Absolutely right.
Psalm 147:11(NASB) "11 The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His loving kindness"
Here is the purpose of God’s creation .....man. Obedient man. It was only man who was “created in the image of God” (Gen. 1:27). All other things were created for man’s use and control.
In the aforementioned "Patristic way", I can hang with you here. :)
It is man’s responsibility then to glorify God. That’s what brings God pleasure. That’s why he created us. That was his purpose in creation.
Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
But he did not make us without free-will. God does not force himself on man.
No. I knew I was pushing it. :)
Can you imagine anyone trying to force you to love them?
I can't imagine an equal adult human trying to do that, however, I can imagine a loving mother causing her child to love her. If you and I have been good Christian parents to our young children, then they will love us, correct? But as they grow up, then anything goes. That is the comparison I would make. In my view, we never reach the comparative stage of adult child. We remain fully dependent.
We give glory and praise to God when we accept his atonement for sin in Jesus Christ. He himself has paid the price.
Amen!
This is what brings God pleasure. The opportunity to reconcile his creation to himself, through obedience to Him.
I suppose I wouldn't call it an "opportunity" so much as a "doing" for His chosen ones. I can't imagine God having a missed opportunity.
God rejoices over our repentance, because ultimately, he wants us to be in his presence for all eternity.
Yes indeed. (See what I mean by the nuancing?) :)
In the ages to come, in eternity, it’s Gods purpose to continue to display his grace to us. All who have been obedient will know Him in his fullness, and will know with certainty why he created the universe and everything in it.
In this I have eternal hope.
P.S. Thank you very much for all the scriptures. :)
Wow, we’re even closer than I dared to hope.
A couple of teeeeeeeeeny little points. If it is man’s responsibility to glorify God, then he must do it out of his own volition. A mother cannot cause a child to love her. But I think it might be interesting to explore the idea of the amount or extent of control that would be analogous to the Reformed view of God’s control of humanity.
If you’re ever up this way, I’ll buy you a large Guinness.