The_Greatness_of_His_Ways_Chapter

Chapter II

The Greatness of His Ways, I

“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.”

Psalms 128:1

“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all:”

Psalms 104:24

His works are infinite both in number and understanding. He alone knows the completeness of them, and He alone has the wisdom to understand them fully. “His Ways” are a work of His and He understands them completely, but from them unfurls one of the most intriguing truths about Him. While they are a work, they are not a work, because they are literally His person. Perhaps, that statement sounds like a mystery right now, but it is a truth that every believer must encounter at some juncture in their walk with Him, if they desire to know Him intimately. So, by His grace, let’s attempt to gain some insight into the greatness of “His Ways," through the scriptures.

As previously mentioned, the Godhead, being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in eternity, decreed the “Eternal Everlasting Covenant." Everything that pertains to this universe and man is contained in this covenant. It is through this “Eternal Everlasting Covenant” that “His Ways” were ordained, as a blessing to those who would live by them. “His Ways” are witnessed in both the Old Testament and New Testament Covenants, which were established amongst men to assist in the fulfillment of the “Eternal Everlasting Covenant." We will take a moment and quickly review them.

In the Old Testament Covenant given to Moses, “His Ways” were laws, ordinances, offerings and sacrifices that His people kept, because of the covenant that they agreed to live by out of their love and faith in Him. These instituted acts taught them about the “Christ” and His works, as they led them into a justification, by faith in Him. They were their schoolmaster, as Paul puts it in Gala- tians 3:24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

However, justification by faith was not the only blessing that they were given, when they wholly followed Him in “His Ways." They were also blessed on many occasions, by His presence dwelling amongst them, which was the Lord’s heart’s desire for them. His dwelling among them was the supreme delight of His heart, and the same holds true for us in the New Testament age.

In the New Testament, the law is fulfilled by “the Christ” and His sacrifice. Therefore, His people are no longer subject to keeping the ordinances, offerings and sacrifices, as Paul states in Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” But, there is still the matter of the desire of the heart of God to dwell with His people that had to be met. For this desire of His is a very large part of why He created man to begin with, and this desire of His brings us to the truth of “His Ways” for the New Testament believer. Just as He blessed Israel of old with His presence among them, He desires to dwell with the New Testament believers, as well.

Thus, the truth and reality of “His Ways” for the New Testament believer is that “His Ways” are His indwelling, as they are the lit- eral fulfillment of Colossians 1:27 “Christ in you” that Paul reveals and the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that Jesus promised in John 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” A believer of our day who walks and lives by “His Ways” is living a life that is cognizant of and experiences His indwelling Spirit in their spirit.

In this brief review of the Old and New Covenant eras, we observe that there are three constant truths contained in them that we want to focus on. The first, is that Christ is the center of them both, and that His objective is to dwell amongst those that are His. The sec- ond, is our love of Him and His love for those that belong to Him. Thirdly, is the required living by “His Word,” in order to satisfy His will and please Him. Not one of these constant truths should be neglected, by a believer.

Our hope in these studies is to shed light on Christ, as the center of “His Ways” and to give Him glory, as He alone is truly the Way of “His Ways” for every believer. He is the way of “His Ways” because of His indwelling Spirit and presence that abides within the spirit of believers, which enables us to live, by “His Words” and “His Ways.” Both of which would not be possible had He not come, as a man, and lived a life entirely dedicated to living by the “Words of the Father.” It is only by His victory and abiding Spirit that we are able to do the same.

We establish this truth by showing how the “Christ” lived, by the Word of the Father, in eternity and as a man while on the earth. It is through His example that we understand the seriousness of the matter for all believers; as His indwelling is the only way that a believer is able to receive grace to appropriate and live in the victory and provision that He provided for us, by His life and passion, as a man. Thus the glory that is due to Him comes as the believer comes to know and live, by these truths.

Because this is a foundational study that concerns these truths, we confirm their validity through a closer examination of the text of the creation and transgression of Adam. Our hope is that sufficient light is shed on the text so that the believer can properly receive the life of it and understand how this effects their walk. By His grace, this will not be the only series of studies that we look to produce concerning these truths and we encourage anyone who needs greater clarity to read the other studies, as they are made available.

The heart and hope of this study is that believers, by the grace of God and the impartation of truth, by the Holy Spirit gain the understanding that Christ is the Way of “His Ways,” by His indwelling for all who look to fulfill the will of God in their lives; and that God having determined that Christ was to be the Way of “His Ways” in eternity, through the counsel of His Will, created Adam in such a manner as to allow the fulfillment of this in all men who choose to know God. That man was not created for religion or religious activities but for the experiencing and knowing God, by His indwelling while living by “His Word.” These truths are clearly declared through out both the Old and New Testaments, as they are at the heart of both covenants.

Paul, in several of his letters, reveals to us the depth of which His indwelling will affect us. For instance, he tells us in Colossians 3:4 that Christ is to be our life “When Christ, who is our life, shall ap- pear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." He also says that though he lives it is not him but Christ that lives in him, Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” This is to be true for all believers, as well. In Romans 8:9 he says that anyone that does not have the Spirit of Christ in him does not belong to God, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” He also makes it clear in Galatians 4:6, that if we are a son of God, that God sends forth the Spirit of His Son into our heart, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” The Scriptures are filled with the truth of the indwelling of God within us.

What we need to be aware of is this truth is an absolute in the eyes of the Father, as His indwelling or “Christ in you," is the only way for us to truly know Him intimately. This was determined by the “Eternal Everlasting Covenant” to be this way. Therefore, beloved, “His Ways” for us are the experience and revelation of the Person, Life and Spirit of God being granted to us in a greater and deeper measure than what Adam experienced in the garden and even what Israel of old ex- perienced in their history.

Thus, it is through “His Ways” that His people are granted access to the presence and person of God, as the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Father dwells in their spirit. They are the means that lead us to a more intimate or deeper revelation of Him, by our being in covenantal union with Him, because of the “Eternal Everlasting Covenant." All of which could not be possible without the work of the sacrifice of the “Christ." So, we see, beloved, though “His Ways” are a work of the cross, they are also literally His person, and the greatness of “His Ways” is found in the greatness of His person!

We will spend a considerable amount of time on this subject later on in our studies, but there is one more subject that we need to mention, be- fore we move into His design of man.

Consider with us for a moment all His actions and works. He is so complete and perfect that nothing He does is lacking in any way. He never makes a mistake. He never overlooks anything. He never second guesses. Everything He does is perfect and complete in every measure, and there is nothing that anyone could add or take away to make it more complete!

We should also note that in all that He does in His works and actions there is not one selfish act amongst them, not one hidden motive to be revealed, not one broken promise to be discovered nor one action that is not for our good. Everything He does is founded in His all knowing knowledge and wisdom, purely motivated by His love and cannot be improved. Amazing isn’t He?