The Bible tells us that God created but I don't recall any passages saying why he created.
Is that explained in scripture?
Is that explained in scripture?
Why Create?
- Thread starter LearningToLetGo
- Start date
Hello LearningToLetGo;
Take a look at Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. - KJV
In Isaiah 43:7, 7 every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” - RSV
Romans 1:20, 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
- ESV
This will take more than one post and deeper study to understand more of why God created everything, including us.
The why of His creation of everything and every human is precious and wonderfully made in His eyes. He wants us to marvel at His creation. He desires to reveal His glory.
This is a great question and I hope this will lead to good input and discussion with others.
God bless you, brother.
Bob
Take a look at Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. - KJV
In Isaiah 43:7, 7 every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” - RSV
Romans 1:20, 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
- ESV
This will take more than one post and deeper study to understand more of why God created everything, including us.
The why of His creation of everything and every human is precious and wonderfully made in His eyes. He wants us to marvel at His creation. He desires to reveal His glory.
This is a great question and I hope this will lead to good input and discussion with others.
God bless you, brother.
Bob
That is the consensus conclusion and I can't argue with it, but why would God care what we feel about him? He doesn't need us to glorify him.
I suspect the answer is deeper but I can't see it yet.
Last edited:
Hello LearningToLetGo;
Yes, you can argue with it because you feel that is (the, or your) consensus conclusion and that's a good start to your question. When we dig deeper into the passages is what is called hermeneutics, or the interpretation of God's Word. This goes beyond a consensus, opinion or poll.
In the mix of the interpretation of why God created, He doesn't need us to glorify Him but because He loves us He desires to reveal His glory to us. He desires to inhabit our praises of Him.
Personally, there are many open questions I still have about God and that's part of my relationship with Him, to know more about Him. Little by little He makes things clear to me.
God bless you, Jason.
Bob
"Because he loves us" he creates us, knowing many will reject him and burn eternally in Hell.
No. There's something wrong. Either I'm not seeing it, the Bible is incorrect, or God is not what he seems.
I know from personal experience that God is good. I must be faulty in my perception and reasoning.
This is a fantastic question, and I am very much looking forward to reading responses.
As I was "looking around" for similar questions, and answers, I came across the following commentary:
"So why did God create humans if he wasn’t lonely? He did so to give himself glory. God created us to live and enjoy relationship as he did. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). God in effect is saying, “Become intimate with me, allow my joy to be in you, and through our close relationship you will experience the true joy of living, for you will bear the fruit of my nature—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23). And in doing so you will reflect my presence and give me glory!” (https://www.josh.org/god-create-hum...dpSiozMwR4Zt4nLMJx-P6rA0Zb5T0BUMaAnY6EALw_wcB)
The above was adapted from the book: "77 FAQ about God and the Bible." Has anyone come across this book? It got my attention, so I just purchased it.
Rtm
As I was "looking around" for similar questions, and answers, I came across the following commentary:
"So why did God create humans if he wasn’t lonely? He did so to give himself glory. God created us to live and enjoy relationship as he did. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). God in effect is saying, “Become intimate with me, allow my joy to be in you, and through our close relationship you will experience the true joy of living, for you will bear the fruit of my nature—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23). And in doing so you will reflect my presence and give me glory!” (https://www.josh.org/god-create-hum...dpSiozMwR4Zt4nLMJx-P6rA0Zb5T0BUMaAnY6EALw_wcB)
The above was adapted from the book: "77 FAQ about God and the Bible." Has anyone come across this book? It got my attention, so I just purchased it.
Rtm
Actually, condemning the unregenerate is itself an act of love because an unregenerate person would be miserable and unable to adapt to the environment of Heaven.
When we look in the right places, and with our eyes set upon the Spirit of the Lord, we see what arises out from verses like these in answer to your question. However, this brings up yet another question as to if you are willing to consider these things prayerfully?
Deuteronomy 7:6 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth.
This is the beginning, which was an assignment for Israel to lead the rest of the world to the Lord, but we failed, and so:
Deuteronomy 14:2 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that [are] upon the earth.
Deuteronomy 28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
Deuteronomy 29:13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and [that] he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
2 Samuel 7:23 And what one nation in the earth [is] like thy people, [even] like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods?
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.
The repetition is telling, but the revelation of the enormity of it all is given only by the Spirit of the Lord.
MM
Last edited:
In other words, God created because he wanted to create?
I'm perfectly fine with this up to the point where God creates sentient beings capable of suffering. I can't see any noble reason for doing that unless the suffering is an illusion and all will be made clear upon death of the body.
Perhaps it's inappropriate to ask "why" in regards to God. God is. We can accept that or reject that. End of story.
Another way of asking this is why is creation preferable to void? For example, if God gave you a button and said, "Press this and I will create a second universe teeming with life", would it be acceptable to press the button? I'm not convinced it would be...
But we were not initially created to suffer. We brought that upon ourselves.
I mean, we do not have children to have something to discipline, right. That just happens once they conduct themselves in a way that requires discipline.
I have always believed that the Bible does not tell us everything, only tells us what we need to know.
John 20:30 "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book."
Rtm
LTLG, I don't think it inappropriate to ask why. The verses I laid out do not flow in the direction of how you analyzed them. I emboldened and underlined the key elements. It's somewhat similar to couples wanting to have children...they don't have children because they absentmindedly wanted to have children. The central core to it all is love, both in expressing, giving and receiving. Children fulfill the lives of coupes the world over who have them for the right reason rather than some social construct.
This is why I advised that you consider those verses prayerfully rather than just intellectually. Within them, and from the Spirit Who inspired their writing, the answers to your inquiry are there. Some things, in the fullness of their meaningfulness, are simply beyond mere words. Does that make sense?
As to suffering, that too is one of many harsh realities that seem incongruent on the surface of human failings in the arena of perceived benevolence and righteous benefit. We don't spank our children because it's the proper reaction to a wrong...or at least, we shouldn't. We spank our kids from the foundations of love. We allow them to suffer some things because those are lessons they will not easily forget. Now, please, let's not cast into this the myriad of rabbit holes of hypotheticals, and here's why I ask that:
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
I'm repeating that verse yet again, and will continue to do so until it sinks in. Excluding the sufferings of the unrighteous, because we are in Christ, our sufferings, ALL our sufferings, "...work together for good..." Nothing is wasted here simply because we see it as suffering.
There are many who were burned alive at the stake by the inquisitors of the RCC, and most suffered either in silence, or sometimes in defiance of the pain because of what the Lord gave to them that we do not comprehend without passing through those very fires with the faith that they had, or even greater.
There are no pat answers that will satisfy everyone because most do not seek the Lord's Thoughts and Ways with prayerful force. Those answers are there if only people will ask, and the next best thing is to simply accept what is stated in Romans 8 above by simply internalizing the fact that ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Suffering can even work good in the lives of the wicked, and thus drive them to Christ.
Do you know what's the most scary? It's when we find ourselves no longer under the assaults of Satan, and living peachy lives that covet comfort above obedience. Being turned over to our lusts is the absolute worst thing that can happen. If anyone dares find themselves in that venue, then they better get on their knees and take on the proverbial ashes and sackcloth in dire repentance before the King.
Does that help?
MM
It does, thank you, but I think we are not quite understanding one another. I am simply wondering why a fully complete, self sufficient being would desire to do anything. Resting for eternity in oneself seems like a valid option. Why create anything at all? Are we but a daydream to pass the time away?
Well, that is going for the jugular. It tries to drive deeper into the very nature of Deity, which isn't so explicit in what He has revealed. All that we can say for sure along that line is that:
1) The Lord is always consistent with His very nature, and
2) That He chose to create a people unto Himself must be consistent with His nature, possibly masking from our view a deeper purpose that is not yet revealed.
You see, we sometimes have to settle for the seemingly mundane of answers, and yet...recall in other posts I have written where I quoted this:
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Upon a simplistic reading of those passages, and the surrounding context, one may tend to lapse into a stupor of defeat, but please let me offer something that perhaps you had not considered:
Upon studying that context more carefully, one will search in vain to try and find any command from the Lord that we dare not ASK of Him His Thoughts and His Ways. Right?
It is the brave and bold soul that will dare to ask the Lord for His Thoughts and His Ways! I will warn, however, to always be sure of what one asks for, because the Lord's Ways and Thoughts are not those of men, as is pointed out in those verses. One will find himself at odds with much of conventional churchianity and what is called "pop-Christianity" of the Western world where we live. He will only give what He knows you can handle, and if you traverse that path, do so prayerfully and with regard for the written word of God, which helps to keep us from taking what He gives to us and adding to it what is contrary to what is written.
As you can tell, I have a high regard for the written word of God to us, and for VERY good reason. It helps to keep us grounded when shown things by the Lord that invariably contradict many of the things we hear from some of the most famous and popular talking heads out there. It will infect your thinking in such a way that you will see things in a Light never before seen by your eyes. He doesn't pile it into your brain all at once. The measure is always in accordance with His good pleasure, and His knowing what you can handle, with us being careful not to use those things as weapons, but rather instruments of love and devotion to our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. Bold and firm, but with the softness of loving hands.
MM
Hello, LearningToLetGo;
You've received very good answers backed by Scriptural Truth only to reply back with more questions.
Could it be that what you're struggling with is, "why would God would create and love us only to know many will reject Him and burn eternally in hell?" Is that what you're seeking an answer to?
The posts in this topic are good fundamental answers but they seem to fall short with you. I'm going to ask you to turn this around and answer your own question to your thread.
God bless you, Jason.
Bob
I don't know, Bob. I'm in a mood. Like a dog with a bone, I can't stop chewing on it.
And yes, Hell (if it is indeed eternal) does bother me, but that's not something I want to dwell on any more right now.
I found this article. It pretty much says what we already said, that God created so that his creations would know his glory and praise him.
www.ligonier.org
Why Did God Create?
Why did God create? Certainly not because He needed someone to love. Throughout all eternity past, God enjoyed perfect love and intimate communion within His ow
www.ligonier.org
Here's yet another article. I feel this one is better than the one above for it adds another dimension to why God chose to create: love.
ses.edu
Why Did God Create Anything?
Many people today, whether they know it or not, technically qualify as adherents to a worldview known as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD)...
ses.edu
Now I'm wondering about the relationship between love and glory. That, however, will be a different thread.
I think you have touched on it. What is God? An all-powerful omniscient being. Sure. Most of us see and know that. But, what is God really?Here's yet another article. I feel this one is better than the one above for it adds another dimension to why God chose to create: love.
Why Did God Create Anything?
Many people today, whether they know it or not, technically qualify as adherents to a worldview known as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD)...
God is Love. So, let's call Him Love. What does Love do? Why does Love do anything?
Love is connected to the interests of others. What is Love to do if there are no others? Love would create others since Love's purpose is to be connected to others.
Now, what kind of "others" should Love create? Robotic type creatures who respond perfectly every time? No, Love would not have much use for that. That is too easy to show love to. How about creatures like dogs who love whoever takes care of them? No, again too easy to show love to.
Love would create beings who have their own will to decide for themselves what and who to connect with. Now Love has a purpose, to show love and teach it to spread among these beings. Will all these beings respond in a favorable way? No, of course not. But from the beginning, Love prepared Jesus His son to be the way to save these beings from themselves. Should Love, God, have been more obvious, to prove He exists? Would that have mattered? Even the angels had a third deny Him and choose differently.
Love means to take the chance that some, even many, will choose their own way. But Love is Love, no matter what He does. You can't change that.