The Lie That The Fall Ruined God's Plans – Part 1 of 2

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Consider the possibility that the fall of mankind was planned from the beginning. Could God have wanted Eve to pick that fatal fruit? Join us on a mind-expanding journey into God's intentions for the new human race, a journey that may not go where you think.

Stay with us. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. We're in a series on ten lies about God and why you might already be deceived. Pastor Lutzer, today you're addressing lie number eight, that the fall ruined God's plans.

Is that even possible? You know, Dave, I'm going to pick up on a word that you just used in your intro. You said that it is mind-blowing.

That, of course, is two words, actually, and I need to emphasize that it is. Most people have never thought of this. Most people think to themselves God hoped that Adam and Eve wouldn't sin, and when they did, he came along and picked up the pieces. But actually, what I argue is that God created in order that he might redeem.

That has huge implications. And this is part of a book I've written entitled, Ten Lies About God, and I do believe that this book is going to expand your knowledge of God, help you to understand God better, and at the end of this program, I'm going to be giving you some contact info as to how this book can be yours. But yes, the Bible says that Christ was crucified from before the foundation of the world.

It does take your breath away, but of course, it should be that way because we're talking about the God of Scripture. I think we'd all agree that sin certainly ruined paradise. But I have a question for you today. Did sin also ruin God's eternal plan? The average person thinks that God had this plan, that Lucifer was created as an angel, and angels, of course, were to serve God, which they did, and it was God's intention that everything go on well, and then man would be created, and he would serve God, and there be no sin in the universe, and everything be happy, happy, and joyful. That was plan A. But because he gave Lucifer and man free will, the argument goes, therefore, they fell and they misused their free will, unfortunately, and so God said, since plan A didn't work out, I'm going into plan B, and what I'm going to try to do is to clean up the mess, and this isn't what I intended, but I'm going to redeem and do the best I can to reverse the curse.

That's the way it's generally understood. Well I want you to know today that I think that that's a misreading of the Bible. I'm going to be saying, and I know that this is difficult to take, but I already prayed in advance that you would have ears to hear. I'm going to take the point of view, which I think I can show you from the scriptures, that this is plan A.

This was God's intention. You say, wait a moment. I can't accept that, you say, and then the objections begin to come, and I already know what you're thinking, so to preempt your thoughts, I'll tell you what you're thinking.

Two things. First, well, are you telling us that we are just robots? Are you telling us that this whole scheme was laid out and everybody just falls in place and we are puppets on a string and God just pulls those strings and therefore we are playacting?

Is that what you're saying? That's your first question. The second question that you ought to be asking, if you aren't, is what does this say to us about God? A God who would choose this scheme with all of this horrendous evil, with all of this gratuitous suffering, what does this say about him?

Can I trust a God like that? Well, as you know, this is a series of messages entitled 10 lies about God and how you might already be deceived. We've discussed the lie that God is whomever we want him to be, the lie that he can be approached by anyone at any time in any way, the lie that he's more tolerant than he used to be, the lie that he has never personally suffered, the lie that he is obligated to save followers of other religions, that he takes no responsibility for natural disasters, and last time, the lie that he cannot foresee the decision that free creatures make. Today we come to lie number eight, the lie that the fall ruined God's eternal plan. Now I have to warn you that today we are going to go through some deep theological waters.

I hope that you brought perhaps, if not swimwear, at least some wading boots because there are going to be times when we might not be able to touch the bottom and we're going to have to swim. But I'm so glad that you are here. And the reason that I am preaching this message is because, first of all, I want us to be able to worship God as we have never worshiped him before. That's the goal, the primary goal. The secondary goal is that by the time this message is over, hopefully that we will be able to trust him as we have never been able to trust him, accepting both the bitter providences that come into our lives as well as the pleasant ones, that we will truly believe and trust and love him. That is the goal of this message. That's where we are headed.

But between there and here, we have some territory to traverse. So I want you to relax. I know that I am preaching and you are listening and you don't have the opportunity to talk back to me. At least I encourage you not to accept very silently. But I wish actually that this were a discussion just in our living room between you and me. I want you to pretend for the next few moments that you are the only person listening to this message.

And I am looking into your eyes and I'm doing most of the talking, but I am anticipating some of the problems that you're going to have. So it turns out to be more of a dialogue than you might have at first suspected. Let's just relax and think about God when he existed all alone. Before there were stars, before there were angels, before worlds were spun into existence, before humanity, all that there existed was just God, the Trinity. Now you know, as we've been emphasizing in this series of messages, God did not choose the attributes that he has. He didn't wake up someday and say, I want to be merciful and holy and loving and just.

That's who he is. He didn't say to himself, I'd like to be a Trinity. He was a Trinity. And God in that state was totally complete. Did he have great lacks?

No. The apostle Paul said on Mars Hill, God is not served by human hands as if he needed anything. The fellowship in the Trinity was so special and so unique and the wonder of his beauty occupied him and God was indeed content. Now, if you ask the question, well, first of all, how long was it that God was in existence from eternity past of course, and how many eons passed by before he created the worlds? Or if you say, what was he actually doing before he created the world? Then I can do no better than to quote the words of the great theologian, Calvin, who said he was preparing a hell for people who ask those questions. Nobody knows.

He hasn't seen fit to tell us. But according to Jonathan Edwards, another great theologian, he said that the reason that God created is that it was a spillover of his own glory. It was just like a fountain that was about to burst. And God said, I want to create the stars and I'll create billions of them that I want to create the worlds and so forth. And so God made the decision to create. Why did he create?

However, that's the question. Well, I want you to know that the Bible to that question gives a consistent answer in dozens of verses. For example, it says in Isaiah 43 verse seven, bring my sons from afar, daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name whom I created for my glory, for his glory. You'll notice the scripture says in Jeremiah, why did he elect Israel to be my people so that I might receive praise and honor? Why is it that he redeemed them out of Egypt? The scripture says he saved them for his name's sake to make his power known. Why did Jesus come to this earth? In Romans chapter 15, Jesus said that he came to die to win praise for God from among the Gentiles. And why did Jesus die on the cross? Paul says in the book of Romans, God set forth Christ to declare his righteousness.

That was the first purpose of the cross. And if you ask the question, why does God even lead us? He leads us in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

And why is it that Jesus is coming back to earth and flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power when he comes to be glorified in his saints and to be admired? My new NIV I think says to be marveled at among those who believe God is relentlessly consistently self-serving. His glory is what matters. You say, well, isn't that selfish? I mean, how can God be so self-absorbed?

And that's not too strong a term at all. Well, think it through. He has to be because obviously if he is God and if he is a good God, he is going to value that which is of highest value. As John Piper has pointed out in some of his books, God values himself because there is nothing else in the universe that is more valuable than God. And so of course he values himself.

The reason that self-exorption is so wrong for us is because we are valuing something that is second rate. We are valuing the creation rather than the creator. And that's why God invites us to join him in the adoration and praise and value that he attaches to himself and that is the purpose of it all.

You say, well, where do we fit in? Is he loving and so forth? I need to remind you that the next message in this series deals with the lie that we have to choose between God's pleasures and our own where I hope to show that if we choose the greatest pleasure, we will choose God's will and God's way. So here we have God. Why did he create for his glory? Why did he create for Christ? It says in the book of Colossians, by him were all things created. Look at how exhaustive this verse is. By him were all things created, whether visible or invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him.

I'm not going to, but I would like to say 10 times in a row by him and for him, by him and for him. Now, let's go back and think of God. Here he is. He's omnipotent, all power. Our God is in the heavens.

He has done whatsoever he has pleased. Imagine having the power to do whatever it is you want to do. And by the way, I cannot stop here to discuss all of these theological issues, so I'm just throwing these things as we go through. But it would have been possible, you know, for God to create beings who would always worship him, who would always desire him, who would always serve him like the good angels or like we're going to be in heaven. There's nothing that stands in God's way. His options, so far as we know, were limitless. So here's a God with awesome power. Here's a God with awesome knowledge because he knows all things.

You can take the message that we preached last time and put it right here. There is nothing that can catch him off guard or take him by surprise. Our plans are sometimes frustrated, aren't they, because of lack of knowledge.

We plan to go on a vacation and what we don't know is one of the children is going to be sick and we're going to have to stay home. We go to the hospital to visit somebody, as happened to me once, and then discovered that he had already died the preceding day. Our plans are constantly subject to the fact that we don't know the future. God does not have such limitations. Omnipotent, all powerful. Omniscient, knowing all things. Omnipresent, not even the heaven of heavens can contain these, said Solomon, much less this house that I have built. There is no place in the universe where there could possibly be a meeting in some dark smoke-filled room where some beings are getting together to hatch a plot and they have barred God out.

He is everywhere. Now it's time for me to relax and to look into your eyes and ask you a question. Are you telling me that that God that we're speaking about is going to make a plan that is going to be frustrated and will not work out that he has to adjust to and do his best with? Is that what you're telling me? I think I'd be more encouraged if you were to say, no, Pastor, that's not what I'm telling you, but rather what I'd like to do is to quote the words of Job who says, I know thou canst do all things and no plan of thine can be thwarted.

Wow, I love that. There are three links in the chain that we're discussing today. The first link is the link of creation and we've already covered it. Let's go on to a second link in God's causal interconnected purposes.

The second link is redemption. And for this, I do invite you to take your Bibles and turn to the first chapter of the book of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter one. You'll notice that the Apostle Paul here, he writes this book with a sense of awe and adoration of God.

Every single phrase, particularly in chapter one, is filled with all kinds of meaning. You know, you read this and you know that no man could have written this without the inspiration and the wisdom of God. Paul says, praise be unto God, verse three, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in the heavenly realms in Christ with every spiritual blessing, for he chose us in him before the creation of the world. Notice that, to be holy and blameless in his sight. Here, what the Apostle Paul does is he brings together the first link in God's chain called the creation and he tells us that even before the creation of the world, before Adam and Eve, before Eve was overcome by the beautiful fruit, God chose us in him to be holy and perfect and so forth. God already had his people in mind having been redeemed. What is it that I'm saying to you today?

Well, to be as clear as I possibly can, the purpose of creation was redemption because when God created, his redemptive purposes were already in place. The scripture says in 2 Timothy chapter one verse nine that God has shown us grace, catch this now, from all eternity. And in case we have a skeptic with us today who is still wondering, would you continue in the book of Ephesians and look at chapter three and I'm going to pick it up at verse seven. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given to me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all of God's people, this grace was given to me to preach to the Gentiles. I love this phrase, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul says there's no way that you can plumb the depths.

That's why I said that today we're walking through some deep water. The unsearchable riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past, past ages, was kept hidden in God who created all things. And why did he create? His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realm.

The fact that the church would be redeemed, the fact that Jew and Gentile would be brought together. This wisdom was to be known, not just to the good angels, but also the bad ones. That's the expression in the book of Ephesians regarding the heavenly realms. And notice now, according to his eternal purpose, his eternal purpose, it was already then rooted in God that the church would exist, that Jew and Gentile would be brought together, that there would be a redeemed people.

It was from all eternity. That's why the Bible says in the 13th chapter of the book of Revelation, it speaks of those whose names were written in the Lamb's book of life from before the foundation of the world. You say, yeah, but what about, you know, and I may be talking here to somebody who is not a Christian. You are interested in religion. You're interested in Christ.

You must have some interest because you're listening to this message. But you say, see, is this some kind of a small little select group? And if I'm not a part of it, then I can't get in on it or whatever. So glad you were thinking that way so that it gives me a chance to respond to you and to say, look, don't you dare use these passages as an excuse because the Bible makes it very clear that you can find out whether or not you're a member of this select company. And that is by simply humbling yourself and placing your confidence and trust in Jesus Christ and therefore proving that you are indeed among those that we have been talking about. And the invitation, of course, is to all people. And I not only recommend that you do it, I urge you to do it. I implore you to give up all hope of saving yourself and transferring your trust to Christ alone, proving the fact the scripture says, make your calling and election sure, proving the fact that you belong to God.

If you humble yourself and accept Christ, you can be a member of that company. Well, we're making progress, folks. The first link in God's chain is creation. The purpose of creation is redemption so that God's glory could be seen, so that God's justice could be seen, so that God's love could be seen in redeeming humanity. And there's a third link in the chain, and that is the link that we call consummation, the way in which it is all going to end. And I'm picking it up at verse nine. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. Well, my friend, this is Pastor Lutzer, and I certainly hope that you listen to Running to Win next time so that you hear the conclusion of this message. And of course, I do believe that the book I've written entitled 10 Lies About God is not only going to expand your knowledge of God, but to help you to understand that God has a plan and it is being worked out. And as I like to emphasize, the sovereignty of God should never lead us to despair.

It should never lead us to simply relax and to become very fatalistic, if I can put it that way, but rather a great motivation that we are on the winning side. For a gift of any amount, you can receive the book 10 Lies About God. Once again, I hope that you have a pen or pencil handy. This is what you can do. Go to RTWOffer.com.

That's RTWOffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. I want to thank the many of you who pray for us, the many of you who support this ministry. This is not the ministry of a man or an organization. It is your ministry collectively as the body of Christ. Thank you for partnering with us. Once again, go to RTWOffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. And as you have frequently heard me say together to the glory of God, we are making a difference.

You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60614. So ask yourself, did the fall ruin God's plans? Well, the answer has to be no, because nothing can ruin God's plans. What are the implications for you and for me?

And how do we balance God's sovereignty with man's responsibility? To find out, don't miss our next edition of Running to Win. Thanks for listening. This is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.