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Is Divine Self-Exaltation Good News | John Piper
Deep Dive into Providence by John Piper - Is Divine Self-Exaltation Good News
Humans naturally resist the biblical truth that God consistently acts for His own glory. While people often enjoy personal praise and even admire arrogant fictional heroes, they generally resent egotism in reality, especially if it leads to unjust actions or the hurt of innocent people. Additionally, biblical teachings on humility from Jesus and Paul make divine self-exaltation seem entirely contradictory. However, the core issue goes deeper than simple moral objections; fallen human nature inherently rebels against any divine authority. Without the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, humans possess a mind of the flesh that is naturally hostile to God and rejects His absolute rule over their lives.
Despite this innate resistance, divine self-exaltation is actually profound good news. Rather than acting like an insecure, needy bully seeking validation, God's self-promotion is comparable to a master doctor offering the only cure, a great artist freely sharing his superior skills, or a heroic general sacrificing himself for the troops he loves. Drawing heavily on the theology of Jonathan Edwards, the text argues that God's ultimate and all-embracing goal in providence is the display and communication of His own glory. Crucially, God does not seek glory because He is deficient and needs to acquire it; rather, He seeks to share the beauty of His perfections so that His redeemed people can experience everlasting enjoyment and delight.
Finally, God's glory must be understood comprehensively. It is defined not as a single attribute competing with others, such as His love or grace, but as the complete, perfectly harmonious panorama of all His excellencies working together. Therefore, God's aim to exalt His own glory perfectly aligns with His goal to make His people fully and eternally happy.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainer
Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdw
https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730
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By Edison WuDeep Dive into Providence by John Piper - Is Divine Self-Exaltation Good News
Humans naturally resist the biblical truth that God consistently acts for His own glory. While people often enjoy personal praise and even admire arrogant fictional heroes, they generally resent egotism in reality, especially if it leads to unjust actions or the hurt of innocent people. Additionally, biblical teachings on humility from Jesus and Paul make divine self-exaltation seem entirely contradictory. However, the core issue goes deeper than simple moral objections; fallen human nature inherently rebels against any divine authority. Without the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, humans possess a mind of the flesh that is naturally hostile to God and rejects His absolute rule over their lives.
Despite this innate resistance, divine self-exaltation is actually profound good news. Rather than acting like an insecure, needy bully seeking validation, God's self-promotion is comparable to a master doctor offering the only cure, a great artist freely sharing his superior skills, or a heroic general sacrificing himself for the troops he loves. Drawing heavily on the theology of Jonathan Edwards, the text argues that God's ultimate and all-embracing goal in providence is the display and communication of His own glory. Crucially, God does not seek glory because He is deficient and needs to acquire it; rather, He seeks to share the beauty of His perfections so that His redeemed people can experience everlasting enjoyment and delight.
Finally, God's glory must be understood comprehensively. It is defined not as a single attribute competing with others, such as His love or grace, but as the complete, perfectly harmonious panorama of all His excellencies working together. Therefore, God's aim to exalt His own glory perfectly aligns with His goal to make His people fully and eternally happy.
Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainer
Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdw
https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730