The existence of the world and our own existence are in no sense vital to God, not even as the object of His love. The eternal generation of the Son by the Father tells us first and supremely that God is not all lonely even without the world and us. His love has its object in Himself ...
Only when we are clear about this
Can we estimate what it means
That God has actually,
though not necessarily,
created a world and us,
That His love actually,
though not necessarily,
applies to us,
That His Word has actually,
though not necessarily,
been spoken to us...
We evaluate this purposiveness correctly, only, if we understand it as the reality of the love of the God who does not need us but who does not will to be without us, who has directed His love specifically on us.
Church Dogmatics I/1, 139-40.
We exist not because God needs us or because he thinks we'll make good company, in fact we are totally unnecessary. We exist because God wants us to exist, to simply act as recipients of his freely given grace and love.
Wow.Hat tip to my brother who first gave me the idea of reading and presenting trinitarian theology as poetry. It kinda works!
10 points for the city where you'll find this brick mural. Points still on offer from the previous post.
6 comments:
Newcastle, I reckon
Nope...but keep thinking north
It's in Sheffield!
Talking about what God does or doesn't need can be quite confusing, and I wonder whether it actually means anything. I'd rather not say we a necessary or unnecessary, simply that God has made us.
The other day I saw an Australian preacher, on the Australian Christian Channel, saying kind of the opposite. "You're the best thing that ever happened to God." Other highlights of this sermon included, "Your rule your life now!" What would Karl say?
- Ben
Hey, I was there for that theology-as-poetry recital from Big Brother!
Ha ha!!! Yeah ... its about time someone gave him recognition for it. Apparently after that class Doylie went back into the faculty lounge and waxed lyrical about what a great job Tim Bowden did in converting the prose of TF Torrance into poetry. No justice.
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