Delighting in Evil or Delighting in Good Graces
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)
There actually were people in Paul’s day that reasoned that if they did bad things, that would show off God’s glory that much more. Just like any excuse we make with some flexible reasoning, typically we are trying to justify ourselves. If we can make our conscience or our critics say “yes, what he did was reasonable and justified.” then we think we can get away with it.
God is independent of such silly sophistry. He knows the truth because He invented it. He knows what good is independent of the need to know evil for comparison. He said things were good for at least a week before He ever exclaimed that something was “Not Good.”
Rather than try to show off God’s goodness as a stark comparison to our evil sins, let’s show off God’s glory in how He is shaping and changing us every day. We are slowly learning more and more about the truth of God as we walk out the Christian life. I don’t know the glory of turning the other cheek until I do it. I don’t know the joy of trusting in the Holy Spirit until I fully trust.
His glory will be enhanced, one way or another. Let’s enhance it in friendship and obedience. That’s the way that brings Him more delight.