Often when children are small you have endless ‘why’ questions to answer as a parent. In some way, it is true when it comes to explaining our Christian faith. For example, why did a perfect God allow heaven to have angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home? (Jude 6). Why did God then go and create a universe and a garden in which He placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Why did God create human beings that had the ‘free-will’ to obey or disobey him? There is only one short answer concerning these ‘why’ questions and that is the glorious, glorifying resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday morning.
It is helpful when considering the ‘why’ questions to remind ourselves that God’s glory is the goal of creation and all that God has made, including angels and mankind. When God created the angels, He could have created them in such a way that none would ever have fallen from their positions of authority. When God created the universe and this world we live in, He could have created a garden where there was no tree of ‘the knowledge of good and evil.’ When God created mankind, He could have created them with no ‘free-will’ and that they would just be eternally robotic in their obedience.
However, God in His infinite wisdom decided to give His created angels and mankind the ability to choose to obey and love Him. And although we cannot speak concerning angels, it seems that mankind has many reasons to obey and love God. They could love him for the gift of life, and if that was all, then they have more than enough reason to obey and love him. They could obey and love Him for the wonderful environment God created for them. They could obey and love him for His daily provision of their needs. All this and so much more is enough reason for mankind to obey and love their Creator God and give Him the glory which He alone deserves. In fact, mankind had no reason not to obey and love God for He was meeting their every need. Yet, Scripture records that mankind was not satisfied and disobeyed and fell into sin, showing their lack of love for their Creator God.
Thankfully, that is not the end of the matter. God in His immeasurable love, immediately sets about to redeem mankind. He promises the birth of the Saviour, none other than His Own Son. And that is what Easter is all about. God coming to us in the person of His Son, being the perfect sacrifice to redeem all who would come to faith in Him through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. And now through His death and glorious resurrection, sinners who repent are forgiven and saved unto eternal life. Now we have more reason to obey and to love and glorify God and to sing His praises forever.
It reminds us of the words of John in Revelation 5 of what is happening in heaven now. They sang a new song, “You are worthy…worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise! … To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, forever and ever!”
Because of the glorious resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday morning, all the ‘why’ questions are answered. As redeemed people, we join heaven’s chorus and bring praise and honour to our Saviour God, thus glorifying His Name. Not in a robotic fashion but because we love Him for all His wonderful works of salvation. JZ