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Commentary on Isaiah 29 verses 9–16
Here, I. The prophet stands amazed at the stupidity of the greatest part of the Jewish nation. They had Levites, who taught the good knowledge of the Lord and had encouragement from Hezekiah in doing so, Ch2 30:22. They had prophets, who brought them messages immediately from God, and signified to them what were the causes and what would be the effects of God's displeasure against them. Now, one would think, surely this great nation, that has all the advantages of divine revelation, is a wise and understanding people, Deu 4:6. But, alas! it was quite otherwise, Isa 29:9. The prophet addresses himself to the sober thinking part of them, calling upon them to be affected with the general carelessness of their neighbours. It may be read, "They delay, they put off, their repentance, but wonder you that they should be so sottish. They sport themselves with their own deceivings; they riot and revel; but do you cry out, lament their folly, cry to God by prayer for them. The more insensible they are of the hand of God gone out against them the more do you lay to heart these things." Note, The security of sinners in their sinful way is just matter of lamentation and wonder to all serious people, who should think themselves concerned to pray for those that do not pray for themselves. But what is the matter? What are we thus to wonder at? 1. We may well wonder that the generality of the people should be so sottish and brutish, and so infatuated, as if they were intoxicated: They are drunken, but not with wine (not with wine only, though with that they were often drunk), and they erred through wine, Isa 28:7. They were drunk with the love of pleasures, with prejudices against religion, and with the corrupt principles they had imbibed. Like drunken men, they know not what they do or say, nor whither they go. They are not sensible of the divine rebukes they are under. They have beaten me, and I felt it not, says the drunkard, Pro 23:35. God speaks to them once, yea, twice; but, like men drunk, they perceive it not, they understand it not, but forget the law. They stagger in their counsels, are unstable and unsteady, and stumble at every thing that lies in their way. There is such a thing as spiritual drunkenness. 2. It is yet more strange that God himself should have poured out upon them a spirit of deep sleep, and closed their eyes (Isa 29:10), that he who bids them awake and open their eyes should yet lay them to sleep and shut their eyes; but it is in a way of righteous judgment, to punish them for their loving darkness rather than light, their loving sleep. When God by his prophets called them they said, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber; and therefore he gave them up to strong delusions, and said, Sleep on now. This is applied to the unbelieving Jews, who rejected the gospel of Christ, and were justly hardened in their infidelity, till wrath came upon them to the uttermost. Rom 11:8, God has given them the spirit of slumber. And we have reason to fear it is the woeful case of many who live in the midst of gospel light. 3. It is very sad that this should be the case with those who were their prophets, and rulers, and seers, that those who should have been their guides were themselves blindfolded; and it is easy to tell what the fatal consequences will be when the blind lead the blind. This was fulfilled when, in the latter days of the Jewish church, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, were the great opposers of Christ and his gospel, and brought themselves under a judicial infatuation. 4. The sad effect of this was that all the means of conviction, knowledge, and grace, which they enjoyed, were ineffectual, and did not answer the end (Isa 29:11, Isa 29:12): "The vision of all the prophets, true and false, has become to you as the words of a book, or letter, that is sealed up; you cannot discern the truth of the real visions and the falsehood of the pretended ones." Or, every vision particularly that this prophet had seen for them, and published to them, had become unintelligible; they had it among them, but were never the wiser for it, any more than a man (though a good scholar) is for a book delivered to him sealed up, and which he must not open the seals of. He sees it is a book, and that is all; he knows nothing of what is in it. So they knew that what Isaiah said was a vision and prophecy, but the meaning of it was hidden from them; it was only a sound of words to them, which they were not at all alarmed by, nor affected with; it answered not the intention, for it made no impression at all upon them. Neither the learned nor the unlearned were the better for all the messages God sent them by his servants the prophets, nor desired to be so. The ordinary sort of people excused themselves from regarding what the prophets said with their want of learning and a liberal education, as if they were not concerned to know and do the will of God because they were not bred scholars: It is nothing to me, I am not learned. Those of better rank pretended that the prophet had a peculiar way of speaking, which was obscure to them, and which, though they were men of letters, they had not been used to; and, Si non vis intelligi, debes negligi - If you wish not to be understood, you deserve to be neglected. Both these are groundless pretences; for God's prophets have been no unfaithful debtors either to the wise or to the unwise, Rom 1:14. Or we may take it thus: - The book of prophecy was given to them sealed, so that they could not read it, as a just judgment upon them; because it had often been delivered to them unsealed, and they would not take pains to learn the language of it, and then made excuse for their not reading it because they were not learned. But observe, "The vision has become thus to you whose minds the god of this world has blinded; but it is not so in itself, it is not so to all; the same vision which to you is a savour of death unto death to others is and shall be a savour of life unto life." Knowledge is easy to him that understands.
II. The prophet, in God's name, threatens those that were formal and hypocritical in their exercises of devotion, Isa 29:13, Isa 29:14. Observe here,
1.The sin that is here charged upon them - dissembling with God in their religious performances, Isa 29:13. He that knows the heart, and cannot be imposed upon with shows and pretences, charges it upon them, whether their hearts condemn them for it or no. He that is greater than the heart, and knows all things, knows that though they draw nigh to him with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, yet they are not sincere worshippers. To worship God is to make our approaches to him, and to present our adorations of him; it is to draw nigh to him as those that have business with him, with an intention therein to honour him. This we are to do with our mouth and our lips, in speaking of him and in speaking to him; we must render to him the calves of our lips, Hos 14:2. And, if the heart be full of his love and fear, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak. But there are many whose religion is lip-labour only. They say that which expresses an approach to God and an adoration of him, but it is only from the teeth outward. For, (1.) They do not apply their minds to the service. When they pretend to be speaking to God they are thinking of a thousand impertinences: The have removed their hearts far from me, that they might not be employed in prayer, nor come within reach of the word. When work was to be done for God, which required the heart, that was sent out of the way on purpose, with the fool's eyes, into the ends of the earth. (2.) They do not make the word of God the rule of their worship, nor his will their reason: Their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men. They worshipped the God of Israel, not according to his appointment, but their own inventions, the directions of their false prophets or their idolatrous kings, or the usages of the nations that were round about them. The tradition of the elders was of more value and validity with them than the laws which God commanded Moses. Or, if they did worship God in a way conformable to his institution in the days of Hezekiah, a great reformer, they had more an eye to the precept of the king than to God's command. This our Saviour applies to the Jews in his time, who were formal in their devotions and wedded to their own inventions, and pronounces concerning them that in vain they did worship God, Mat 15:8, Mat 15:9.
2.It is a spiritual judgment with which God threatens to punish them for their spiritual wickedness (Isa 29:14): I will proceed to do a marvellous work. They did one strange thing; they removed all sincerity from their hearts. Now God will go on and do another; he will remove all sagacity from their heads. The wisdom of their wise men shall perish. They played the hypocrite, and thought to put a cheat upon God, and now they are left to themselves to play the fool, and not only to put a cheat upon themselves, but to be easily cheated by all about them. Those that make religion no more than a pretence, to serve a turn, are out in their politics; and it is just with God to deprive those of their understanding who part with their uprightness. This was fulfilled in the wretched infatuation which the Jewish nation were manifestly under, after they had rejected the gospel of Christ; they removed their hearts far from God, and therefore God justly removed wisdom far from them, and hid from their eyes the things that belonged even to their temporal peace. This is a marvelous work; it is surprising, it is astonishing, that wise men should of a sudden lose their wisdom and be given up to strong delusions. Judgments on the mind, though least taken notice of, are to be most wondered at.
III. He shows the folly of those that though to act separately and secretly from God, and were carrying on designs independent upon God and which they projected to conceal from his all-seeing eye. Here we have, 1. Their politics described (Isa 29:15): They seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, that he may not know either what they do or what they design; they say, "Who sees us? No man, and therefore not God himself." The consultations they had about their own safety they kept to themselves, and never asked God's advice concerning them; nay, they knew they were displeasing to him, but thought they could conceal them from him; and, if he did not know them, he could not baffle and defeat them. See what foolish fruitless pains sinners take in their sinful ways; they seek deep, they sink deep, to hide their counsel from the Lord, who sits in heaven and laughs at them. Note, A practical disbelief of God's omniscience is at the bottom both of the carnal worships and of the carnal confidences of hypocrites; Psa 94:7; Eze 8:12; Eze 9:9. 2. The absurdity of their politics demonstrated (Isa 29:16): "Surely your turning of things upside down thus, your various projects, turning your affairs this and that way to make them shape as you would have them - or rather your inverting the order of things, and thinking to make God's providence give attendance to your projects, and that God must know no more than you think fit, which is perfectly turning things upside down and beginning at the wrong end - shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. God will turn and manage you, and all your counsels, with as much ease and as absolute a power as the potter forms and fashions his clay." See how God despises, and therefore what little reason we have to dread, those contrivances of men that are carried on without God, particularly those against him. (1.) Those that think to hide their counsels from God do in effect deny him to be their Creator. It is as if the work should say of him that made it, "He made me not; I made myself." If God made us, he certainly knows us as the Psalmist shows, (Psa 139:1, Psa 139:13-16); so that those who say that he does not see them might as well say that he did not make them. Much of the wickedness of the wicked arises from this, they forget that God formed them, Deu 32:18. Or, (2.) Which comes to the same thing, they deny him to be a wise Creator: The thing framed saith of him that framed it, He had no understanding; for if he had understanding to make us so curiously, especially to make us intelligent beings and to put understanding into the inward part (Job 38:36), no doubt he has understanding to know us and all we say and do. As those that quarrel with God, so those that think to conceal themselves from him, do in effect charge him with folly; but he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Psa 94:9.
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? [Isaiah 29:16] Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
If a man seems more comely to look upon than clay, this difference was not produced by a change of nature but by the wisdom of the craftsman. Why? Because you are no different from the clay. If you refuse to believe this, let the coffins and the cinerary urn convince you. And you will know that this is the truth if you have gone to visit the tombs of your forebearers. Therefore there is no difference between the clay and the potter.
(Vers. 15, 16.) Woe to those who are deep in heart, who hide their counsel from the Lord. Their works are in darkness, and they say: Who sees us, and who knows us? Your thoughts are perverse, as if clay should think against the potter, and the work should say to its maker: You did not make me; and the thing formed should say to its former: You do not understand. LXX: Woe to those who make deep counsel, and their works are in darkness, and they say: Who sees us? Who will know us and what we do? Will we not be regarded as clay in the potter's hands? Will the work say to the one who made it, 'You did not make me wisely,' or the creation to its creator, 'You did not make me?' Against those of whom he spoke before, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and reject the intelligence of the intelligent. As the prophet writes, I will hide it away. Now even the word of God is directed towards those who are wise in themselves and prudent in his sight. From these things it can be very well understood: 'They have failed examining with examination' (Psalm 63); since it is written about the wisdom of God: 'For if someone is perfect in the sons of men without your wisdom, he will be considered as nothing' (Wisdom 3). Those who believe that God is unaware of their plans because their works are in darkness, say: 'Who sees us? And who knows us?' But this is also said by the wise of this world, and by the masters of heretics, and by the Pharisees of the Jews, because no one understands them; not remembering what is said to God: 'Darkness will not obscure you, and the night will be illuminated like day' (Psalm 138, 12). And as his darkness, so also his light (Genesis 3). Deceived by this error, Adam and Eve, upon hearing the sound of footsteps walking in the paradise of God, hid themselves under the tree in which was the knowledge of good and evil; and Cain also, saying: If you cast me out today from your presence, I will hide (Genesis 4, 14), thought foolishly that God was ignorant. And through Amos, it is said of the wicked and sinners: If they hide themselves from my eyes in the depths of the sea: there I will command the serpent and it will bite them (Amos 9, 3). Even if someone is wise and of fervent genius, if they do not have God's wisdom and teaching, let us say of them: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the one who guards it stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1-2). Let us make ourselves similar: Unless the Lord assists knowledge, the one who thinks themselves wise labors in vain. Unless the Lord keeps our hearts in every watch, the one who thinks it can be kept by their diligence stays awake in vain. He says, 'Your thinking is perverse, to think that the Creator does not know what He has made, and that the Creator is ignorant of His creation, as if clay were to say to the potter and to its maker, 'You did not make me,' or 'You did not make me well,' and you do not understand your own creation.' The Apostle also uses this testimony in other words to refute the slander of humans and to discuss the deep knowledge of God with the Romans: 'O man, who are you to answer back to God?' Does the thing formed say to its creator, 'Why have you made me like this?' Does not the potter have power over the clay, to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? (Romans 9:20-21). In all these things, the following rule is always to be observed: that the Evangelists and Apostles may without harm to the sense be translated into Greek from Hebrew, as it seems best to them.
Scripture says to Pharaoh, “To this purpose have I raised you that I may show my power in you; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” Then, making a conclusion to both passages, he says, “Therefore he has mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens.” Obviously he treats neither of these with injustice but both with mercy and truth; in spite of that there is an uprising of insolent weakness on the part of those who attempt to comprehend the unsearchable depth of the judgment of God according to the interpretations of the human heart. The apostle refutes this view when he says, “You will say therefore to me: Why does he then find fault? For who resists his will?” Let us imagine this as said to us. What other answer should we make than the one he made? If such ideas disturb us also because we, too, are human, we all have need to listen to the apostle saying, “O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why have you made me thus? Or has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, another unto dishonor?” If this lump of clay were of such indifferent value that it deserved nothing good any more than it deserved anything evil, there would be reason to see injustice in making of it a vessel unto dishonor. But when, through the free will of the first man alone, condemnation extended to the whole lump of clay, undoubtedly if vessels are made of it unto honor, it is not a question of justice not forestalling grace, but of God’s mercy. If, however, vessels are made of it unto dishonor, it is to be attributed to the judgment of God, not to his injustice—far be from us the thought that there could be any such with God! Whoever is wise in this matter with the Catholic church does not argue against grace in favor of merit, but he sings mercy and judgment to the Lord, that he may not ungratefully deny his mercy or unjustly upbraid his judgment.
God comes down to the level of sinful men and women; the good Lord speaks with his rebellious servants; the holy one calls those who are impure to forgiveness. Humanity created out of mud addresses its Fashioner with familiarity; dust converses with its Maker. Let us, therefore, show awe when we sinners stand in the presence of this Majesty and speak. Even though we are so impure in our deeds, he draws us close to the sight of himself in the spirit; let us therefore repeat with trembling the words of the blessed prophet Isaiah: “Woe is me, for I am dazed: I am a man of unclean lips, yet my eyes have beheld the King, the Lord Almighty.”
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 29:16 delivers a scathing rebuke to the people of Judah, specifically those in Jerusalem, who in their spiritual blindness and arrogance sought to subvert God's divine order and deny His sovereign wisdom. Through the vivid analogy of a potter and clay, the prophet exposes the profound absurdity of creation attempting to question or dictate terms to its Creator, highlighting humanity's futile efforts to "turn things upside down" against the backdrop of God's absolute authority and perfect understanding.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is situated within a series of "Woe Oracles" (chapters 28-33) pronounced by Isaiah against Judah and Jerusalem (often referred to as "Ariel" in this section). These chapters condemn the nation's spiritual dullness, hypocrisy, and misplaced trust. Immediately preceding this verse, Isaiah laments the people's ritualistic worship that lacks genuine heart devotion and their reliance on human wisdom and political alliances rather than on the Lord, as detailed in Isaiah 29:13-15, where their hypocritical worship and secret plans are exposed. The "turning of things upside down" in verse 16 directly follows the accusation that they "seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD" and believe their actions are unseen or misunderstood by God. The verse serves as a climactic rhetorical question exposing the ultimate folly of such an attitude, setting the stage for promises of future restoration and understanding for those who humble themselves before God.
Historical & Cultural Context: Isaiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history, primarily in the 8th century BCE, marked by the looming threat of the Assyrian Empire. The people of Judah, including their leaders, were often tempted to form alliances with powerful nations like Egypt to secure their safety, rather than trusting in God's protection. This political maneuvering, coupled with a pervasive spiritual apathy and social injustice, reflected a deep-seated rebellion against God's covenant. The analogy of the potter and clay was deeply resonant in ancient Israelite culture. Pottery was a fundamental craft, and everyone understood the potter's absolute control over the clay, shaping it according to his will. This common understanding made the analogy incredibly powerful, underscoring the Creator's unquestionable authority over His creation in a way that was immediately comprehensible to Isaiah's audience.
Key Themes: Isaiah 29:16 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Isaiah and beyond. First, it underscores God's Unquestionable Sovereignty and Wisdom. The rhetorical questions emphatically assert God's absolute authority as the Creator and His perfect understanding of all things, contrasting sharply with human limitations. Second, it highlights Human Arrogance and Rebellion. The people's attempt to "turn things upside down"—to deny God's role, question His wisdom, or hide their plans from Him—is portrayed as the height of folly and rebellion. This theme is echoed throughout Scripture, such as when Paul addresses similar human presumptions in Romans 9:20-21, where he asks, "Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?". Finally, the Potter and Clay Analogy itself is a profound theological motif, emphasizing the dependent nature of creation upon its Creator. It is a recurring image in the Old Testament, notably in Jeremiah 18:6, where God declares His right to shape nations as a potter shapes clay, and in the New Testament, where it illustrates God's sovereign right to choose and mold individuals for His purposes.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 29:16 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. The most prominent is the Analogy or Metaphor of the potter and the clay, which is central to the verse's meaning. This ancient and universally understood image vividly illustrates the absolute disparity in power and authority between the Creator and creation. The clay, by its very nature, is entirely dependent on the potter for its form, purpose, and existence. Similarly, humanity, as God's creation, is utterly dependent on Him. This metaphor serves as a stark reminder of God's sovereignty and humanity's subordinate position. Coupled with this, Isaiah uses powerful Rhetorical Questions ("shall the work say...?", "or shall the thing framed say...?"). These questions are not meant to elicit an answer but to provoke thought and highlight the inherent absurdity and illogical nature of the people's rebellion. They expose the profound arrogance of creation presuming to deny or critique its Creator. Finally, Personification is evident as the "work" and "thing framed" are given human attributes, specifically the ability to "say." This device makes the folly of their supposed statements even more striking and impactful, emphasizing the ludicrousness of an inanimate object questioning its maker.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 29:16 stands as a timeless declaration of God's unassailable sovereignty and wisdom over His creation. It asserts that to deny God's creative act or to question His understanding is the height of human arrogance and spiritual blindness. The verse underscores the fundamental distinction between Creator and creature, reminding us that our existence, form, and purpose are derived from Him. Any attempt to "turn things upside down"—to establish our own moral codes, to pursue our own plans apart from God, or to deny His active involvement in the world—is ultimately futile and foolish in His sight. This passage challenges humanity's self-sufficiency and calls for a humble recognition of God as the ultimate source of all being and wisdom, whose plans and understanding are perfect and beyond human comprehension.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 29:16 serves as a profound call to humility and trust in the divine order. In a world constantly seeking to redefine truth, morality, and even identity apart from God, this verse stands as a powerful corrective. It reminds us that our attempts to "turn things upside down" by prioritizing human wisdom, self-will, or cultural trends over God's revealed truth are not only futile but also deeply arrogant. True wisdom begins with acknowledging God as our Creator, the One who "made" and "framed" us with perfect understanding. This means surrendering our perceived control, trusting His sovereign plan even when it doesn't align with our expectations, and recognizing that His ways are higher than our ways. It calls us to live lives that reflect our creaturely dependence and His infinite wisdom, rather than presuming to instruct or deny the One who formed us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the primary message of Isaiah 29:16?
Answer: The primary message of Isaiah 29:16 is a strong rebuke against human arrogance and a powerful affirmation of God's absolute sovereignty and perfect wisdom as Creator. It condemns the folly of humanity attempting to subvert divine order or deny God's role and understanding, using the vivid analogy of clay presuming to question or instruct its potter.
How does the "potter and clay" analogy function in this verse?
Answer: The "potter and clay" analogy functions as a foundational metaphor to illustrate the vast, unbridgeable gap in authority and wisdom between the Creator and His creation. Just as clay has no independent existence, form, or purpose apart from the potter who shapes it, so humanity is entirely dependent on God. The analogy highlights the absurdity of the created (clay) questioning or denying the Creator (potter), emphasizing God's unquestionable right to mold and direct His creation according to His perfect understanding. This imagery is also powerfully used elsewhere, such as in Jeremiah 18:6, where God declares His authority over nations and Romans 9:20-21, where Paul uses it to explain God's sovereignty in salvation.
Is this verse only about ancient Israel, or does it apply to us today?
Answer: While Isaiah 29:16 was originally addressed to the people of Judah in their specific historical context of rebellion and spiritual blindness, its core message is timeless and universally applicable. The themes of God's sovereignty, human arrogance, and the Creator-creation distinction are foundational theological truths that transcend any single historical period. Therefore, the verse serves as a perpetual reminder for all generations to acknowledge God's ultimate authority, trust in His perfect wisdom, and guard against the temptation to "turn things upside down" by rejecting His truth or seeking to live independently of His design. It calls us to humility and submission to our Maker, just as it called ancient Israel.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 29:16, with its profound assertion of the Creator's sovereignty and wisdom against human folly, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in Jesus Christ. Humanity's "turning of things upside down"—its rebellion, spiritual blindness, and denial of God's understanding—is precisely what Christ came to rectify. He is the very Wisdom of God personified, as 1 Corinthians 1:24 declares, "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God". In Him, God's perfect understanding is fully revealed, shattering the illusion that humanity can operate apart from or superior to divine insight. Furthermore, Christ is not merely the one through whom God's wisdom is known, but He is also the active agent of creation itself, the "Framer" of all things. Colossians 1:16-17 affirms that "by him were all things created... all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist". Therefore, for the "work" to say of its "maker" or the "thing framed" to say of its "framer" that He had no understanding is to deny Christ Himself. Through His incarnation, humble obedience (as described in Philippians 2:5-8, where He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant), atoning death, and resurrection, Christ perfectly submitted to the Father's will, reversing the "upside down" rebellion of humanity. He offers a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17, where "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation") where those who are "in Christ" are re-formed, no longer denying their Maker but living in humble acknowledgment of His perfect wisdom and sovereign design.