The Aseity of God

Again and again I find modern Christians subtly and yet seriously mistaken about the importance of humankind. Not that humanity are unimportant in God's sight - we're of immense value to God and we're the reason that God the Son chose to come and offer him self up in our place for our sins. But the confusion arises when we put ourselves at the center of things. The creation is there for God's glory to be revealed (Rom 1) but also so that humanity might have the provision and blessing of God. The church is there to declare the manifold wisdom of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph 3) and yet it is also for us, that we might have fellowship and encouragement. The subtle lie that we've bought into is that we're the reason for it all - and frankly and biblically - we're not.

God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all his manifold wisdom, glory, power and might is the reason for all things existing - we're part of God's impressive creativity, but we're not the reason for it. This is called The Aseity of God. That he had no neccesity for us and yet he did desire us. To not have us around would not make God any less God...we're not central to his existence.

Our generation, as many before it, has in it's self absorbed narcissism come to believe that we're the center and everything is about us. And often this has slipped into the minds of Jesus church. Those who lead have a great and wonderful responsibility to remind those under our leadership that it's actually all about Jesus and not about them. When we try to win a friend to Christ we tend to tell them about how Jesus can meet there needs -all we're doing is buying into the lie and baiting them into it as well: "it's all about you". We should instead be saying "Look at this amazing God who offered himself up - he is worthy of your worship - why not give it to him" When we teach our children about being good we say things like "Be good so that others will like you and so that you will be successful" but the Bible tells us that the reason we aim to live holy lives is so that God would get glory!

We need to keep this at the front of our minds: it's not about us but it is about Jesus....because it is always, and only about him!