We fail to recognize that really our greatest pleasure, joy, and hope in this life is found in a close relationship with God our creator. He designed us to live in relationship with Him. The more we know of Him, the more joyous and peaceful our life will be. As we come to see the Glory of God in all His attributes, our greatest pleasure is realized. Hence, that pleasure reflects back to Him, shining forth the Glory of God like a beam of eternal light into the darkness of this world.
In the End for Which God Created the World, Jonathan Edwards wrote, “In the creature’s knowing, esteeming, loving, rejoicing in, and praising God, the glory of God is both exhibited and acknowledged, his fullness is received and returned. Here is both an emanation and remanation (returning, reabsorption). The refulgence shines upon and into the creature and is reflected back to the luminary. The beams of glory come from God, are something of God, and are refunded back again to their original. So that the whole is of God, and in God, and to God; and he is the beginning, and the middle, and the end.”
The Glory of God in Creation
He spoke and in a second of time, all the universes came into being. God, the triune head (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Elohim spoke and upon His Word, the earth was formed. “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” John 1:1. Each detail laid out in preparation for His masterpiece which was man. With such detail He also formed the perfect helpmate in the beauty of a woman to complement—the perfect couple. Of everything He created, He said “and it was very good.”
Yet, by Genesis 3, this perfectly good man and woman who had no sin within them fell by disobeying the one command God had given them. You see God knows that the greatest love must also involve choice to love. God is Sovereign and could have prevented this; yet He chose to proceed.
C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity wrote:
“God created things which had free will. That means creatures can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata-of creatures that worked like machines-would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each in an ecstasy of love delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water. And for that they must be free
C. S. Lewis [1]
The Glory of God enlarged by Choice
Without free will, we could never understand nor experience perfect love, joy, hope, or glory. Instead, we would be like robots wandering about the planet with no depth of feeling and no reasoning. Lewis goes on to say:
Of course, God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently, He thought it worth the risk. Perhaps we feel inclined to disagree with Him. But there is a difficulty about disagreeing with God. He is the source from which all your reasoning power comes: you could not be right, and He wrong any more than a stream can rise higher than its own source. When you are arguing against Him you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all: it is like cutting off the branch you are sitting on.If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for free will—that is, for making a live world in which creatures can do real good or harm and something of real importance can happen, instead of a toy world which only moves when He pulls the strings—then we may take it is worth paying.[2] (C. Lewis 1952)
The Glory of God Hates Evil; yet allowed it for our Greatest Pleasure and His Glory
Therefore, God was never the author of evil. Y et, when given the freedom to choose, Adam chose sin through his own volition. Every human being since then is presented with the same choice. Since we are free to choose. We no longer can we blame God. Rather it is our own choice. Indeed, God could have brought immediate judgment upon the earth; after all, He could see through the corridors of time all the evil that men and women would choose. However, He also could see through the corridors of time, everyone who would accept His gift of salvation. His overwhelming love for each one of them caused Him to stay His hand of judgment. He continues to steady His hand, today. Had He not, you nor I would be here to even discuss this.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN GRACE
He could have just turned His back upon the whole of creation. However, He did not do that either. Instead, He provided a way for man to choose Him through faith. From Genesis until now; God has provided a way for mankind to be saved from the evil within their own hearts and the world around them, through faith in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament looked forward to His coming by faith; and we, look back to see His completed work. As Paul presented in Romans, everyone is given a chose; because, God reveals Himself to each. Read Paul’s defense:
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: … it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth …. therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator. (Romans 1:16-25).
Sovereignty Vs Prayer
I see the free will vs God’s Sovereignty much as I do God’s Sovereignty vs Prayer. Never am I not to pray earnestly, believing that prayer changes things. God commands as much. Yet, in that same moment I know God is Sovereign and already has a plan in place. His Omniscience already knows the answer. Just because, I am confined within this time/space continuum of humanity on earth does not negate that both are true at the same time with the same magnitude.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
My salvation He orchestrated, planned, and carried out. 100% it was His grace and nothing that my guilty hands could have performed. He compelled my heart to desire and want Him. And now it is He who transforms my heart. Yet, each day He gives me the freedom to choose His word, His presence or to leave His love letters laying idle on the shelf. Even then, He will accomplish all that He has planned in my life. Much like the children of Israel who so often rebelled, worshiped idols, and walked away from God. Yet, that did not thwart God’s plan that He would bring salvation through the seed of Abraham to all who would believe, both Jew and Gentile
The Glory of God in Redemption
Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn[ over all creation,
16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.
17 He himself is before all things and all things are held togetherin him.
18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstbornfrom the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.
19 For Godwas pleased to have all hisfullness dwellin the Son
20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1 (NET)
The Glory of God is our Greatest Pleasure
For the Almighty God, who, as even the heathen acknowledge, has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if He were not so omnipotent and good that He can bring good even out of evil”[3] (Augustine 1961)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ (Philippians 3:8).
God has a purpose and a plan which is for our good. Evil exists in this world; yet, without it would I really know the ecstasy of knowing Jesus. Only God can take a broken life, filled with wrong choices, and still make it one filled with hope, love and joy.
So, in this world so desperately in need of hope and real joy, we must take time to learn of Him. That is why we are embarking on this journey together this year.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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[1] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (New York: HarperCollins, 1952), 47-48
[2] Lewis, Christianity, 47-48
[3] Augustine, Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love, trans. J.F. Shaw, (Chicago: Henry Reguery, 1961), 11