The Good Of The Father (What The Father Wants)

 Now it is eonian life that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Him Whom Thou dost Commision, Jesus Christ. 

Johns Account 17: 3, Concordant New Testament 

Too many pastors and worship leaders spend an inordinate amount of time attempting to explain what it is that God the Father desires.  I can recall numerous Sunday sermons on the topic of what God wants, all of them with a different idea of what He desires.  To some, God desires loyalty from His children, while others say that God truly wants us to be as holy as He is.  Both would seem to be reasonable ideas of what God desires from us.  But I feel that the most accurate description of what the Father wants comes from the Son Himself.  As Jesus prayed that night in the garden of Gethsemane, He spoke of the true desire of His Father, that we might know Him {Johns Account 17:3}.  This seems reasonable, because what earthly Father is there who has not wanted his own children to know him?  Yes, drawing comparisons between human parents and God the Father might seem like we're lowering God to our level, but I use it only as an illustration as to the desires of the Father.  The scriptures speak to the fact that all we will ever know was created by God {Genesis 1:1}.  We also know that all mankind has been created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  Yet far too many of His children have not known the Father who created them.  Indeed, there are even those who have refused to acknowledge He even exists.  That everything that we see was somehow created by some cosmic explosion a long time ago.  But somehow science keeps stumbling upon evidence that the creation spoken of in the scriptures is indeed real.  Despite those who deny the existence of the Father and Son, we're told that eventually ALL will know that He is God {Paul to the Philippians 2:10-11}.  The truth is, Gods desire is that all of His creation will know Him before that time.

We are of God.  He who knows God is hearing us.  He who is not of God is not hearing us.  By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. 

First Epistle of John 4: 6, Concordant New Testament 

A dear friend of mine reminded me not too long ago of the true intentions of Satan, that is to deceive the Fathers creation.  Obviously, this is why He is all too often referred to as the deceiver.  We're reminded of his intentions in scripture as well {Peter to the Dispersion 5:8}.  And why not?  It is Lucifer who once desired to place himself above the Father {Issaiah 14:12-17}.  Those who know the Father also know of the deceit of Lucifer.  We know that his place is not one of glory, but of despair.  But what many well meaning believers fail to comprehend is that even Lucifer himself was created by God.  With this in mind, does the Father despise Lucifer?  I would say no.  I believe that God the Father has the same desire for His fallen angel that He has for the rest of His creation, that he would come to know Him, the Father.  Modern Christian teachings on good and evil will not speak to this.  In Christian theology, Satan is the enemy and will ultimately be defeated by the goodness of God.  But the scriptures speak to his creation through Christ Jesus {Johns Account 1:1-4}  Yes, ALL was created through Him and for Him, including him whom we call the deceiver.  Will Satan eventually acknowledge the Father?  Paul speaks to the fact that ALL will bow at the name of Jesus, both terrestrial and the subterranean {Paul to the Philippians 2:10}.  Obviously, one can assume that Satan will be included among those who will eventually know the Father.  We can also be confident in knowing that this is indeed what the Father wants. 

~Scott~