INFINITY OF THE WORD OF GOD.
By H. F. Phelps
There is an infinity in the word of God, beyond the power of the mind of man to comprehend. It is said of the Gospel that it is “the everlasting Gospel” (Rev. 14:6), and the Gospel “is the power of God” (Rom. 1:16), and that God is “the Almighty God” (Gen. 17:1), “the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, . . . there is no searching of his understanding” (Isa. 40:28). Inasmuch then as he is the “almighty,” “everlasting” God, and the “Creator” of all things, it follows that his word is also everlasting; and so it is that we read, “The word of God” “liveth and abideth forever,” and, “The word of the Lord endureth forever” (1 Peter 1:23, 25), and, again, “The word of our God shall stand forever” (Isa. 40:8). Thus it is that the student and believer of the word of God may come to it, receive it, believe it, stand upon it, rest upon it, and feast upon it with the assurance that it is as enduring as eternity, and will never fail him; for it is abiding, and as enduring as its divine Author; and, more, that it “liveth,” and that through it its Author gives life to all who feast upon it. Therefore, those who live by it, with it, and in it, will also be as enduring as the word itself, even to all eternity, as long as the life of the Creator of all, and the Author of the word. There is also an infinitude, an immensity, in that word, which is also infinitely above and beyond the mind of man to comprehend. The divine Author of that word being a Spirit, a spiritual being, that word is also spiritual. And the Author of that word being the Author of all life, that word must also be life. And of this we read, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. But spiritual things must be spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14. This word, then, being spirit and life, partaking of the nature of its Author, who is Spirit and life, is but the unfolding of the thoughts of God, even the thoughts of Christ himself, for the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets when they wrote (1 Peter 1:11), revealing the thoughts of the Father through his Son (Rev. 1:1). Now the thoughts of the eternal One can not be comprehended by the finite mind. There is therefore a necessity, if we would understand the infinite word of the infinite, eternal One, that we have the mind of that infinite, eternal One, in the place of our own mind, which is so weak and finite. And this is just what God has freely offered to all who will believe that they may understand, and read that they may believe. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 2:5. And so the Author of that word provides just the very thing that we all need, even his own mind, in order that we may believe his own word. How wonderful all this is! Were it otherwise, a man would come infinitely short of coming to that word as he should, and receiving it as he ought, or even believing it unto salvation. Salvation is in it, and that is just what it is designed to give. One thing must ever be remembered: A man must absolutely give up his own mind, have no mind of his own, when he comes to that word, but take the mind of Christ, and be led by it, in order that he may receive that word as his own. If he fails to do this, he will never understand that word. And the reason is at once to be seen; it is that a man can no more understand, or measure, or comprehend, the words of God, the thoughts of Christ, than he can measure the heavens. Indeed, it is thus expressed by the One who has revealed his own thoughts in that word: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:8, 9. So, then, when we read a chapter, a verse, a single word—for a word is an expression of a thought—in the Bible, we must remember that it is a thought of God. Therefore, we ought not to expect to exhaust a single text at one reading; for that text is as far above our mind as are the heavens above the earth. How necessary, then, that we do indeed have the mind of its Author! It is our privilege and province to “consider” what God says, and “meditate” on his thoughts; and he alone can give the “understanding.” 2 Tim. 2:7; 1 Tim. 4:15. Therefore, when we put our own mind far away from us, not for one occasion only, but for all time to come, and let the mind of Christ in as our mind to lead and to instruct and give understanding, then it is that Christ himself, understanding his own words, will begin to unfold them to us—not all at once, but little by little, as can be done with safety to our salvation, lest we be lifted up in our own conceits through the abundance of the revelation. And as long as we remain submitted to him, that his mind may indeed be in us, the richness and the fullness of the infinity of that infinite word, coming as it does from the infinite One, will be made to appear in its own blessed fullness for us to enjoy. Not only so, but an eternity will be given to us in which to enjoy that fullness.