3944 - Why Created? by George E. Nickels

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 24, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 50.

3944 — Why Created?

By George E. Nickels

What did God create this world for, when He saw the end from the beginning, and knew the suffering that would come upon man? G. E. N.

God created this earth, as He did everything else in all the universe, for His own pleasure and glory.—"Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they were, and were created." Rev. 4:11. But God's glory is His goodness. Ex. 34:6, 7. It is not His will that any should perish, for "as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Eze. 33:11. And therefore when man was placed upon this earth, he was given every opportunity to choose the right and refuse the wrong. It would have been possible, of course, for God to create man here, and make it utterly impossible for man to sin; but in that case man would have been a mere automaton, a machine, so to speak. Character demands risk. God Himself could not create man who would form character, and by choice serve Him, without taking the awful risk of sin. Man must be allowed to choose; and when he is permitted to choose, and chooses the evil, he himself will vindicate God in it, and will acknowledge that he has chosen that which he desired. But even tho sin entered—and certainly those who have not sinned can not be condemned because of their inherited nature—God has given grace sufficient to meet the sin. "For where sin abounds, grace does superabound." See Rom. 5:20.

Then, too, in every generation and age of the world, even its most sinful age and sinful place, some have turned from sin and yielded themselves to God, demonstrating that God's Word is true. Therefore so far as the people of this world are concerned, every intelligent being has his choice either to serve God or to refuse. If he chooses God's way, there is everlasting life and immortality for him. If he refuses, he reaps the wages of sin, which are death. God takes from him the life which has been given to him, because he has misused the life. Certainly God can not be charged with injustice in doing this.

Then, too, in this earth is worked out, for the benefit of the universe, the great problem of sin; and therefore to all eternity this world, and the inhabitants of this world who are saved, will teach to the intelligences in the universe the great love of God the Father, the power of His grace over sin, and the supreme advantage of serving God in simple faith. This answer is susceptible of great development, but this covers the principle.