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Let me lend a few textual observations as a precursor to the paragraph I wish to observe. This piece, quoted from the chapter entitled, "The Speaking Voice" in Tozer's Pursuit of God is a very strange piece for Tozer indeed. In general, Tozer speaks with great authority, only covering topics in which he would claim a certain assurance. This text, obviously, is a statement interjected as one with a liberty of being passed over by the reader. This is the only time I have ever personally stumbled upon this type of statement from Tozer, and it is interesting that the subject matter should be concerning the world of art and aesthetics, in which I hold much personal vested interest. He speaks here more specifically on the subject of human artistic revelation and the divine aspect he sees apparent.

It is my own belief (and here I shall not feel bad if no one follows me) that every good and beautiful thing which man has produced in the world has been the result of his faulty and sin-blocked response to the creative Voice sounding over the earth. The moral philosophers who dreamed their high dreams of virtue, the religious thinkers who speculated about God and immortality, the poets and artists who created out of common stuff pure and lasting beauty: how can we explain them? It is not enough to say simply, `It was genius.' What then is genius? Could it be that a genius is a man haunted by the speaking Voice, laboring and striving like one possessed to achieve ends which he only vaguely understands? That the great man may have missed God in his labors, that he may even have spoken or written against God does not destroy the idea I am advancing. God's redemptive revelation in the Holy Scriptures is necessary to saving faith and peace with God. Faith in a risen Saviour is necessary if the vague stirrings toward immortality are to bring us to restful and satisfying communion with God. To me this is a plausible explanation of all that is best outside of Christ. But you can be a good Christian and not accept my thesis.

- A. W. Tozer

I must admit I heartily agree with this proposition. Tozer's statement stands that artistic and philosophic endeavors are always in response to or questioning further the truth of current state of being or desired alternatives. Man is always expressing his opinion about what is, but all that he interacts with flows forth from the Voice which is constantly sustaining creation and whispering at all men's collars.

THE VIEWPOINT

"Now thanks be to God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ." 2 Corinthians 2:14

The viewpoint of a worker for God must not be as near the highest as he can get, it must be the highest. Be careful to maintain strenuously God's point of view, it has to be done every day, bit by bit; don't think on the finite. No outside power can touch the viewpoint.

The viewpoint to maintain is that we are here for one purpose only, viz., to be captives in the train of Christ's triumphs. We are not in God's showroom, we are here to exhibit one thing - the absolute captivity of our lives to Jesus Christ. How small the other points of view are - I am standing alone battling for Jesus; I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold this fort for Him. Paul says - I am in the train of a conqueror, and it does not matter what the difficulties are, I am always led in triumph. Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul's secret joy was that God took him, a red-handed rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive, and now that is all he is here for. Paul's joy was to be a captive of the Lord, he had no other interest in heaven or in earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. The Victor ought to have got us so completely that it is His victory all the time, and we are more than conquerors through Him.

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ." We are enwheeled with the odour of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.

- Oswald Chambers

There's nothing I can add to this.