As we move about in the world and especially in Christian arenas we may have hear these statements being made a lot, “God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways”. We may also hear a similar phrasing of “God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and God’s ways are higher than our ways”. Are these statements spiritual principals or misunderstanding?
Maybe being brought up in church or being around religious arenas, we may recall having heard these statements mentioned on many occasions, even from pulpits, and we have just accepted them as Truth. Maybe we should search the scriptures and see if these statements are “spiritual principals” or “misunderstanding” of the scriptures. It is true that we can find these statements in the scriptures and they are usually quoted fairly accurate.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Maybe we should ask our self this question, "why do these statements sound so religious and good to our ears and even give us some comfort of mind"? Maybe these statements give us somewhat of an excuse to not study the Word of God intently and just accept a lesser level of understanding of being normal.
Because of hearing those verses quoted, we might just accept that we are just really not able to know what God is up to or what God is thinking. “Well God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and God’s ways are higher than our ways.” Sometimes we also hear, “Well when we all get to heaven, then we will ask Jesus and He will straighten everything out for us”! Is that wisdom or a cop out?
Even in the OT, it was said of Moses that he knew the “ways” of God.
Ps 103:6 The LORD executes righteousness and judgments for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Does it seem logical that after Jesus came and died and all that He did for us in redemption that the body of Christ should say, “God’s ways are not our ways”? The same could be said about our saying, “His thoughts are not our thoughts”.
Ps 33:11 The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
When we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess Him as our Lord and Savior, God sends the Spirit of His Son into our heart whereby we cry Abba Father! Along with that great act of grace comes some other great stuff. Galatians states why Jesus was sent.
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
We as members of the body of Christ are heirs of God. We are members of the family of God. There are benefits given to the members of the body of Christ. One of which is wisdom.
1 Cor 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
wisdom is interesting here and is #4678 sophia (sof-ee'-ah); from 4680; wisdom (higher or lower, worldly or spiritual):
When we examine the Jesus praying to the Father, we see some very intimate prayers for His disciples and then Jesus includes all of those future believers who will believe their report.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
When we see the degree of intimacy that Jesus prayed for the disciples and for the body of Christ, it would seem, to think that we would not be able to know His ways or to know His thoughts does not seem to be a logical conclusion! Let’s add a bit to this line of thinking.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who (natural man) hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we (body of Christ) have the mind of Christ.
mind is #3563 nous (nooce); probably from the base of 1097; the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning:
The base is #1097 ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko); a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):
The KJV translates this word as; allow, be aware, be aware of, feel, know, have knowledge, perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, and understand.
With the above information, it would seem that “misunderstanding” might be the correct application to apply to us for thinking that we can’t know God’s ways and we can’t know God’s thoughts”! Also, we should judge that this would be a huge misunderstanding!
So if we have been operating in a misunderstanding of these scriptures, what would be the explanation of how we have developed into this misunderstanding of these scriptures? Again!
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The explanation is that we have violated the first rule of extracting proper counsel from the Word of God. Rule #1. No verse out of context. Let’s leave verse 8 & 9 in their context.
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts (God’s thoughts) are not your thoughts (unrighteous man), neither are your ways (wicked man) my ways (God’s ways), says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways (God’s ways) higher than your ways (wicked man) and my thoughts (God’s thoughts) than your thoughts (unrighteous man).
God’s ways being higher that our ways and God’s thoughts being higher that our thoughts is not a “spiritual principal”! It is a spiritual problem in the body of Christ and it needs to be corrected. The method of remedy is to search the scriptures until we come to the knowledge of the Truth of God’s Word.
We also may have violated Rule #6. Think when you read. Why would God give us His Word and instruct us to study as a workman to show our self approved unto God by rightly dividing the Word of Truth, if He never had any confidence that we could ever be able to come to know His thoughts and come to know His ways?
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
A bit of contrast here!
Ps 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Prov 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but He loves him that follows after righteousness.
In the early church, they had just lived through a covenant change and being saved and receiving the instructions concerning Jesus were actually referred to as “the way”.
Acts 18:24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Of course we all know that Jesus actually called Himself “the way”. We probably quote that scripture often. Jesus made that statement when Thomas was having a bit of problem with his understanding of what Jesus said.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
We know “The Way” because He lives inside us as our born again spirit, the Spirit of Christ.
His ways should become our ways.
God has given us His written Word for us to study and receive His counsel. His thoughts should become our thoughts!
If anyone quotes Isaiah 55 8-9, they have just identified themselves and those they are addressing as “wicked” and “unrighteous!” We should refer them back to and include verse 7.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Grace and Peace multiplied in the name of Jesus.
Compiled by Jerry Thomas 02/01/2021
All scripture references are (KJV) unless otherwise denoted.
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