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of others; the latter is a due care for one’s own happiness and well-being, which is perfectly
compatible with justice, generosity, and benevolence towards others. In seeking self-expression
for the glory of His name, God did not disregard the well-being, the highest good of others, but
promoted it. Moreover, this objection draws the infinite God down to the level of finite and
even sinful man and judges Him by human standards, which is entirely unwarranted. God has
no equal, and no one can claim any right as over against Him. In making His declarative glory
the end of creation, He has chosen the highest end; but when man makes himself the end of all
his works, he is not choosing the highest end. He would rise to a higher level, if he chose the
welfare of humanity and the glory of God as the end of his life. Finally, this objection is made
primarily in view of the fact that the world is full of suffering, and that some of God’s rational
creatures are doomed to eternal destruction. But this is not due to the creative work of God,
but to the sin of man, which thwarted the work of God in creation. The fact that man suffers
the consequences of sin and insurrection does not warrant anyone in accusing God of
selfishness. One might as well accuse the government of selfishness for upholding its dignity
and the majesty of the law against all wilful transgressors. (2) It is contrary to God’s self-
sufficiency and independence. By seeking His honour in this way God shows that He needs the
creature. The world is created to glorify God, that is, to add to His glory. Evidently, then, His
perfection is wanting in some respects; the work of creation satisfies a want and contributes to
the divine perfection. But this representation is not correct. The fact that God created the
world for His own glory does not mean that He needed the world. It does not hold universally
among men, that the work which they do not perform for others, is necessary to supply a want.
This may hold in the case of the common laborer, who is working for his daily bread, but is
scarcely true of the artist, who follows the spontaneous impulse of his genius. In the same way
there is a good pleasure in God, exalted far above want and compulsion, which artistically
embodies His thoughts in creation and finds delight in them. Moreover, it is not true that, when
God makes His declarative glory the final end of creation, He aims primarily at receiving
something. The supreme end which He had in view, was not to receive glory, but to manifest
His inherent glory in the works of His hands. It is true that in doing this, He would also cause the
heavens to declare His glory, and the firmament to show His handiwork, the birds of the air and
the beasts of the field to magnify Him, and the children of men to sing His praises. But by
glorifying the Creator the creatures add nothing to the perfection of His being, but only
acknowledge His greatness and ascribe to Him the glory which is due unto Him.
D. Divergent Theories Respecting the Origin of the World.
The Biblical doctrine is not the only view respecting the origin of the world. Three alternative
theories, which were suggested, deserve brief consideration at this point.