C.S. Lewis once said, "We relate to God as Hamlet would relate to Shakespeare." What does that mean? The creature can't find the Creator. The character can't discover the Author. He went on to say, "If God is our Creator, then we would relate to God as Hamlet would relate to Shakespeare. Now, how would Hamlet ever know anything about Shakespeare? Hamlet's not going to find him anywhere on stage. The only way he's ever going to meet him is if Shakespeare writes himself into the play."
I like the imagery. I get it. Using the Hamlet metaphor, Hamlet never sought for Shakespeare. It just ... didn't happen. Couldn't. Similarly, Scripture states categorically, "No one seeks for God" (Rom 3:11; Psa 14:2). Instead, we read, "The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot" (Rom 8:7). So we suppress the truth about God (Rom 1:18-21) and we are hostile to God and we don't seek Him. How, then, can there be any hope? Paul told the Gentile believers, "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12). Without hope and without God ... that describes the human race in its natural condition. That's why the "but God" texts are so magnificent. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Eph 2:4-5). "But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8). "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Cor 1:27).
Jesus "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). He "emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Php 2:7-8). The Author became part of the story. Hope for the hopeless. Grace for the graceless. Mercy where justice demands death. Amazing, "the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:7).
1 comment:
The amazing grace was the Incarnation. It is the only way we can have any real relationship with God, just as Lewis pointed out. But I think Lewis didn't go far enough. If all God did was write Himself into the story, which He does through the special revelation of Scripture, that would only further condemn us, as Paul says about the Law. Only through the Incarnation do we receive grace. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise God all creatures here below.
Post a Comment