How God Finds Glory In Our Fall

The Westminster Shorter Catechism is oft-considered to be one of the best doctrinal statements of Presbyterianism. It explains that "man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." In a similar vein, John Piper, a famous Baptist minister, is a leading proponent of an interesting philosophy called "Christian hedonism." This worldview teaches that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep our eyes on Christ in a fallen world. Our worldly instincts lead us to desire all of the glory for ourselves. Even our most noble actions are laced with our own selfish interests. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Indeed, we are in desperate need of a Savior!

Often times, people will ask, "Why is it like this? Why would God ever have allowed the Fall to happen?" In their minds, there is disbelief that a loving God could have ever ordained (or even allowed) the Fall to happen. The Scriptures promise that "God will not act wickedly," but some people point to the Fall and question God's goodness.

So why would God have allowed the Fall?

In order to answer this question, perhaps it may prove valuable to consider another question. If Adam had managed to maintain his own righteousness and innocence, then who would have received all of the glory for his accomplishment? The answer: Adam would have received the glory, and the relationship between man and God would have never been elevated to levels of unthinkable love.

Through Christ, the Fall has been transformed into an amazing story of our redemption. This story has brought matchless glory to God and unthinkable honor to mankind. God receives more glory as a Redeemer than as a Creator. Likewise, mankind is elevated and honored by the immeasurable demonstration of God's love on the Cross. All of redemptive history centers around the amazing fact that God has loved us to death -- literally.

Thus, it should not surprise us that God is most delighted when we recognize the cost of His affection and we rejoice in the gift of His righteousness.

God has chosen to be glorified by suffering a fate worse than any man in order to redeem us. He is the source of all of our goodness, and we have nothing of which to boast. In the book of Isaiah, He declared, “Then all your people will be righteous ... that I may be glorified.” Some may curse God for allowing the Fall, but a Christian can view the Fall as the means by which Christ has revealed our value in His sight. We are worth the very life and blood of God's own Son!