The Mind of God

The Word of God is eternal. The Word is a member of the Determinate Counsel that bears record in Heaven; the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. These three are One. It was the Word of God that was made flesh and dwelt among men. It is by the Word of God the church was formed and we were begotten.

1 John 3:1

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

I really don’t think the sons of God understand the magnitude of this question. What manner of love is this that God has called us to be His sons? As I pondered this great mystery in my heart, the Lord took me back to eternity past. In doing so, I saw the mind of God toward His children. It is awesome just to know that the church was conceived before the foundation of the world.

Let us begin with the testimony of our Lord. In the Scriptures He is known by many different names. He was the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. He was Daniel’s Rock that was hewed out of the mountain; and in this lesson, He is Wisdom in the Proverbs. This is His testimony.

Proverbs 8:22-31

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

But what does all this mean? We see that the Word is eternal. It existed in eternity past. That means Jesus Christ was with God before the foundation of the world

1 Peter 1:18-20

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

It was predetermined by God, that our Lord Jesus Christ (who was with the Father in the form of the Word or Wisdom), was to be slain for the redemption of mankind. All this took place before God ever laid the foundations of the earth. This was a great mystery. Nevertheless, the mystery has been revealed in the days of the church. It is by the unction of the Holy Ghost that we understand the mind of God.

1Corinthians 2:16

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

But the mystery doesn’t stop here. Let us continue to see how it unfolds into a glorious plan of salvation.

Titus 1:1-3

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.

God promised that those who believed on His Christ, would receive eternal life. But to whom did He make this promise? It is time for the church to see the Father and the Son through the eyes of the Spirit. The knowledge of God is liberating to those who seek it. It strengthens us with the confidence that says we can trust our God. The bottom line is, God is not making up these things as He goes along. Everything that we see happening today was predestined to be so. All that is manifesting are the things that were written before the foundations of the earth.

1 John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1 John 5:9-12

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

This is a good place to say hallelujah. All that we are experiencing today has been written in heaven. In plain old layman’s terms, all things began with a thought in the mind of God. But that thought is a purpose, that purpose is His will, and His will is a promise. God, who cannot lie, promised that those who believe in Jesus Christ would inherit eternal life. These things were recorded in heaven. They are on record; they are written in His book.

2 Timothy 1:8-10

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Saints, this is so powerful! We were called not according to the works that we have done; but we are called out of the world to manifest those things that were already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. We were predestined to be sons of God. Consider the reference scriptures below. They too, bear witness of these great truths.

Luke 10:20

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Revelation 17:8

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Revelation 20:12

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

I think Luke says it quite well when he records the great disturbance that came about among the disciples regarding the salvation of the Gentiles. Apparently, there were some who felt the Gentile believers should be circumcised and keep the law of Moses as well.

Acts 15:13-19

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins.

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

Finally, let us hear the wisdom of Isaiah.

Isaiah 46:9-11

9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

What more can I say, except that our God is an awesome God. He knows all things. All the works of the earth are already recorded in His book. Even the word of prophecy is simply a proclamation of those things that are written in His book. It is evident that we were a thought in the mind of God. That thought is a promise and the promise is recorded. It is on record in heaven that right now, we are the sons of the living God. We have eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. These things cannot be revoked. They are the Word of God recorded in heaven and

manifesting themselves in the earth. We have a part in this great mystery. The Word of God is knowledge and that knowledge edifies and gives us the confidence to