God Loves… Himself

Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 2:
“Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the forementioned things.”

Edwards, even as a young man, took his resolutions seriously. He was so committed to seeking the glory of God in all things that he resolved to be constantly trying to find out new ways to promote the glory of God. A heart that would truly resolve that is a heart that loves God with all of its being. That kind of heart is not content with the usual way that God is seen in glory, but is looking for new ways to magnify God in ways that He is glorified now and also in ways that He is not seen as glorious. Edwards was seeking to glorify God in as many ways as he could. This is a beautiful picture of how man is to seek the glory of God in all things, but to resolve to find innovative ways to seek His glory.

This sounds like Paul when he declares that “whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Cor 10:31). Paul does not use the same language that Edwards does, but surely the same heart is present. Surely it is the same Holy Spirit that has been poured out in both of their hearts giving both of them a love for God (Rom 5:5). The language of Edwards appears to have the desire to maximize the glory of God in all things and then look for other things to do the same. It is virtually certain that Paul had the desire to maximize the glory of God in all things when his own account of his desires is set out. “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith” (Phil 1:19-25).

In v. 20 Paul sets out what his earnest expectation and hope is. He wants Christ to be exalted in his body whether by life of by death. It does not appear that he cared much if he died, though he thought it would be better for him to die. We see this in v. 21 when he says that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul thought of life as simply the life of Christ in him and so to truly live was Christ. However, if he died that would be gain. He even declared that he had the desire to depart and be with Christ. This is a strange thought in modern times, and especially when Paul says why. Not only did he think that it was gain to die and be with Christ (v. 21), but it was “very much better” (v. 23). Paul was convinced that to remain with them was necessary for their sake, though it seemed that he wanted to die and go to be with Christ. However, he decided that he wanted to stay for the “progress and joy in the faith” of the people he was writing to. This shows a man with the desire to seek the glory of God in all things. This shows the heart of Paul in desiring to maximize the glory of God in all things.

This is the heart of all the people that God has used greatly. When men and women are not content to live ordinary and safe lives but resolved “to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote” the glory of God, then they are used of God in mighty ways. This is not something that is worked up in the flesh of man, though many may desire honor from men in this way, but this is something that God gives to some and not all. We should pray that God would raise up many that would have the spiritual certainty that to die and be with Christ is far better. We should pray that God would raise up more men like Luther who would be willing to “here I stand, I can do no other” when trials arise from the secular and religious authorities. We should pray that God would raise up more men like Jonathan Edwards who endeavored to find new inventions and contrivances to glorify God. All of these men lived so that the glory of God would be maximized and all appeared ready to die if necessary because it is far better to die and be with Christ. May God set apart men and women today who will see themselves as nothing but sheep to be slaughtered if God’s glory in order that they may seek to maximize the glory of God.

Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 1:
“Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory and to my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how ever so many and how ever so great.”

Last time we compared the pleasure that a person might have that is given over to sensual pleasures versus the believer given over to the pleasure of the glory of God. Perhaps that might be thought to be unfair. This time, then, let us consider the successful man that has plenty of money and is faithful at church as well. What are the differences between this man and the one given over to sensual pleasures? In reality there is not a lot of difference on one level. The sensual man lived for himself and used people and things in order to fulfill his sensual pleasures. He was essentially a selfish person that only did what made him feel good. The successful man who also goes to church would condemn the lover of sensual pleasure. However, is there any real difference?

The successful man appears to be outwardly moral and an upstanding man. Sure he drives an expensive care and has an expensive house, but he has worked hard for it. He has not spent his time and money in the pursuit of sensual pleasures so he has time to work hard and enough money to buy these expensive items. But isn’t he really just living for self too? The sensual man uses others to fulfill his sensual pleasures, but perhaps the successful man uses others to fulfill his lusts for success. Either way, clearly, those are selfish drives that have goals to fulfill certain drives and lusts that are not for the glory of God. Both men have ignored God’s clear commandments to love Him and do all for His glory in order that they may live for self.

But the successful man also goes to church. This man attends on a regular basis, perhaps is an officer or teacher, and tithes quite well. Surely, we think, this man cannot be like the illicit man that pursued sensual pleasures with every moment of his day. Well, let us think through this one as well. Why does this man go to church? Many reasons are possible. Maybe he goes to quiet his conscience. Maybe he goes because it is good for business. Maybe he goes because he thinks that he is earning his salvation by good works. But again, this man is doing it all for himself and has no real concept of living out of love for the glory of God. This man is living in sin and his sin is having himself as an idol and his own god. He does all things from self-love and not out of love for the glory of God. This man is also given over to self and nothing but self. His sin is like the sensual man but he has a cloak of respectability over it. Both men are idolaters and live as their own gods. Their way is death and leads to death. Their paths will have misery in them and will increase with the amount of sin they commit.

The advantages of an increase to man’s pleasure in living to the glory of God rather than self are many. The advantages and pleasures of true Christianity over a form of it are virtually infinite. The believer has the pleasure of being the temple of the living God, but the unbeliever is the proud idolater that God fights. The believer has the pleasure of having the love and joy of God in him. The believer has the pleasure of being the recipient of the work of the Spirit in working the character of God in him. The believer has access to streams of living water. The believer is enabled to abide in the love of God and have the love of God abide in him. The believer has the privilege of all that he does is out of love for God and others when he lives for the glory of God.

The pleasure that a believer has is in seeing and enjoying the glory of God, so that all that he does for the glory of God is really doing that which is accordance to his greatest love and pleasure. This enables man to do all of his duties (if done to the glory of God) in accordance to what he was created for and in accordance with the pleasure of God being expressed in and through him. The believer that is content with having what he desires the most (God’s glory) is always content since God’s glory is always seen in whatever happens. The believer that lives for God’s glory is doing what is best for God and others. This is simply holiness in its fullest expression since it is keeping the Greatest Commandments. The believer is able to be blessed as in the Beatitudes while the unbeliever is always cursed in what he does. The believer is able to love the pleasure of God which is real love while the unbeliever can only delight in himself which is idolatry. The differences are huge, but the pleasure in God that the believer has is better than having the whole world and all its pleasures. God’s glory is indeed the greatest benefit and pleasure for all who love Him.

Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 1:
“Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory and to my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how ever so many and how ever so great.”

The last time we looked at doing that which is most to the glory of God and the fact that Edwards thought that it was the glory of God that was to his own good, profit, and pleasure. Admittedly this seems absurd to the vast majority of people in the world today, perhaps even within Christendom. But the truth seems to reside with the minority of opinion much of the time when it has to do with the meaty things of Holy Writ. How can it be that the glory of God is what is best for each person? How can it be that it is the glory of God that is to our own good, profit, and pleasure?

We must think through this issue rather carefully. First, let us consider the person that is worldly and is given to sensual pleasures. This person appears happy to the world he lives around and loves all the fleshly pleasures the world has to offer. But is he looking at the long or short term effects of the way he lives? Sin always brings misery either in this life or the life to come and most of the time in both. The effects of sin on his body and on his way of looking at things will bring him misery. The effect of sin on the soul is to harden his heart and to make him ripe for the Day of Judgment. All of his actions are doing nothing but treasuring up wrath for the day of wrath. While we can see that the long and short term effects of sin show that sin is not what is for his good and profit, but what of pleasure? Can the glory of God give Him more pleasure than sin? While that is not the most accurate way to put the question, it sets out the issue rather clearly.

To deal with that question will require us to draw back and look at a few other issues. First, can there be any lasting pleasure without love? If so, Scripture teaches that the only ones that love are those that love God (I John 4:7-10). All those that love are born of God and love God, but those that do not love God are not born of Him. We can now look at the issue of true joy. Joy and love go together and are when they are found in truth. Trreally not found apart from each other ue joy is the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) in working His fruit in the heart of people. So imagine the man that is given over to sin. Admittedly his sin gives some physical pleasure, but is it a deep inward pleasure or one only of the senses? Can his sin give him the river of pleasure that God alone can give? Can his sin give him the true inward delight that sharing in the joy and love of God can? I daresay that there is no pleasure greater than the exquisite pleasure that the Creator can give to the soul that He loves in holiness and truth. Even without taking eternal torment for sin and eternal pleasure in Christ into account, the believer should have much true joy.

We can also meditate on the guilt that sin brings to the soul and also the misery that accompanies much sin. God has made the conscience in such a way that there is misery of the conscience when sin is first committed and then the misery that comes from a hardened conscience and heart. Sin also brings diminishing results in that it takes more and more sin to keep the lover of pleasure going. As this happens the sin does not bring the pleasure that it once did and the pursuit itself brings misery. Without question, then, if we take the simple teaching of Scripture the person that lives for the glory of God will have more true pleasure in this life and in eternity as well. It is very true that a person that is living for the glory of God will have more to live for and more true pleasure than the one that is given over to a life of sensuality.

The case can also be made that as a person goes deeper into sin that person is really going deeper and deeper into selfishness. A selfish person will grow and grow in misery. A selfish person is always looking out for himself and as he gets deeper and deeper into that practice, he grows more and more into a life that is centered on self and excludes all things that are not for self. The selfish person is seen as selfish by others and they do not want to be used by him. This leads to more and more misery and selfishness. Sin leads to nothing but misery even when the person presents an outward facade of happiness. True happiness is found by a person committed to the glory of God and the good of others because those two things go together and cannot be separated. When a person has his greatest pleasure in God, even hard times and trials can increase joy since those things are for His glory too.

Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 1:
“Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory and to my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how ever so many and how ever so great.”

The first thing to notice is that this first resolution was written when Jonathan Edwards was a young man. The second thing to notice is the link that he sees between the glory of God and of his own good, profit, and pleasure. It is this thought that I will try to think about today. Can it really be true that what we do that is most to the glory of God is also the best for our own good, profit, and pleasure? This seems like nonsense to the world, and perhaps even to many Christian ministers. Why is that?

On the one hand man is a very selfish creature and wants to use God for his own goals and pleasures. So we see many religious people praying for wealth and many other things. We see so-called preachers preaching about how God returns blessings of riches and wealth to those who give money. On the other hand, we see many who practice forms of rigorous self-denial in efforts to gain the blessings of God or even heaven. Both of those positions would seem to be at odds with what Jonathan Edwards is really saying. If we follow the historical line of thought that he followed, we can see that the glory of God is seen to be what is best for human beings as well. But can this really be true?

Let us take the case of the type of self-denial in Luke 14 where we see that in order to follow Christ a person must deny self and take up his cross in order to follow Christ. Then we are told that the person must hate his life. How can something like that be considered a person’s greatest benefit, profit, and pleasure? We see another passage in Revelation 12:11 where it is said of the martyrs that “they did not love their life even when faced with death.” In other words, they gave up their lives cheerfully and joyfully much like their Master the Lord Jesus Christ who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Heb 12:2). To say this yet another way, they loved Christ and His glory so much that it was no sacrifice to lay down their lives for their true and greatest love and pleasure.

A person will give up all secondary things for the sake of something far more important and better. In the case of the martyrs and of all that are called to practice self-denial, the greatest and best is the glory of Jesus Christ. There is nothing greater than the glory of God in the face of Christ. There is nothing that should even hold a candle to the glory of God in the minds and hearts of His people. But we must be very careful as we read what Edwards is saying. We must not reverse his order and think that what we think is good and pleasurable for us is necessarily what gives God glory. No, no, and a thousand times no. Rather than that, it is that which gives God glory is that which is best for our good, profit, and pleasure. We must never get that order mixed up or turned around.

Mankind has been created for the purpose of living and loving God and His glory. While most men are earth worms in the sense that they live their lives and give all their being in order to obtain worldly things, which is not what they were created for. Man must realize that God has no greater blessing to give man than Himself. It is simply impossible for God to bless man by giving man things without giving Himself. This should shatter the way that men think of things in modern America when it is thought that God gives money and toys to those that He loves. As Edwards said in one of his sermons, God gives those He hates plenty of wealth and earthly things. We must always strive to keep our minds focused on what is really best for other people and for the whole universe and that is the glory of God. Not only did God create me for His glory, He created all other humans and all other things for His glory as well. Not only should man realize that living for the glory of God is what is best and even most pleasurable for himself, he must see that this is also what is best for every living human being in the world. That is what they were created for. If we do not live for the glory of God, we are living very narrow and extremely selfish lives. To live for the glory of God is the best for all and for the entire universe, but to live for self is to focus on self rather than what is best for all others. The shame of it is that living for self is the worst thing for self too. When God’s glory is not lived for, the whole universe suffers. Loving the glory of God is that important.