Recently in my personal bible study God has been reshaping some of my preconceived ideas. I used to think that the sin and fall of man was an accident, God' plan B. I thought he created Adam and Eve and all their offspring to live in the perfect, untainted garden forever. Unbroken communion, unhindered access with the Creator. No need for forgiveness, confession, regeneration, rescue. I thought that the purpose after the fall of man in redemption was to restore things to the way they were, because he hadn't intended the garden to be altered in the first place.
I don't think that anymore. I don't think God's original intent was the garden. I think his plan all along was redemption. Without the need for rescue how could we fully experience the depths of God's love. A person with no need of mercy, grace, forgiveness, repentance, redemption cannot experience those qualities. How could a forgiving God express forgiveness to people with no need. I believe before we were even created God's intent was a rescue mission. (1 Peter 1:18-20, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.") I don't think Jesus coming again will re-establish the garden. I believe it will be infinitely better. We will be a people once broken now made whole. A bride once dirty now clean. The friendless in perfect intimacy. Grateful. Restored. Worshiping.
I wouldn't have made a perfect world that could be marred. I would have been content with the garden. But that's because I'm not God. He had so much more to show us than could be contained in a perfect setting. He is not a God to be boxed in by man's wisdom. I don't understand why the risk of so much suffering and evil was worth the cost to God. I can only imagine that it best served his purposes to display his glory, which is the most important thing of all. His glory is our purpose and living for it is the only thing that satisfies.
Wow...I never thought of it that way...but you are right. And that scripture proves it. Now ya got me thinkin'
ReplyDeleteGreat insights Beck. Romans 8 expands on your thoughts. Apart from the fall, we could have never truly known God as Father or fully shared in His glory.
ReplyDeleteDad
"15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."