p. 581 | CHRIST IN CREATION by Elder R. C. Porter

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 23, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 37.

CHRIST IN CREATION.

By Elder R. C. Porter

BY ELDER R. C. PORTER.

JESUS CHRIST, "the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever," says: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

To lead all to the full assurance of faith by the power there is in that word to transform us into the divine character, he revealed its power in the work of creation. God through Christ created the universe and all things therein. Of Christ it is said, "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Col. 1:17. We are not left to conjecture as to how the work of creation was accomplished. God's method is plainly stated. It was not, as a false theory of speculative science presents it, a development that required untold ages for the formation of this earth, but "he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Thus "by the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."

In the first chapter of Genesis we have the record of the fitting up of the earth for the abode of man, after it had been spoken into existence. All was confusion and darkness until God said, "Let there be light, and there was light." He continued to speak, and the wonderful transformations were wrought, through the word of his power, until within six literal days all was perfect in symmetry and a paradise of beauty.

So far beyond the comprehension of human reason are the mysteries of creation, that Inspiration declares that none but those who believe the divine record will understand it. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Heb. 11:3.

He who thus created all things by the word of his power can create within us clean hearts and renew within us right spirits. He that caused the light to shine out of darkness in creation, can shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. If with troubled hearts we come to him, the "Peace, be still," that calmed the stormy Galilee, can as quickly give us the peace within that passeth all understanding, the wonderful blessing that maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it. This is the import of the lesson of creation as revealed to us in his word.

GOD IS LOVE.

The motive in creation was love for others, for "God is love." 1 John 4:8. And "thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Rev. 4:11. Since God is eternal, unchanging love, the only motive that could prompt him to create was to bring into being other intelligent creatures upon whom to bestow his love. But the record states, "All things were created for his pleasure." How, then, can it be truthfully said that his only motive in creating was love for others? Because God is love; therefore the pleasure of God is love, and the supreme delight of love is the highest pleasure of God; and "love seeketh not her own." 1 Cor. 13:5. Therefore his motive in creation was solely unselfish love for others. He created us to love us. In this he finds his highest pleasure. "Ay, love's gain is love." Christ, our example, was not satisfied to enjoy the wondrous love of God alone; but he would create other intelligent beings to be sharers of his Father's love. O unselfish Son of God, we would be like thee!

LOVE DOES NOT COMPEL.

The right of choice was granted to all. God could take no pleasure in enforced worship from his subjects. "Without freedom of choice there could have been no development of character," no heartfelt worship or service. The intelligent creatures throughout the universe, both in heaven and in every world, would, if not given freedom of choice in the service of God, stand in the same relation to him in the service as their inanimate planetary system. If man were not created to stand in a different relation to God from the planets, which were created for his home, then all were made in vain, "for thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited." Isa. 45:18.

Since the planetary system would have been created in vain if it had not been made to be inhabited, it would have been made equally in vain if it were to be inhabited by human machines, whose only service was that of eternally fixed, forced compulsion, from which they could not break away. Hence, God placed the universe under the claims of the eternal law of love. This law was but the outgrowth of his own character of infinite love. He could give no other, because in the principles laid down in the law of love was summed up the happiness of his creatures. To obey, and enjoy happiness and life, disobey, and take misery and death, was not spoken as a test of loyalty only, but it was thus spoken also because the happiness of all his intelligent creatures depended upon their acceptance of the principles of supreme love for God and confiding and unselfish love for one another.

Without supreme love for God there could be no unselfish love for one another. He is the source of all unselfish love. From him it comes to us. The first natural response in return is love to the Giver of such a matchless gift; and then comes the desire begotten of this love, to bestow love upon all about us. Hence the law, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." As long as all practiced these principles, there would be perfect unity and happiness throughout the universe; wherefore the warning of infinite love, "Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2:16, 17. How plainly is the right of choice in religious service here left with each individual! Jesus would not compel the children of his creation in religious things. His children are like him. Could we but see the unseen, and know the reasons to us unknown, and comprehend the things beyond our finite comprehension, we would always see and know that the object of all God's words to us is our highest good. So we can lay it down as a principle of universal application, "He doeth all things well." And "every word of God is pure." Prov. 30:5. Therefore it is safe to act upon every word of God, whether we understand the reasons for it or not; and it is unsafe to reject the word of God, for any cause.

[The next article will be "The Sabbath in Creation." Ed. S. of T.]