James Hamilton, in his book What Is Biblical Theology?, succinctly summarizes the story of the Bible (as a side note, his seven page chapter called “The Narrative” is one of my favorite short Bible plot summaries I have ever read).
Describing the characters of the story, he writes,
“The triune God is the protagonist of this cosmic drama, with Satan as the (infinitely outmatched) antagonist.”
But following this, he aptly adds,
“It doesn’t take a genius to predict victory for the Creator, but it takes the power of the Spirit to side with him.”
This is very true and a good reminder. If the Bible’s plot line is the true history of our world– which it is–then of course God is going to win. Certainly Satan and his followers–sinful humans and fallen angels–will lose as they each are finite while the everlasting God is infinite in power, love, and justice.
But, as Hamilton writes, being on God’s side according to the Bible isn’t merely a rational realization. Instead, we desperately need the Spirit of God to make us side with God. We need God to turn us (that is, repent, see 2 Timothy 2:25) to be on God’s side.
So, if we are sided with God, let us be humble and thankful. It isn’t of our own will or efforts, but rather, the Spirit of God himself has graciously made us, who were spiritually dead, alive through what Christ did (see John 1:13; Romans 2:29; John 3:7-8). The beautiful result is that we side with God instead of sin, evil, and the world.
May we not think we would have realized it on our own. Naturally we are blind (2 Corinthians 4:4), ignorant (Ephesians 4:18), and dumb (Romans 1:21-22). God alone has made us side with God. May he be praised for it.
___
Quotes from James Hamilton, What Is Biblical Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014), 29.
