The Treasure of the Trinity - Part 3 of 5
Welcome marathoners in and for Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:7) Exhausted, depleted from running the Godly, good, and being-a-blessing-to-others race? Welcome. Sit. Relax. Let’s feast.
Feast of the Heart exists to help bring about Christ-centered “reformation, revival, and constructive revolution” (Francis Schaeffer, Death in the City) so that God will be glorified and people blessed.
Reformation… we seek to abide by and serve up the true truth, pure doctrine of the Bible
Revival… we seek to model biblical Christians living in word and deed
Constructive Revolution… we seek to spread the true gospel right where God has planted us with urgency, compassion, and radical self-abandonment
How Wide is the GAP Between Knowing OF God — and — PERSONALLY Knowing God… for YOU?
Let’s look at an answer to this question this way: If the statistics related to those who populate most churches in The West is correct, around 75% of people who attend church know OF God, but don’t have a PERSONAL relationship with Him via how the Bible describes God, humanity, the GAP between the two, and the solution to minding and closing the GAP. So, maybe it gets down to knowing whether or not the Bible is true… FOR YOU?
Knowing OF God, and PERSONALLY knowing God, amounts to knowing deep down inside our heart, mind, soul and strength what Pastor Tim Keller says of what matters the most: “All we… all you… need is a need that cannot be satisfied by anything else but God, in Christ, and through the Spirit.”
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'” (John 3:1-8; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 2:38… many more)
The GAP between knowing OF God and PERSONALLY knowing God in Christ Jesus, and by the through the Holy Spirit consists of a radical change of heart, Beloved.
For today’s feast at the Training Table, let’s look at how Charles Spurgeon expressed this profoundly important truth about ALL (RE: ALL) of knowing God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
The Trinity: Do You Know God? Do You Know All Three Persons of God? Then You Know God! Or not…
“Endeavor to know the Father. Approach Him in deep repentance, and confess that you are not worthy to be called His son; receive the kiss of His love; let the ring that is the token of His eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at His table and let your heart rejoice in His grace.
Then press forward and seek to know much of the Son of God who although He is the brightness of His Father’s glory humbled Himself and became man for our sakes. Know Him in the singular complexity of His nature: eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man; follow Him as He walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as He sits down at the well tired in the weariness of humanity. Do not be satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend, your Brother, your Husband, your all.
Do not forget know the Holy Spirit. Endeavor to obtain a clear view of His nature and character, His attributes, and His works. Behold the Spirit of the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos and brought forth order, who now visits the chaos of your soul and creates the order of holiness. Behold Him as the Lord and giver of spiritual life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the Sanctifier. Behold Him as He descends upon the head of Jesus, and then as He rests upon you.
Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experiential belief in the Trinity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace in full measure indeed.”
(Charles Spurgeon, “May 8 — Evening” in Morning and Evening, Geanies House, Fearn, Scotland, UK: Christian Focus, 1994), p 275.
Net, Net? “Know God and Cast Your Net!”
Allow me to repeat Spurgeon’s literal and definitive bottom line exhortation, reward, and added truism, encouragement from myself:
“Such an intelligent, scriptural, and experiential belief in the Trinity is yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge brings peace in full measure indeed.” AS WELL AS the best and only platform for contributing to God’s plan for making Him known to others in the world!
Fully know The Trinity; do so in unity with others in Christ’s Church; and you will live out each day with a sense of urgency in carrying out The Great Commission in and from exactly where God has planted you to do so. Amen.
See you all at The Training Table next week for The Treasure of the Trinity, Part 4 of 5.
JohnDoz
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