Glory is to majesty what dominion is to authority. I’ll explain.

I have wrote about how glory and majesty are intertwined. Gods far exceeding value (glory) and greatness (majesty) are both absolute attributes. Every created thing gets its measurement of value and greatness from the infinite God scale. Mountains, human life and emotions for example are all judged by how they interact with Gods glory and majesty. Do they mirror Gods attributes or not?

As we continue working through Jude 25 we read; to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

I wrote about how God has supreme dominion and how because of this reality, he has supreme authority.

His supreme dominion demands his supreme authority, otherwise he wouldn’t be a good god. Plainly said, an all powerful God who was absent from his creation would be cruel and unjust!

Practically speaking there is a few ways this false theology or ideology surfaces:

Deism is the belief that a supreme being created existence and then stopped interfering or intervening with it, and instead idly sits by and watches (or doesn’t for that matter). This of course could be believed on a scale. To one extreme, everything is out of gods control, and the evil and suffering in the world is snowballing until it’s inevitable self destruction. This makes their god small in some sense, but also negates any responsibility they may have in “allowing” pain and suffering. In this manner, they attempt to solve the “problem of evil”. To another, it’s a way to reckon their scientific worldview by holding unto a belief in a god who started evolution (big bang) while denying a god who was intimately involved throughout the creation event as depicted in Genesis.

Deism is far from the proper understanding of Yahweh, the God of the ancient Jewish scripture and early christian writings we commonly know as the Bible.

Biblically speaking, Yahwehs dominion and authority can be summed up into one divine attribute. God’s sovereignty.

RC Sproul famously put it this way:

If there is one molecule in the universe running loose, outside of the control of God’s sovereignty, what I like to call “one maverick molecule,” then the practical implication for us as Christians is that we have no guarantee whatsoever that any future promise God has made to His people will come to pass.

Everything falls under either His efficacious will or His permissive will. Everything that will or could ever happen He has preordained! He has full dominion and authority!

Now, this doesn’t mean He allows it to happen with His approval. Suffering, pain and death do not make God happy. But again, He does allow it and in so doing it is within His ordained will. Obviously and rightly so, this is difficult to understand and very common in counseling and helping others. This is especially true after a tragedy or hardship of any magnitude.

In one such occasion, I remember the profound wisdom of a terminal patient. They said, “I know this cancer and my imminent death are in Gods good and perfect will, because He says everything is. Yes, He has the power and authority to remove it and to miraculously heal me, but that’s only in a moment, and that moment will come in glory. In this life He has exercised His power and authority in a way of love and mercy that has sustained me along this journey, and He will redeem many hearts through the faith He has gifted me along the way.”

I have never heard such strength come from someone so frail! All hope. No resentment or anger. Just worship.

When we recognize God for His divine attributes, like His power and authority we realign our hearts to Him. We offer a true sacrifice of our own flesh, desires, wants and needs. Although their is pain in our offering, He is faithful.

As counselors, chaplains, parents, spouses, leaders, coworkers – whatever we may be – we have the high calling of bearing each others burdens and ministering to one another. We must remember we are not our own, even in our freedom (from sin and death) we are under His authority, and He has commanded us to love our neighbor.

Galatians 5:13–14

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, ”You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

I love CCEF and what they have done to equip the church for biblical counsel and care. I recommend this free audio and self study materials on 2 Corinthians 1: 3-22.

If you need encouragement today, or know someone who is struggling or in the midst of suffering and don’t know where to begin, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Peace be with you.