In part two we looked at that which is God’s Greatest Pleasure, Greatest delight, and greatest joy which is His Son, Jesus Christ. That love being so great that it overflowed in its magnificence and glory. Thus God desired to lavish that same joyous love upon others who could see it, feel it, relish it and reflect it back—thus He created man in His image with body, soul, and spirit. He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden every evening. He shared His love, His joy, and His Glory with them. He gave them all they ever needed; yet, it is obvious that they did not even realize what a tremendous treasure they had. For mankind to understand and to truly experience the joy, man needed free will to choose God and to choose to follow His commands. God only wanted their joy and for them to recognize the love He lavished on them. Alas, having never felt His absence; they did not recognize the magnificence of His presence. When tempted by Satan with the suggestion that God was holding out on them by not allowing them to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; they quickly disobeyed. Before that they had been protected from evil in their innocence. God in perfect righteousness knew of evil which is the absence of His pure light. Just as darkness of its own does not exist, total darkness is the absence of light. Evil is the absence of perfect righteousness (God). God who is the essence of perfect joy, perfect love, perfect beauty and perfect glory recognizes that where evil exists there can be no true, eternal happiness for the soul of man; thus, God hates evil and all evil deeds. Yet, you might answer, He allowed it. Why? He could have wiped out all of creation in one sweep of His hand the moment Adam sinned, but He didn’t. Let us go one step farther, He being omniscient; knew before He created heaven and earth exactly what Adam would choose. Indeed, Salvation’s plan was in place before the creation. Before the creation, He knew the agony that His beloved Son would endure as He bore the fullness of His own wrath against sin; yet, He created man anyway. Why?
used by permission of Ronald Barba ©2011 Ronald Barba
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5
We could say, because He is God and can do whatever He wants with creation and we would not be far from scripture. Look at Isaiah 46: “8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry”. Paul when addressing the church at Rome actually answered that very question
