His thoughts are higher.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)
The Bible says that Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed. This is often portrayed with literal nakedness, but it was also symbolic nakedness. Before God, they were fully seen and had nothing in them that they would feel shame. Theirs was pure innocence.
Some wonder how Adam and Eve could have so easily fallen into the temptation presented by the Ancient Serpent. If God walked and talked with them, giving them all they needed and more, it seems absurd they would reject and rebel against the benevolence of God. How is that possible?
The tree they ate from was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Until they, their minds were incapable of any thought outside of what was good. Wickedness and evil were foreign thoughts to them in the same way a man is unable to conceive the experience of pregnancy and childbirth. Deception was an unknown concept. Afterward, their minds were open to sin. It was in them so they hid in shame.
In the same way that Adam and Eve were unable to conceive wickedness and deception in the Garden of Eden, we are unable to conceive pure righteousness. Adam and Eve were also unable to perceive this characteristic of God, but in their innocence, they were closer to understanding than we are now in our sinful state. How can we pursue something when we can’t even fathom its existence?
God gave Israel the Ten Commandments to help the people understand pure righteousness, but they were still unable to do so. When Christ came, the revelation of pure righteousness emanated more vividly. Still, however, not even the disciples could understand the teachings of pure righteousness. They often rebuked Christ and His way of doing things. God’s thoughts are above our thoughts. His ways are above our ways.
Jesus, however, died and rose that we might qualify for the gift of the Holy Spirit by faith. The Spirit within us reveals to us the thoughts of God. The Bible says the Spirit gives us the mind of Christ that we might know His thoughts. Purity of righteousness has been given to us through the purity of wisdom taught by the Spirit. Only in the Spirit can we fathom the mysteries of God’s thoughts.
Prayer: Lord, let me immerse myself in the presence of the Spirit to hear Your thoughts and to know Your ways. Amen.
