God Designs His Self Exaltation (Clip)
John Piper explains that God's self-exaltation is not contradictory to His love but is the highest expression of it, revealing that God’s glory is the ultimate treasure for our joy.
This sermon delves into the concept that for God to truly love us, He must reveal the fullness of His glory for our eternal joy, which includes His self-exaltation. Unlike humans, God's self-exaltation is not a contradiction to His love but rather the highest virtue and act of love. Attempting to exalt ourselves is considered blasphemy, as only God is truly worthy of exaltation and is the sole satisfaction for our souls.
Full Transcript
In order to love us, God must display to us for our own everlasting joy the fullness of His glory, which is why it's not a contradiction for God in all the designs of His love to be designing His self-exaltation. He is the only being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the highest virtue and the most loving act. If you copy Him in this, you blaspheme.
You cannot exalt yourself and call it love because you're not worth it. But He exalts Himself and calls it love because He is worth it. He is the only treasure that will satisfy our souls.
Therefore, He's the one being that must be radically self-exalting as He is radically loving because they're the same.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God’s love is designed to display His glory
- Self-exaltation is essential to God’s loving nature
- God’s glory is the ultimate treasure for our joy
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II
- Human self-exaltation is blasphemous and unworthy
- God alone is worthy of radical self-exaltation
- God’s self-exaltation and love are inseparable
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III
- Understanding God’s self-exaltation deepens our worship
- Our joy depends on recognizing God’s worthiness
- Imitating God’s love requires humility, not self-exaltation
Key Quotes
“God is the only being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the highest virtue and the most loving act.” — John Piper
“You cannot exalt yourself and call it love because you're not worth it. But He exalts Himself and calls it love because He is worth it.” — John Piper
“He is the only treasure that will satisfy our souls.” — John Piper
Application Points
- Find your ultimate joy in God’s glory rather than in self-exaltation.
- Avoid the temptation to elevate yourself and instead humbly worship God’s worthiness.
- Recognize that God’s love is perfectly expressed through His self-exaltation and let that shape your understanding of true love.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does God exalt Himself?
God exalts Himself because He alone is worthy, and His self-exaltation reveals His love and brings us everlasting joy.
Is self-exaltation always wrong?
Self-exaltation is wrong for humans because we are not worthy, but for God, it is the highest virtue and an expression of His love.
How can God’s love and self-exaltation be the same?
God’s love is perfect and infinite, so His self-exaltation is the means by which He displays His glory for our joy, making them inseparable.
What does it mean to blaspheme by copying God’s self-exaltation?
It means humans wrongly claiming the honor and worth that belong only to God, which is a form of blasphemy.
How should we respond to God’s self-exaltation?
We should respond with worship, recognizing His worthiness and finding our joy in His glory.