God Doesn't Answer To Man

”And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’”By the looks of things, even in the so-called Christian ranks, people seem to believe that God is somehow accountable to man’s demands. Man consistently puts the glorious God of the Universe on trial as if He were approachable as a peer. Such is the natural progression in a world that has systematically pressed the Lord down to its own level through disobedience and lack of authority-orientation. We see reflections of this phenomenon in every divine institution, be it parental authority being usurped by empowered children (ref. Ephesians 6:1), or governmental authority wrested by dishonorable citizens (ref. Romans 13:1). What most people fail to see is that all of this is a symptom of one simple fact.Mankind has forgotten that God is not required to answer to him. Man answers to God.Man is so used to subverting the authorities in his life that his perversion has spilled over into, and eroded, the pristine glory of God (I’m speaking in practical terms, for God’s glory is never diminished). Let that sink in…the pristine glory of God. If you read your Bible from God’s perspective, you’ll conclude that the very reason for everything exists in that very phrase. It’s why God created mankind, and the angels, even - to bring glory to Himself.This world is filled with people who are fully intent on diverting God’s glory to themselves. Look around. What do you see? I see things very clearly - a bunch of self-absorbed creatures fighting over the glory of man. The issue isn’t who wins that battle, as the world proposes; the issue is that most have lost sight of the glory of God, and to do so is to forget why we are even here on earth! While man is busy beating each other up, he is disregarding the One whom he ought really fear (Luke 12:5), the One whose impeccable glory will be the only thing left standing after the infighting ceases among His creatures. I hope you realize that through all the beauty and ugliness - things which man lays claim to have manufactured for himself - it is the Lord God who intends to use history to reveal His glory. Remember that. Everything that has ever happened or will happen in this world is something that God ordained. And in the end, He alone will be glorified. ”Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven” (Psalms 148:13).When we lose sight of why we are here, nothing makes sense anymore. The temptation is to do so, though, because the flesh demands answers but doesn’t receive them. Frankly, God’s not always willing to give them to us. That’s not some divine oversight; it’s purposeful. It demands the one thing that sets us apart from the lost in this world - faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6a).True faith glorifies God.We reveal our lack of faith when we put human viewpoint demands on our Lord. We don’t have the right. A byproduct of doing so is a litany of insecurities, doubts, and sins. The easiest way to fall off track is to forget why we are here. Agreed? When we allow that to happen, we begin questioning the very foundation on which we stand, namely, “the Rock” (1 Corinthians 10:4). Who are we to make human viewpoint demands???So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.The loftiest goal of mankind is to glorify God. It’s why we were created. Even the forgiveness of our sins is not meant to elevate our self-esteem, but rather to glorify Him.  “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). The Gospel exists to the glory of God. “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 42:8).If we can agree to all of the above, then let us consider the following question that seems to personify mankind’s attitude towards God nowadays. What makes man think he has the right to hold the Holy God of the Universe accountable to himself? What makes him think that God owes him anything at all? Why is he not spending his time learning how to bring glory to God rather than to self, or his idols?We can often most easily answer the above questions with a few more. I encourage you to ask the following questions to yourself regarding each and every moment of each and every day that God gives you to live in His purpose.• Is what I’m doing glorifying God?
• Is what I’m doing honorable in God’s eyes? Will it honor Him, personally?
• Is what I’m doing reflecting God’s character? In other words, is it good?
• Is what I’m doing an expression of my gratitude towards God? Am I praising Him?
• Is what I’m doing Christlike? Would Jesus do what I’m doing if He were me?Are these really difficult questions for any believer to answer? They are not. Our answers reveal our hearts. The truth becomes inescapable. Maybe this is why so many professing Christians avoid this line of questioning altogether. They’d rather question God (maybe even ignore Him), challenge His sovereign right to do as He wills, and discredit the glory of God by stealing some for themselves along the way.May we never lose sight of why God has created us and why we are still here on earth.“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”Love in Christ,

Ed Collins