Better than Eden

Every once and a while I will run across a passage of writing that stops me in my tracks. I decided to share one such passage below from the famed Puritan John Owen writing on the wisdom of God in the mystery of his plan finally revealed in Jesus Christ. Written originally in 1657, you will find the language archaic, but hopefully that will not take away from the glory presented below:

“Eph iii. 10, it is called, 'The manifold wisdom of God;' and to discover the depth and riches of this wisdom, he tells us in that verse that it is such, that principalities and powers, that very angels themselves, could not in the least measure get any acquaintance with it, until God, by gathering of a church of sinners, did actually discover it. Hence Peter informs us, that they who are so well acquainted with all the works of God, do yet bow down and desire with earnestness to look into these things (the things of the wisdom of God in the gospel), 1 Pet. i. 12. It asks a man much wisdom to make a curious work, fabric, and building; but if one shall come and deface it, to raise up the same building to more beauty and glory than ever this is excellence of wisdom indeed. God in the beginning made all things good, glorious, and beautiful. When all things had an innocency and beauty the clear impress of his wisdom and goodness was upon them, they were very glorious; especially man, who was made for his special glory. Now, all this beauty was defaced by sin, and the whole of creation rolled up in darkness, wrath, curses, confusion, and the great praise of God buried in the heaps of it. Man, especially was utterly lost, and came short of the glory of God, for which he was created, Rom. iii. 23. Here, now doth the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God open itself. A design in Christ, shines out from his bosom, that was lodged there from eternity, to recover things to such an estate as shall be exceedingly to the advantage of his glory, infinitely above what at first appeared, and for the putting of sinners into inconceivably a better condition than they were in before the entrance of sin. He appears now glorious; he is known to be a God pardoning iniquity and sin, and advances the riches of his grace: which was his design, Eph. i. 6. He hath infinitely vindicated his justice also, in the face of men, angels, and devils, in setting forth his Son for a propitiation. It is also to our advantage; we are more fully established in his favour, and are carried on towards a more exceeding weight of glory than formerly was revealed. Hence was that great ejaculation of one of the ancients, 'O felix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem!' Thus Paul tells us, 'Great is the mystery of godliness,' 1 Tim. iii. 16, and that 'without controversy.' We receive 'grace for grace;'--for that grace lost in Adam, better grace in Christ to his church, and his union with it, to carry on this business, 'This is a great mystery,' Eph. v. 32, says the apostle; great wisdom lies herein.

“So, then, this also is hid in Christ,--the great and unspeakable riches of the wisdom of God, in pardoning sin, saving sinners, satisfying justice, fulfilling the law, repairing his own honour, and providing for us a more exceeding weight of glory; and all this out of such a condition as wherein it was impossible that it should enter into the hearts of angels or men how ever the glory of God should be repaired, and one sinning creature delivered from everlasting ruin. Hence it is said, that at the last day God 'shall be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe,' 2 Thess. i. 10. It shall be an admirable thing, and God shall be for ever glorious in it, even in the bringing of believers to himself. To save sinners through believing, shall be found to be a far more admirable work than to create the world out of nothing.”

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It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt. And while we hopefully have not grown a contempt for the gospel revealed in Christ Jesus, it is not difficult for the story to be hollowed of its weight and wonder over time. We hear the glorious refrain “Jesus died for you” with much frequency and we celebrate the coming of the baby in the manger year after year after year, that the majesty can too easily become commonplace. In such instances I think it is helpful to zoom out and take a bird’s eye view of the plan of the Scriptures, just as Owen does here, and recapture the astounding mystery.

One thing I have never really considered in this is the future glorification of the saints is going to be better than the garden of Eden. I have often thought we would be going back to Eden; or the future will, in a sense, be Eden restored. But Owen says what awaits the church is going to be “infinitely above what first appeared” for we will experience the pardoning mercy of Christ and observe the justice poured out on sin in Christ. We will know more fully what Adam and Eve knew only in the vaguest of shadows, the unfolded plan of God manifested in: “the pardoning of sin, the saving of sinners, the satisfying of justice, fulfilling of the law, the repairing of his own honour, and providing for us a more exceeding weight of glory.” Indeed, Milton similarly wrote in Paradise Lost that the whole of sin and rebellion was allowed that God and the saints may gain “greater glory” through the mercy of Christ and the final defeat of the devil and those that belong in him. “O felix culpa quae talem meruit redemptorem” is Latin for: “O happy fault that merited such and so great a Redeemer!” And without a doubt, what a happy fault it was!

This is a deep, victorious message that we so easily lose as a result of being submerged in this thing called time, limited by the temporal vantage point of our humanity. We see patterns, we see pain, we see life continue and pass on. It is therefore all the more important to remember the timeless plan of God this Christmas season as we celebrate the mystery of salvation revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Instead of its message growing stale, may we grow in delight for the eternal wisdom of God, and a greater love for the Savior who won us so sweet a salvation.

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Owen, John. The Works of John Owen Vol. II: Communion with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Banner of Truth Trust. 2004. Print. 89-90.