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After another month long absence since my "sorry for the absence" post (ironic isn't it), I am ready to ruminate further. My schooling is now in full swing and I am getting into the reading. As my inquisitive mind thinks upon the books I am reading, I will post questions on the blog for your consideration.
First off is this: John Piper in his books Desiring God and Brother, We are NOT Professionals mentions an idea called "Christian Hedonism", in which he makes this statement:
"God's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy His glory forever." and "God loves His glory more than He loves us, and this is the foundation of His love for us."
What do you think of these statements? Do they comfort you or infuriate you? I will discuss this more deeply in the comments as I get the responses.
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4 comments:
It almost sounds like the author is saying:
1) G_d's wants to be glorified.
2) G_d needs subjects to glorify him.
3) Therefore G_d created us.
It sounds a little demeaning on the front end. However, I am not complaining about the gift the life, human or eternal, either. It that is G_d's will then it is what it is. I won't pretend to think that mankind can understand G_d's will, and I think it is silly to try. He will reveal it to each of us as he sees fit. It reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Meet Joe Black. of course Sir Anthony Hopkins is not talking about G_d's will but love.
Nevertheless, here it is:
Multiply it by infinity, and take it to the depth of forever, and you will still have barely a glimpse of what I'm talking about.
I probably agree with Harlequin. I think on the outset it seems pretty petty that G-d seems this way...but then again, I disbelieve Calvanism for many of the same reasons.
However I'm a little vexed by the statement "God loves His glory more than He loves us, and this is the foundation of His love for us" unless he is saying here that the only reason there is a means for salvation is because G-d loves his own glorification.
If this is his meaning, I think there's some serious Calvanistic undertones. It seems at odds to say that G-d so loved the world when what this analysis would say is that G-d so loved himself. I'm more than a little uncomfortable with Divine Narcissism.
I find we humans far too vunerable to our own foibles and follies to find much hope in the notion of a G-d who seems so much more like Zeus. This might fit with the first few commandments (a divine need for adoration), if it can be argued they have some specific relative order of importance. However I think I'd rather turn a blind eye to the possibility for fear of finding a deity unworthy of the adoration he requires.
I'd much rather hang my hopes on a less anthropomorphic G-d, and in the event I am wrong, equally hope my logic and reason are subsumed by his glory instead of his pettiness.
One possibility remains that doesn't make me skittish. Perhaps jealousy (as G-d is often described to have) is an attribute not of humans, but of G-d. If that is the case, we have it because we were formed in his image, not despite of that fact. If this is the case, perhaps we have found the answer to why there is sin, and how God could allow such to be. Perhaps no living thing can help itself from not having something it wants, and when that void goes unfilled, to turning from contentment to jealousy. Perhaps like mercy is the obverse side of the coin of justice, jealousy may simply be another dualistic attribute of love, instead of hate.
God's selfless act of sacrificing Himself on a cross in order to provide for us a way of enjoying eternal fellowship with Him should pretty much cover what is in His heart. Certainly He is sufficient within Himself -- there is already fellowship between Father, Son, and Spirit; but certainly creating mankind and then showing His love to us enabled this love to be clearly displayed. "Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends."
Amen to that Larry! Thanks for the comment. As you can see I have kind of let this blog go, but I am in the process of getting this back up and running again.
Thanks!
Josh
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