Your New Identity (Victory Series Book #2): A Transforming Union with God (5 page)

Psalm 89:1–52

Key Point

Our confidence in God is rooted in His faithfulness.

Key Verses

But as surely as God is faithful . . . no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:18, 20

I
t is hard to relate to people you can’t trust or count on when needed, but you can count on God because He is eternally consistent and faithful. The psalmist says, “I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself” (Psalm 89:2). The fact that God made the world and all that is in it, and that He demonstrates His faithfulness by providing for His creatures, is abundantly illustrated in the “nature psalms,” such as Psalm 104. His faithful provision for His Chosen People is best seen in His plan for redemption as evidenced in His promises and covenants.

The Old Testament is a record of God’s faithfulness in redeeming His people, from the call of Abraham to the establishment of the Israelites in the Promised Land. The Exodus from Egypt demonstrated God’s faithfulness (see Exodus 15:1–17), and it caused those who had been delivered to believe in Yahweh and His servant Moses (see 14:31). For generations, even up to our own day, the Jewish people have commemorated the deliverance from Egypt and the Passover in remembrance of God’s faithfulness.

From the time God made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3, His unlikely promises were slowly but progressively fulfilled even when they seemed to be humanly impossible and in spite of overwhelming odds. The Messianic line began with Sarah, who gave birth to Isaac when she no longer humanly could, and then God provided a scapegoat to take the place of Isaac when he was ordered to be sacrificed, preserving Abraham and Sarah’s posterity. God promised that the seed of the woman would continue through the house of David and that the Messiah would sit on the throne of David. “Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—and I will not lie to David—that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky” (Psalm 89:35–37).

The first two chapters of Luke’s gospel paint a vivid picture of people who were waiting expectantly for God to fulfill His promises made under the Old Covenant (see Luke 2:25–38). Simeon saw the fulfillment in the birth of Jesus and rejoiced in God’s faithfulness: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people” (Luke 2:29–31).

From the days of Abraham, many people probably thought that God was unfaithful, and so they lost their faith in Him when His Word was not fulfilled in their lifetime. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness” (2 Peter 3:8–9). There was a faithful remnant, however, who chose to believe in God in spite of incredible hardships and persecution (see Hebrews 11). “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something
better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39–40).

How much is our confidence in God based on His keeping His word, covenants, and promises?

What evidence do we find in the Old Testament of God’s faithfulness to His Chosen People? Are Christians His Chosen People (see 1 Peter 2:9–10)?

Why don’t some people trust God if He is faithful? How might that relate to God’s timing?

Have you ever lost your trust in God because you thought or heard that He is unfaithful or that He had broken a promise? Explain.

How important is it to your faith to know that some covenants and promises are conditional (“if you will, then I will,” which is dependent on you), as opposed to those that are unconditional (“I will,” which is dependent on God)?

Paul had to explain why he could not keep his promise [2 Corinthians 1:18], so that the Corinthians would not distrust his preaching. In fact what Paul was preaching was reliable. His promise to come to them had been from himself, but the message he proclaimed was from God, and God cannot lie.

John Chrysostom (AD 347–407)

Numbers 23:13–20

Key Point

The changeless nature of God is what makes Him the ultimate object of our faith.

Key Verse

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Numbers 23:19

T
he grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). The Word and character of God never change, which is in stark contrast to that of humanity, which is in a constant state of change. The changeless nature of God is what makes Him the ultimate object of our faith. The writer of Hebrews says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:7–8).

Note that the writer doesn’t say we should necessarily imitate the behavior of those who lead us. Our faith is not based on humanity, no matter how well people behave. We should consider the lives of teachers who profess to know God and live by faith, and then imitate what they believe if their lives are bearing the fruit of righteousness. When we see the fruit of righteousness in the lives of our leaders, we know that the object of their faith is God and His Word, which never change.

Fallen humanity has “worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). Many believers have been led astray by trusting only in themselves or others, because there are no perfectly faithful people. We are not able to solve our own problems, much less save ourselves. Humanity has found some stability by trusting in the fixed order of the universe, especially the solar system. We set our watches by it and plan our calendars.

What would happen tomorrow if the sun rose two hours later than it was supposed to rise? The whole world would be thrown into chaos, and everyone would be extremely anxious. It takes months or years for us to establish faith in someone or something. One act of unfaithfulness or inconsistency can destroy that trust, and it will take months or years of consistent, faithful behavior to rebuild it. In fact, we would be foolish to put our trust in someone or something that is unfaithful or unreliable. That is one reason why human relationships are so fragile.

This is not the case concerning our relationship with God. God is faithful and never changes, and understanding this provides stability in our lives. We can confidently live by faith in God, knowing that the Creator who sustains the fixed order of the universe will also sustain us. The psalmist declares, “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end” (Psalm 102:25–27).

“What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar” (Romans 3:3–4). God’s Word is true whether we believe it or not, and He will never change. He keeps His Word and His Covenant, being faithful to Himself. He is the rock of our salvation, who changes not.

Why does God’s unchanging nature allow us to completely put our faith in Him?

Why may it be foolish to put our trust in others or the things of this world?

Does our unfaithfulness have any impact on His faithfulness? Why or why not?

How does it affect your confidence and stability to know that God will never change?

What relationships in your past or present have been broken because others have changed in such a way that they were no longer believable?

The natural properties of the Word who came forth from the Father were maintained even when He became flesh. It is foolish therefore to dare to introduce a breach. For the Lord Jesus Christ is one and through Him the Father created all things. He is composed of human properties and of others that are above the human, yielding a kind of middle term. He is, in fact, a mediator between God and humankind, according to the Scriptures, God by nature even when incarnate, truly, not purely man like us, remaining what He was even when He had become flesh. For it is written, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

Cyril of Alexandria (AD 376–444)

Levels of Prayer

Psalm 95 is a model for approaching God in prayer. It begins with praise and thanksgiving: “Let us come before him
with thanksgiving
” (Psalm 95:2, emphasis added). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul seldom mentioned prayer without an attitude of gratitude: “I have not stopped
giving
thanks
for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16, emphasis added); “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving
, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6); “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful
and
thankful
” (Colossians 4:2, emphasis added); “Rejoice always; pray continuously;
give thanks
in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, emphasis added).

There are three levels of communicating with God in prayer. Each level incorporates praise and thanksgiving. The first level is petition, which Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:6. James adds, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (4:2). However, he qualifies this by saying, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (verse 3). As discussed previously, petitions should be consistent with the Lord’s Prayer.

Petition is all too often one-way communication. People tire of that, but the next level of prayer is personal and more like a dialogue. In Psalm 95:7–8, the psalmist says that as you personally and humbly approach God and “hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The word “hear” means to listen so as to obey. If you heard from God, you may be inclined to “harden your hearts,” since the first items on God’s list are issues that concern your relationship with Him. So, if there are unresolved moral issues that you have never confessed to God, rest assured that they will be at the top of His list.

All those distracting thoughts that we struggled with while petitioning Him in level one are from God or allowed by God to get our attention, even if they are from the enemy. The Lord wants us to actively deal with whatever comes to our minds during prayer. There is nothing we can’t talk to God about, because He already knows the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (see Hebrews 4:12–13). These issues are critical because they relate to our relationship with God, which is always His first concern.

When prayer becomes this personal, we begin to pray continually (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17). This makes intercessory prayer possible, which is the highest level. There are few true intercessors who are intimate enough with God to hear His voice and obey. Intercessors hear from God, sense the burden to pray, and continue in prayer until the burden leaves. Seldom, if ever, is their prayer time in public. It is usually in the privacy of their homes and often late at night. God accomplishes much of His work through these dear saints who know how to pray.

D
efining the Trinity and the deity of Christ are the two most critical doctrines of the Church, and it was the primary concern for the Church’s ecumenical councils during its first 500 years. The early Church leaders didn’t completely formulate how full deity and full humanity could be combined together in one person until the council of Chalcedon in 451, when they adopted the Chalcedonian Definition. By that time the Church refuted the following doctrines as heresies:

Sabellianism: Sabellius (c. AD 215) taught that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit were one person who appeared to people in three different forms or modes. This idea, also known as “modalism,” denies the personal relationship within the Trinity that is mentioned a number of times in Scripture.

Arianism: Arius (AD 250–336) denied the full deity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Variations of this heresy are taught today by the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Apollinarianism: Apollinaris of Laodicea (d. AD 390) taught that Jesus had a human body but not a human mind or spirit. Christ had to be fully and truly human if He was to save us (see Hebrews 2:17).

Nestorianism: Nestorius (AD 386–450) taught there were two separate persons in Christ—a human person and a divine person.

Monophysitism: This was an idea proposed by Eutyches (AD 380–456), who taught that Christ had only one nature.

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