… according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Summary: Sometimes, it helps to use a little imagination when trying to sort out what God is telling us through his Word.
Today’s passage brings us to the end of this fascinating sentence. Paul, speaking for God, explains several things:
First, God intends that his wisdom be made known.
Second, that the beings God wants to be aware of his wisdom are the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.”
Third, God’s wisdom is made known through the church.
Fourth, all of this is being accomplished because of two things. First, it is God’s eternal purpose that all this should happen, and second, it is accomplished in Christ Jesus.
Frankly, all of this is a bit like listening in on someone else’s telephone conversation. We can only hear one side of the conversation.
Who are these “rulers and authorities” Paul mentions? Why is it important to God that they should see all these things? Why does this happen through the church?
One gets the impression that before God started this project, long before the physical realm had been made, God was talking over the idea with the rulers and authorities that he created to occupy heaven with him. Maybe God told them what he was planning to do and mentioned that he already knew it was going to fail. However, God had a plan that involved Jesus becoming a man and dying on a cross.
I can easily imagine what the response might have been.
“Are you crazy?!”
Now, I doubt that anyone in heaven would talk with God that way, but you never know. At the very least, the response was less than overwhelmingly supportive. There was immense risk here. Incredible risk. Even the spiritual realm was not immune to the temptation to reject God.
All the same, God was determined to go through with his plan. “You watch,” he might have told them. “Wait and see…”
“… before this is all over, you will understand that there is wisdom in what I am doing.”
Application: One of the benefits of God’s plan is that you and I were born! That never would have happened otherwise.
Food for Thought: How can we show our appreciation to our Creator for taking the risk to make our lives possible?
Every once in a while I like to go on vacation. I like the “all inclusive” packages. All my needs are provided for. Show up, check in, and “check out” (mentally).
The last time I did this though I noticed that the people who worked at the resort looked tired. There was an underlying fatigue behind their eyes, and an underlying discontent behind their smiles.
All inclusive for me was taking. All inclusive for them was giving. Doesn’t seem fair.
God offers an all inclusive package as well. He gives all, and you give all. Christ gives all, and you give all. All inclusive; your time, attention, resources, but also your pain, discontent, fear. All inclusive: He gives you His righteousness and an eternity with Him in His Glory. He takes your death and turns it into life, your fear and turns it into peace, your pain and turns it into strength.
How can we show our appreciation to our Creator for taking the risk to make our lives possible?
Honor Him by trusting Him. Trust Him by seeking His will. Seek Him in His Word and in prayer. Let the Word live through you. Let your life be a reflection of Christ. Let your reflection honor Christ. Let your honor give Him glory. Let His Glory give you life.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.
Psalm 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.
Chris,
Thank you! Your example is thought provoking.
We can trade money for a vacation experience, but our relationship with God is worth far more than mere money can buy. In fact, there is nothing we could possibly have that God would want except our very selves. As broken and tattered as we are standing before a perfect God, he is still willing to give us new life (John 3:16-21).
Amazing!
How do we show appreciation to our Creator? Quite the big question. My quick and short answer is to live for Him. We put our desires on the altar and give Him our very selves. 2 Corinthians 5: 14 – 15; Romans 12: 1; Galatians 2: 20.
Great passages, Rich!
I especially like the 2 For 5: 15 one:
“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.“
05-25-2023, How can we show our appreciation to our Creator for taking the risk to make our lives possible?
Our eternal appreciation is shown as we live our lives in obedience to His will.
Risk is possible only when one does not know how things will turn out.
God is never taking a risk. He knows the outcome of all His actions before they occur. His omniscience rules out all possibility of His taking risks.
Acts 2:23, This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
Romans 8:29, For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Thanks Ron!
Can’t argue with Scripture! 🙂
Thought of a risk. We risk a division in our family, which may never heal. My dad’s words were, I worked my whole life trying to keep you out of church and now here you are a blanked de blank christian and with that we parted ways.
I knew you asked that for a reason!
Ron
Ron,
Your example is a good illustration of risk. Thank you for sharing! I’ve been thinking about your comment this morning, too. 🙂
I agree with your point about “risk” not applying to God. God is … God. We have no way of wrapping our heads around the infinite power and knowledge that is God. However, the “rulers and authorities” Paul mentions are not God. To them it could appear to be a risk.
As to whether God would have such a discussion with the rulers and authorities in heavenly places, I can think of two biblical illustrations. One is Job 1, and the other is 1 Kings 22: 1-28.
I don’t claim to know what Paul meant in this passage, but at least it makes sense to frame the situation as I did in today’s post. I’m certainly open to alternate views.
Jeff,
Looks great to me where it is. Greater understanding will come later and we will all be tilting our heads back and slapping our foreheads.
Ron
Ron,
Yes. That, of course, is the reason us Norwegians have a flat head. 🙂