The Call to Study
The great author and pastor, A.W. Tozer wrote, "We had better make the study of His Word the business of our lives to find out what he is, and then we must conform our views to His."
The more I pastor people in the 21st century the more I learn the truth of this. Often times we are shallow and our faith is such because we fail to gaze upon the depths of God in His Word.
Surface-Level Faith
I was born and raised in the Deep South. And, most of the people raised in the south probably could quote a few scriptures, and yes, probably most of the people in the Deep South attend church at least two to three times a year. I could say the same for most of those in the Central Valley of California. But, how many of us truly know his character and his nature. How many of us have plumbed the depths of scriptures to try to understand who He is. How often we take the pieces of God we like and make that our God, but we miss the God of the Bible when we place upon him our own desires.
The Fullness of God's Character
For many of us, we love the God of grace in the Bible, but at the same time, we avoid the God of judgment. However, you cannot fully understand His grace until you come into contact with His wrath. God is truly a mystery. So, how do we access or understand this God.
Special Revelation
God has chosen to reveal himself through Christ and through his word. It is what us theologians call "special revelation." You see, we find this God in his word and through worshipping corporately with others. Commenting on Isaiah 6, C.S. Lewis thought that the reason the Angels were calling out "Holy" to one another was because as they circled around the throne, they were discovering another layer of God's greatness and had to tell the other Angels. This is a marvelous picture. Some see him as redeemer. Others know him as healer. And yet, others look on Him as sovereign. I could write volumes of his individual character, but He truly is everything at all times, and we could spend a lifetime exploring his greatness.
About the Author
Jason Kennedy
Pastor Jason Kennedy serves as Lead Pastor at Bakersfield First Assembly in Bakersfield, California, where he leads a vibrant church community focused on helping people pursue Jesus, grow in their faith, and engage in life-giving community while extending compassion to others in their daily lives.