By: Chris Afekolu
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PREAMBLE
Our Universe; Have you considered the awesomeness of God?
God, by definition, is infinite in all of his attributes. He cannot be more powerful than He is. He cannot be wiser than He is. The Lord cannot be any more glorious than He is. Consequently, His personality or Self-Worth could never be enhanced by human servitude. This is implied logically in the language of Christ’s prayer shortly before his crucifixion. Jesus petitioned that he might be glorified with the glory that he shared with the Father “before the world was” (John 17:5)
God’s requirement that we serve him, therefore, obviously is not for His benefit; rather, it is for our own good. The Almighty God is love (1 John 4:8), hence, He wants the best for us. Our true happiness will be found only in living for Him, and that is why He bids us to serve Him. Let us look at other supplementary reasons as to why we, as sensible human beings, should be obedient to the Creator of our very being.
The Nature of God
The chief purpose for worshipping Jehovah has to do with the nature or essence of this Being. God is worthy of human service simply because of who He is! There are two sources of information regarding the Supreme Being. First, there is the abstract revelation of nature, which maintains the wisdom and power of Deity (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20). “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”, (Romans 1:20 NKJV)
God’s power is seen in the vastness of the universe; his wisdom is reflected in its intricate design. The evidence is so clear that those who survey these data, and yet fail to conclude that “He is,” are “without excuse” (Romans 1:20; Hebrews 11:6).
In addition to the abstract revelation of divinity in the book of nature, there is the concrete revelation of Holy Scripture, which affirms the proper attributes of the Lord. The Bible teaches that God is the eternal Spirit who is the Architect and Creator of the universe.
But when did Jehovah, himself, originate? He didn’t. God has existed always; he is the eternal “I Am” (Exodus 6:3; Genesis 17:1. Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 40:28). “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” (Exodus 6:3 KJV)
God is spirit and not flesh (John 4:24; Luke 24:39; Matthew 16:17). He is the Almighty (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 1:8), whose purposes cannot be restrained (Job 42:2). God is infinitely wise (Romans 11:33-36); {“Oh, how inexhaustible are God’s resources and God’s wisdom and God’s knowledge! How impossible it is to search into His decrees or trace His footsteps! <“Who has ever known the mind of the Lord, or shared
His counsels?” “Who has first given God anything, so as to receive payment in return?”> For the universe owes its origin to Him, was created by Him, and has its aim and purpose in Him. To Him be the glory throughout the Ages! Amen”. (Romans 11:33-36 WNT)}. His loving, benevolent disposition is awesome (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 2:4; James 1:17).
The book of Job demonstrated the worthiness of God as an object of human adoration. Also it demonstrated Satan’s wickedness in trying to steal from Man the joy of worshipping his Creator. In a mysterious convocation at which Satan was present, the Lord introduced Job, as exemplary, splendid and worthy Servant
that recognizes His Creator —a spiritually mature, upright man who was unique among his contemporaries. Satan agreed, but suggested that Job’s righteous behavior was facilitated by God’s blessing upon Job. (Job 1:6-12)
“Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land”. (Job 1:10 NKJV). In other words, God had blessed Job so abundantly, that Job would have been foolish not to serve Him.
Satan tends to portray that God is not worthy of human devotion but men serve Him only because of His blessings which Satan sees as an inducement!
Job proved Satan very wrong as the latter took away Job’s blessing with special permission from God unknown to Job. Thus, Job was deprived of his wealth, his family, his health, his friends, and his prestige. He lost everything. And yet, the blameless and upright Job never forsook his faith in God. Despite his pain, sorrow, suffering and loss —he still proclaims triumphantly: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15).
Job demonstrated this proposition: God is worthy of human service on the basis of his own nature—apart from the generous blessings he bestows. As the psalmist expressed it: “I will call upon Jehovah, who is worthy to be praised” (Psalm 18:3). We ought to praise God simply on account of who He is!
The Relationship We Sustain to Our Maker
God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7); thus Man was created by God. Humanity maintains a Creator-creature relationship.
God being the Creator has authority over man that He created. The created thing sustains a subordinate status to that which created it. Paul argued this very point in his letter to the Romans. “Or hath not a potter a right over the clay?,” (Romans 9:21).
The potter, by virtue of his status, has authority over the vessel he has fashioned. The inspired writers of both testaments affirmed that the Lord is our “Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 1:25), or our “Maker” (Psalm 95:6; Proverbs 14:31; Isaiah 17:7; Hosea 8:14).
Hence, by virtue of this Creator-creature relationship, God has a right to commission human devotion. But there has always being tendency in man to reject the Creator-creature relationship in order to justify human self-centeredness.
Isaiah wrote regarding the rebels of his day: Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be esteemed as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath no understanding? (Isaiah 29:16 ASV)
May we be humbled by the inspired Psalmist: “Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3, NASB). As creatures of divine planning, we have a responsibility to submit to God—and he has the right to require it!
The Human Condition
Another valid reason for serving God has to do with the existing state of affairs of the human family. The world is filled with evil and wickedness. Apostle Paul attest to this 2 Timothy 3:13 – “Evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” The presence of evil is apparent universally, and has been acknowledged from time immemorial. Take our country as an example. All manners of evils are committed on daily bases. Sadly even the younger ones are the key players. Ritualists on the increase, even human parts are showcased for sales. The virtue for hard work to make a living is a mirage! Rather they will prefer to use their loved ones to make money.
Our politicians go all length to acquire power for their selfish interest. People steal, defraud and loot; we call it fanciful names. What is yahoo.. Yahoo? “Someone steals and you say he has hammered”! What a depraved society? Rapist, drug-abusers and peddlers, waywardness, prostitution, insecurity, unrest are on the increase.
We live in a world where people take pride in atrocities! Not just Nigeria; two weeks ago in the US a three year baby was declared missing only to be found dead with bullet wounds. What a wicked world! It’s only our Creator that can help us.
The Roman philosopher Seneca said: “We have all sinned, some more, and some less.” A Chinese proverb states: “There are two good men: one is dead and the other is not yet born.” Paul wrote: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And John bluntly noted: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). How is this deplorable condition to be remedied? Man has never been able to concoct a solution.
There is absolutely no remedy to human distress apart from the divine plan as implemented through the atoning work of Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord declared emphatically: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The truth is, there is no abiding contentment in a world without God. That Humanity must serve God. If all God fearing brethren were to be in government or position of decision making the world will be a better place.
This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ASV)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus announced: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Those who humbled themselves and serve the God who created the heavens and the earth, who yielded to Christ will enjoy this planet’s blessings more than all others. The point is: people ought to serve the Lord for the sheer joy that it brings—not only in eternity, but right now, here on the earth.
In the midst of Mars’ hill; Greek, Areopagus, Paul said: “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:24, 25).
God has called upon man to render service to Him and thereby to receive the joy that one can receive from serving God.
All Accounts Are Not Settled in this Life – “the Day of Judgment”
The laughable thing is that man labors under the illusion that he can thwart the will of the Almighty. They do all manner of evils as if there is no Supreme Being watching. They tell you if only they could enjoy here on earth they are satisfied; even for a short period. No wonder you see money ritualists used their parents for sacrifice! Politicians are busy looting and building castles. They don’t believe there will be a day of reckoning with their Maker. Some in their illusion believe there is no dead; until it takes them away suddenly.
If there is no ultimate Judgment—where all wrongs are made right and where justice ultimately prevails—then life is a meaningless riddle. Consider the plight of Asaph who painted the picture of the ungodly and him being envious until the Lord opened his eyes to see the fate of the wicked, as penned in the seventy-third psalm. The poet had assumed that if one enjoyed a right relationship with God, his well-being always would be secure. Conversely, it is implied that rebellion against the Creator would bring only woe. However, as he considered the circumstances of his environment, Asaph was baffled by life’s inequities (73:2-9).
In this state of bewilderment, he had almost lost his faith in God. He surveyed the “prosperity of the wicked” and was confused. Though evil men wear pride like a chain around their neck, and their eyes bulge with affluence, they finally seem to die in peace. The godless live as though the Judge of the earth has no knowledge of what is transpiring on his planet (v. 11). Asaph wondered, therefore, whether his religious exercises had been for nothing. He had attempted to serve his Maker, yet he suffered hardship consistently (vv. 13-14). What is the answer to this mystery?
The writer says that he entered “into the sanctuary of God,” i.e., the place where divine truth was revealed. He discovered that the “latter end” of the wicked would be destruction (vv. 17-18). He learned this truth: all accounts are not settled in this life! If there is no final Judgment, then it makes no difference at all as to how men live upon this globe.
Paul says “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable”. (1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV)
Orin Gifford wrote: “You may juggle human laws, you may fool with human courts, but there is a judgment to come, and from it there is no appeal” (Mead 1965, 259). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad”. (2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV)
Men need to serve God because they possess an immortal soul that eventually will give account to the Creator.
God also wishes appreciation from mankind.
A humble and pure heart will always appreciate God for His providence and also, making us to enjoy the handiwork of His work in the Universe. It is a misconception to think that the Lord does not desire and expect appreciation for what He does for us. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed ten lepers who came to Him crying for help. Only one returned glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. Jesus said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine”? “Were none found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?. The one with a grateful heart was a Samaritan!
Jesus expected their gratitude, and He noticed their neglect. Paul never hesitated to give the Lord Praise and appreciation! ”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). (Also see Galatians 1:3, 4; Philippians 1:3-6; Colossians 1:3-6; etc.) These are all full of praises and appreciation!
The Lord expects man to recognize and appreciate His sacrifice for humanity? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did initiate The Lord’s Supper prior to His crucifixion and command the Christian to do this in His memory until His return (Matthew 26:26-29). Every Lord’s Day faithful Children of God partake in this memorial feast to remember Jesus Christ agony, humiliation, and death on the cross (laid down His life that we may get life). Our Saviour Jesus Christ went through this for sake of love to save Humanity from eternal death (Roman 6:23).
Paul said, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me”.” . . . For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:23-27).
After creation when mankind was deceived by the wicked Satan, He did not abandon us in the valley, He offered mankind another opportunity to life through His only Son Jesus Christ. God is worthy of our worship and praise. Consider all that He has done for you. Go to Him in prayer and express your appreciation; praise Him for His love and blessings. He will reward you for your concern and thoughtfulness.
I strongly encourage those struggling with the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to have a rethink and embrace this “Marvelous Grace”. As astute businessman will say it’s a great deal and offer which you cannot get elsewhere in the World. Delay could be very dangerous as no one is sure of tomorrow – you need to act!
Humanity owes God an in-depth gratitude for His love towards us. After Creation the Almighty God always want and maintain a Farther and Son relationship. He never called us slaves. Humanity owes it a duty to serve God, and such service is for our own good!
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