Question from a reader:

EVERYTHING FOR THE SON?

If I may be so bold, I can't agree with your statement "EVERYTHING GOD DOES IS FOR HIS SON AND EVERY BLESSING THAT COMES FROM THE FATHER IS FOR HIS SON."

Doesn't that contradict John 3:16? I have always believed that Jesus was put here to demonstrate God's love for US, in an up close and personal way that we could understand. His life was sacrificed for US. Maybe I'm reading too much into that remark, but it really took me by surprise.
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ANSWER:
When I first began exploring the idea that God’s primary focus is His Son, I felt like I was losing something from Him! This really bothered me and became a permanent question in my mind whenever I studied the Bible. But after awhile (a very long while), I learned that God put me into His Son, and His Son into me, and included me in their blessed relationship so that I could have the same loving relationship with the Father that the Son has with Him. Now I understand that I have amazing security and infinite love.

Seeing the Bible from beginning to end really helps. Here’s a snapshot: God, from eternity past wanted many sons (and daughters – but the Bible refers to all of us as ‘sons.’), so He created a world and populated it with people who could understand Him, communicate with Him and respond to Him (all possible because they were created in His image). God wanted to pour His love out to His special creature and be loved in return. But sin came in – man was ruined. Now a holy God has to do something so He can have a relationship with an UNholy people.

Let’s make sure we’re clear about the reason God created people: it was so He could pour out His love for His own pleasure and satisfaction. It is His nature to love – He was making a way to fulfill His desire to love to a creature who could accept and respond to His love. However, after sin was introduced into the scene, this was no longer possible for two reasons: 1) God cannot be in the presence of sin and 2) man could no longer respond to God because his sinful nature causes him to rebel against God and desire independence from Him.

Going on with our snapshot:
God put together a whole nation of people (Israel) with whom He could have a relationship. He gave them their own land and spelled out very specific laws to enable them to live a holy life. Other nations could come to know the God of Israel by learning about Him from this Godly nation.

Now we know that did not happen because Israel was unfaithful to God; they rejected God, His law and all His blessings. The fact of the matter is this is exactly what the Law was designed to do (as we learn in the book of Galatians). God knew that Man needed evidence, from personal experience, to realize how sinful his own heart and mind are. Israel provided that evidence for all to see.

Now that mankind has demonstrated the extent of his rebellion against God, it’s time for the Savior to enter the world scene. He comes to 1) reveal/demonstrate the love of God the Father and His desire for relationship with mankind 2) display the holiness of God in person and 3) pay God’s required price to redeem both man and the cursed earth.

Christ accomplished these three things by 1) living a life of love and compassion toward mankind while He revealed the Father, 2) living a perfect life under the Law (as a demonstration of God’s holiness, and to qualify Him to be the spotless sacrifice), and 3) shedding His blood for the redemption of mankind.

This where John 3:16 comes in. God so loved . . . that He gave, so that men could have everlasting life. From God’s perspective, the price is paid. Now, if a person believes that Christ paid the price and accepts it as his own price for sin, God no longer has to judge him for sin. However, where does that leave him? It leaves him on earth, free from the fear of judgment – that’s it! We’re like the apostle Peter who loved the Lord but could not live for the Lord. This is not enough for God the Father – and it is not enough for us either.

God the Father and the Lord Jesus had more in mind for us. John 17:26 tells us: I have made You known to them,
and will continue to make You known in order that THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME MAY BE IN THEM and that I myself may be in them. Spoken while Jesus was still on earth, right before His death, this statement is only a peek at what God had in mind. The Lord Jesus went back to heaven to be with His Father; from there He carries on work that goes beyond redemption. If we pay attention we can experience the kind of love mentioned in John 17. Paul is the person set aside to tell us about the Lord’s heavenly work.

The gospels focus on redemption, and on God as my Father who takes care of my needs on earth. However, Jesus going back to heaven changes everything! He is now before the Father continuing His work on behalf of His own (work that is explained in the book of Hebrews) and He has sent the Spirit to indwell us. We are “included in Christ” (Ephesians 1:13). We have blessings that go far beyond redemption! This is what Paul teaches us in Ephesians.

Ephesians 1 is written to show us God’s perspective – everything comes to us through the heavenly Son now because He is Head over all things (vs10). Then, Ephesians 2 is written from our perspective – we are on earth learning to live in light of the truths of chapter 1. There is a progressive unfolding of Truth throughout Scripture, Paul brings a new revelation, just as Christ brought new revelation when He came to the earth.

God does not approach us in the same way He approached innocent man in the garden of Eden. We are only able to be in His presence because of His Son. Our blessings are in Christ – we have no blessings apart from Him. They are wonderful, rich, exciting blessings – everything God does in and for us is to make it possible for Him to pour out His love to us. But He can only do that now in His Son – the Lord Jesus deserves the blessings because He paid for them; God the Father has made it possible for us to share in the blessings of His own beloved Son – our part is to believe and receive.

God so loved that world that He gave His Son – keep reading in John Chapter 3. Go to verse 35 where it says “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.” Then read Ephesians 1:18 where Paul prays for believers, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” What is the inheritance in the saints? Christ has an inheritance and He’s going to take possession of it through his saints. It is not our inheritance, we don’t deserve anything – the One who paid for sin gets the inheritance from the Father.

Does this hurt our feelings? Well, I can tell you that I didn’t like hearing that I don’t deserve anything! But I looked at the facts and came to understand what God has done so I can have “the love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19) and all the riches that are found in Christ. I feel a lot better about this now that I understand what it means to be ‘in Christ.’

I hope we can continue this discussion – Paul has written things that are not easily understood, which is why he prayed the way he did in Ephesians 1:17-23 and Ephesians 3:14-19.

More helpful Scriptures:

Isa 43:21 This people have I formed for Myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

Col 1:16 For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him.

Rom 11:36 For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Heb 2:10 For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (He saved us...)

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (so that for all eternity to come we would be trophies of Gods grace!) (Because of Christ and through Christ)