of God by preachers destroy the Gospel of the glory of God.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” These verses are quite clear regarding the issue that we are discussing. One, the gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ. Two, the Gospel of the glory of Christ is light. Three, Christ is the image of God. Four, the light that God commanded then and commands now is the light of the Gospel. Five, the light He shines is Himself because the text speaks of “the One who has shone in our hearts.’ Six, when He shines in our hearts that gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Seven, the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Christ.

But if all of these things distract and detract from the Gospel of God because of a low view of God (see previous posts), then what does it mean to preach the Gospel of the glory of God? What does it mean to have a high view of God? The first thing is that we preach and teach to where people will understand that they cannot completely understand God and His glory. Whatever can be comprehended (completely understand) in the mind cannot be the glory of God. To preach the Gospel is to proclaim the message of the Gospel, yes, but it is to point to the glory of God in such a way that the individual must depend on God to see the glory of the Gospel.

Second, we must always try to show the character and attributes of God in all that we preach and teach. The Gospel, then, must be proclaimed in such a way that the character of God is primarily on display. We are not preaching and teaching Christ unless we preach and teach Him in such a way that corresponds to what His purpose and intent was. He was the outshining of the glory of God (Heb 1:3) and the tabernacle of the glory of God (John 1:14). When He did a miracle, for example, He did it to display His glory. What was His glory? It was the glory of God shining through Him. Many preach about Christ and even wonderful things about Christ but when they fail to show the character and glory of God shining though Him, they are not preaching Christ.

We can also go on to say that many preach about the Gospel by preaching much of Christ but they are not preaching the true Gospel of the glory of God because they are not preaching the Gospel in such a way that shows how the glory of God shines in and through Christ. I know that this sounds weird but a lot of preaching Christ can be a hiding of the Gospel rather than a preaching of the Gospel. We must always remember that people are not saved by an intellectual belief concerning the factual contents of a message, but by seeing the glory of God in Christ. The devil does not need to hide the factual content of the Gospel from people if the glory of it is not being preached. As II Cor 4:4 sets out, he blinds them to the Gospel of the glory of Christ. If ministers and others are preaching a gospel in such a way that it is not the Gospel of the glory of Christ, then the devil has already blinded them to the glory of it and their preaching and teaching is not setting out the glory of the Gospel.

What is meant by the term “glory” as it relates to the Gospel? The term means a few different things. In one sense the glory of God is one word that refers to all of His character and attributes. In this sense the Gospel is all about the character and attributes of God in Christ. In another sense the word “glory” has the meaning of beauty. So the Gospel cannot be preached without setting out the character and attributes of God as beautiful and glorious. The Gospel consists in the display of the beauty and majesty of God in what He did and is doing to save sinners. The Gospel is to be taught with reverence and awe because it is about God and His glory.

Why does the Gospel need to be preached like that? Because sinners are caught up with how desirable the world is more than they are with God. He must be preached in such a way that sinners see that their own honor and glory is worse than nothing and that the things of this world are at enmity with God. Until the Gospel is preached with glory, sinners just think that God is all about them as they are. They need to see that God is all about Himself and they should be all about God and His glory too. They need to see His glory or they will see the world as better than God. Low views of God destroy the Gospel of the glory of God through Christ.

“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (A. W. Tozer).

2 Corinthians 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” These verses are quite clear regarding the issue that we are discussing. One, the gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ. Two, the Gospel of the glory of Christ is light. Three, Christ is the image of God. Four, the light that God commanded then and commands now is the light of the Gospel. Five, the light He shines is Himself because the text speaks of “the One who has shone in our hearts.’ Six, when He shines in our hearts that gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Seven, the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Christ.

The academic model seems to be striving for a rational understanding and presentation of the facts of the Gospel. It also seems to result in the rational presentation and discussion or arguments about the finer points of the doctrines of the Gospel. It wrestles and argues over what men in the past have said. Are these things wrong? Not necessarily, but where is the glory of the Gospel in this? What happens if people preach from the academic model? What happens when the Church is turned on the one hand to presenting the doctrinal facts of the Gospel with the academic model and on the other hand some reject the academic approach for a simple Gospel? Could it be that the academic approach has left out the glory of the Gospel and so is not really studying the Gospel? Could it be that the polarization that occurs with some have also left the glory of the Gospel for a simple model in an effort to escape the heavy intellectual content of the academic model? Has the academic model in its efforts to do its work in the academic way undermined the glory of the Gospel?

By nature of the case the academic model and way of doing things focuses on the intellect and scholarly ways of setting out issues. But is that surrender to the world? Does it set out the glory of the Gospel without which there is no Gospel at all? II Corinthians 4:4 & 6 has many truths that can be derived from it. One of those is that the text does not say that Satan blinds the mind in order to block the intellectual information of the Gospel, but that he blinds the mind so that they would not see the glory of Christ. In what way does the academic approach protect the Gospel when it is not teaching the heart of the Gospel which is the glory of God? Is the academic model really one that focuses on rationality more than glory?

I Cor 8:1 tells us that knowledge puffs up. Interestingly enough, what else does the academic approach do other than build knowledge? The Gospel is all about the glory of the grace of God. Yet God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (I Peter 5:5). Without dismissing everything that goes on within academia, we must understand and realize that the Gospel of the glory of God is best defended through preaching and teaching that is warm and points to things that cannot be comprehended by the intellect of man. God has to shine Himself into a person’s heart to give the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Christ. No academic model can do that.

The Church has to realize that it must return to some of the basic attributes of God. He is self-existent, eternal, infinite, and incomprehensible. That means that God is far above the comprehension level of man and that He does things as He wills in the way that He wills. He cannot be comprehended by academics either. In many ways, then, when the academic model is brought into the church, the church suffers. The average person does not have the ability or the time to deal with academic models. But the average person’s heart can be reached by God if God wants to shine the knowledge of His glory in that person’s heart. It is far better to preach and teach the glory of God in the church than it is to copy the academic model.

Perhaps one root of thinking that the academic model is so important comes from a low view of God and a high view of man. The mind that thinks it can comprehend God’s truth and the glory of the Gospel has been puffed up with itself and has a miserably low view of God whether it is conservative or liberal. A low view of God destroys the Gospel because a low view of God cannot understand His glory which is the Gospel.