God of the ungodly
The greatest discovery in the history of mankind is this: All are in Christ.
Unfortunately in this day and age, it is one of the most controversial truths we can talk about.
I’m running with Paul on this one! Truly the greatest thing one can discover in the entire universe is what he (Paul) exclaims:
“This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you…” Colossians 1:26-27 MSG
Where we’ve watered down down the gospel is teaching people that not all are in Christ. If Christ isn’t in all or if union with God is only for those who “ask Jesus into their heart” or for those who are God’s “chosen elect” then who is the God of the others? Who is the god of the “ungodly” as the Bible calls it?
When Paul speaks of the ungodly in his letters, he isn’t saying that they aren’t in God or that they aren’t like Him. Let’s take a look at a few instances where Paul mentions the ungodly:
“But no one can earn God’s righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our works, but believe in the one who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in His eyes.” Romans 3:5 TPT
“But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly.” Romans 5:8 TPT
“You see, at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6 NIV
What I believe Paul is communicating to us is that ungodly people are simply those who have yet to discover who they are in Christ.
We live ungodly because we don’t know that we are like gods (Psalm 82:6).
This may ruffle some feathers to some who read this, but I don’t believe that there is one single ungodly person on this earth.
To be ungodly doesn’t mean one is not like Abba. It means that we are living our life as if we didn’t belong to Him.
The Psalmist, David writes, “And realize what this means—we have the privilege of worshiping Yahweh our God. For he is out Creator and we belong to Him.” Psalm 100:3 TPT
Ungodly means that one is living as if they aren’t in union with Abba. Ungodliness isn’t our identity. It’s not something that we ought to claim over ourselves either. Maybe we live ungodly because we are attempting to live independent from with One who has forever placed us within Himself?
C. Baxter Kruger said that our identity , who we are is wrapped up Jesus’s identity. Our true humanity is there in His humanity. Our true existence is there woven into that man’s existence. The truth about you and me and, indeed the world is there in Jesus Christ.
If all are in Christ and the truth about humanity is found only in the man, Jesus Christ, then being ungodly has nothing to with who we are. Being ungodly has only to do with us living outside of our original design, which is sons living, functioning and having our identity in His life.
Christ has saved us all not because we got our act together or because we invited him into our heart. He’s saved us apart from our own efforts and choice, but we can still choose whether we want to participate in it or not.
Yahweh delcared those who were confused about their origin (ungodly) righteous in His eyes. Christ died for those who still live animosity towards His kindness.
He’s declared us righteous long before we lived that way. This is what grace and mercy looks like. Even ungodly people are in union with God, they just haven’t woken up to it yet.
He’s the God of the ungodly.
