Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
— Colossians 3:5-7
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
— Galatians 5:24
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.
— Isaiah 55:7
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
— Ephesians 5:18
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
— Romans 8:2
Thoughtfulness of the Excellency of the Majesty of God, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter Twelve of his work, “Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers”—Abridged and Simplified.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
— Romans 8:13
Eighthly: Cultivate a Humble View of Yourself by Meditating on God’s Greatness
One of the most powerful ways to weaken sin’s grip on your heart is to dwell deeply on the majesty of God. When we truly grasp His greatness, we are humbled, and nothing diminishes sin’s influence more than humility before God.
Think often of God’s infinite majesty and your smallness before Him. Meditate on His power, wisdom, and holiness, and recognize how far beyond you He is. When Job encountered God’s majesty, he was overwhelmed with self- abasement, saying, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). The prophet Habakkuk trembled at the thought of God’s majesty (Hab. 3:16). Scripture repeatedly reminds us of our insignificance in comparison to Him, calling us grasshoppers, dust on the scales, and a passing breath. Let these truths humble you, stripping away the pride that so often feeds sin.
Consider how little you truly know of God. Even the wisest among us grasp only a tiny fraction of who He is. Proverbs 30:2-4 describes the awe and ignorance we must confess before God: “Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.” If the vastness of creation overwhelms you, how much more should the infinite nature of God? The light of His glory is too great for us to bear. Meditate on this truth, and it will help tear down the pride that so easily ensnares us.
Even the Greatest Saints Know But Little of God
Even the most spiritually mature believers—those who walk most closely with God—only have the faintest glimpse of His glory in this life. When God revealed His name to Moses, showing forth His covenantal grace and mercy (Exod. 34:5-6), He described it as merely seeing His “back,” not His full glory. John confirms this, saying, “No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18), emphasizing that even Moses, the greatest prophet under the law, had only a limited revelation of God compared to Christ.
We may speak much about God, discuss His ways, and search His works, yet our understanding is small. Our best thoughts, prayers, and teachings fall far short of His true nature. If Moses, who spoke with God as a man speaks with his friend, knew so little, how much more should we confess our limitations?
Some might argue that, under the gospel, we now know God fully because Christ has revealed Him. It is true that through Christ, we see God more clearly than those under the Old Covenant, but even still, we see only in part. The fullness of His glory remains beyond us until we stand in His presence.
How This Humbles the Soul
Meditating on God’s greatness keeps the heart in reverence and prevents the deceitfulness of sin from taking hold. A soul that trembles before God is far less likely to be ensnared by sin. Pride, self-sufficiency, and complacency are the enemies of holiness—and nothing destroys these more than a right view of God.
If you desire to grow in humility and holiness, let your heart be gripped by the majesty of God. The more you see Him as He is, the more you will see yourself rightly—and the less power sin will have in your life.
Our Limited Knowledge of God
Even in the Light of the Gospel, Our Understanding of God is Limited
It is true that, under the gospel, we have a clearer revelation of God than the saints under the Old Testament. Though they had sharp spiritual insight, the fullness of God’s plan was still veiled in shadows. Now, with the coming of Christ, the clouds have been lifted, and we see more clearly. Yet even with this greater light, our knowledge is still limited.
When Moses saw God’s glory, he only saw the “back parts” of His majesty—a glimpse of His grace and mercy, but not the fullness of His being (Exod. 34). Likewise, even under the gospel, the apostle Paul tells us that we behold God’s glory “as in a mirror” (2 Cor. 3:18). This mirror reflects His image, but only dimly, as if seen through a riddle or mystery (1 Cor. 13:12). Our present understanding is partial, much like the way a child’s grasp of the world is limited and immature. Just as a child’s thoughts are fleeting and incomplete, so too are our thoughts of God.
God’s Glory is Beyond Our Comprehension
Even the greatest minds among us have only scratched the surface of God’s infinite perfections. We cannot truly comprehend Him, because He is, by nature, incomprehensible. Scripture describes Him as invisible, immortal, and dwelling in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16). He cannot be fully seen, not because He lacks visibility, but because we lack the capacity to bear His infinite brightness. If we struggle to gaze upon the sun, how much less can we withstand the full radiance of God?
The wise man in Proverbs recognized this, declaring himself “a brute beast” when he considered the greatness of God (Prov. 30:2). If even the most enlightened saints trembled at their ignorance before God, how much more should we humble ourselves before Him?
One day, however, our knowledge will be made complete. John tells us, “We shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Until then, we must acknowledge our limitations and walk humbly before the God whose glory is beyond our comprehension. Like the Queen of Sheba, who was overwhelmed by the splendor of Solomon’s kingdom, we will one day declare, “The half was not told me!” (1 Kings 10:7).
Our Limited Knowledge of God, Even in Christ
God’s Being is Beyond Our Understanding
Even as we seek to know God, we must acknowledge that His very nature is beyond our full comprehension. Our finite minds cannot grasp His infinite being. If we attempt to form a concept of God that fits within our limited understanding, we risk creating an idol—a god of our own imagination rather than the true and living God. The most honest thing we can say about the essence of God is that we cannot fully comprehend it. Our knowledge of Him is, at best, a recognition that His being is far beyond us.
While we can speak of God using terms He has revealed—such as infinite, omnipotent, and eternal—these words merely hint at His greatness rather than truly define it. When we try to meditate on His omnipresence or eternity, our minds quickly reach their limits. We can state these truths, but we cannot fully grasp them. We believe them because He has revealed them, and we worship Him in awe, but we do not possess a complete understanding. As Job declares, we perceive only a small portion of His ways (Job 26:14).
The greatest mysteries of God, such as the Trinity—the existence of three persons in one divine essence—are realities that we affirm because Scripture teaches them, but we cannot fully explain them. How can we comprehend the eternal generation of the Son or the procession of the Spirit? These are truths that surpass human wisdom. The vast gulf between God’s infinite being and our finite minds leaves us in humble reverence rather than full understanding.
Faith, Not Sight, is the Foundation of Our Knowledge
The primary way we know God in this life is not through direct sight or full comprehension, but through faith. While nature and providence testify to His existence, human reason has never led anyone to truly glorify Him as He deserves (Rom. 1:21). The knowledge that brings salvation comes only through faith. As Hebrews 11:6 declares, “He that comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.”
Faith, by its very nature, is trust in the testimony of God rather than a direct apprehension of Him. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Faith gives us confidence in unseen realities, but it does not provide the same kind of knowledge we gain through direct experience. Our present knowledge of God is like looking through a dim mirror—it is real, but it is not yet clear (1 Cor. 13:12).
Yet some might argue: “Does not the gospel give us a far clearer revelation of God? Has not Christ made Him known?” It is true that Christ has revealed God more fully than ever before. The “light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ” has shone into our hearts (2 Cor. 4:6). The veil has been removed, and we now behold His glory more clearly than the saints of old (2 Cor. 3:18). Yet even with this greater revelation, our knowledge remains incomplete.
Yes, we have communion with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3), but this does not mean we fully grasp His divine essence. The gospel reveals God’s love, mercy, and grace with unmatched clarity, yet we still await the day when we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Even the most mature believers, who have walked closely with Christ, still see only a fraction of His true glory. What we now know is but a foretaste of what will be revealed when we stand before Him in eternity.
Our Limited Knowledge of God and Its Impact on Our Walk with Him
Our Knowledge of God Calls for Greater Obedience
Even with our limited understanding of God, we know enough to love Him more than we do, to trust Him more fully, and to serve Him more faithfully. Our lack of complete knowledge is no excuse for spiritual neglect. Have any of us lived up to what we already know of God’s holiness, grace, and truth? Have we walked in full obedience to the knowledge we have received? God grants us understanding so that we may glorify Him—so that we might love, worship, and obey Him as creatures redeemed by His mercy. If we fail in this, it is not because God has withheld revelation, but because we have not made full use of what He has shown us. If we had been more faithful in applying what we already knew, we would have been entrusted with even greater insight.
Compared to the dim shadows of the Old Testament, the revelation of God in Christ is breathtakingly clear. Before, God’s truth was veiled in types and figures; now, in these last days, He has revealed Himself fully through His Son. Jesus has made the Father known, declaring His name, revealing His will, and displaying His glory in a way that surpasses anything previously given. The gospel shines as a bright and radiant light, revealing God’s grace and truth in Christ.
True Knowledge is Spiritual, Not Just Intellectual
The difference between believers and unbelievers is not simply in what they know, but in how they know it. Unbelievers may possess great theological knowledge, yet they do not perceive God rightly. They may articulate profound truths, yet their knowledge does not lead them to love, worship, or obey Him. A believer, by contrast, may know fewer theological details, but what he does understand is illuminated by the Holy Spirit. He perceives God in a spiritual, saving, and transforming way. The glory of the Christian is not in vast intellectual knowledge but in the soul-changing experience of seeing God by faith.
Christ reveals the Father to His people—not as a distant, unknowable being, but as a God who is near, who loves, and who keeps His covenant. He reveals enough of God for us to trust Him fully, to obey Him with confidence, and to rest in Him for eternity. And yet, even with this great revelation, we must acknowledge that we see only a small glimpse of God’s full glory.
God has not yet unveiled His full majesty to us. In this life, He reveals only what is necessary for faith, love, and obedience. A fuller revelation awaits us in eternity, where our faith will give way to sight. When we stand in His presence, all present limitations will be removed, and the fullness of His glory will be made known. Until then, we see only in part.
But even this partial knowledge should have a profound effect on us. If we truly grasped even a fraction of God’s greatness and the infinite distance between Him and us, would we not live with deeper reverence? Would not the fear of the Lord fill our hearts and drive out all carelessness in our walk with Him? If we train our souls to dwell on His majesty and omnipresence, we will be less inclined to sin. The more we remember that our God is a consuming fire, the more we will tremble at the thought of grieving Him. Even our most exalted thoughts of Him fall short of His actual glory, and this should keep us in humble awe before Him.
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