The Mystery of God’s Will
smelting process bringing the "dross" to surface for removal and elimination. That we should be holy and without blame before him in love. (Ephesians 1. 4)
That we (the creature and creation)
should be holy (sanctified and set apart for God's eternal glory and pleasure)
and without blame (eternally above the influence and power of sin and rebellion)
before Him (forever in His dwelling presence)
in love (love that is by choice and tested, tried, true, and pure)
At some time in the past, before time existed, before our known universe and world, God desired a perfect, sin-free creation filled with His glory and righteousness. A creation holy and without blame and motivated by Love. For God is love.
So, it was God’s good pleasure to create the heavens and the earth and all therein. However, for things to be perfect, pure and balanced, love must be bipartite (between two parties) and reciprocal (given or felt by each toward the other; expressing a mutual relationship). Therefore, for the heavens (the angelic host) and the earth (mankind) to be able to love God reciprocally (with all heart, mind, and soul, and in all honesty, truth and purity), it must be by choice. God, in order to have perfect love, created the angels and man as free moral agents with complete freedom of choice. Love can only be true if it is by choice. And so Free Moral Agency was created through the Law of Choice and Decision as an avenue for a reciprocating love relationship.
However, with freedom-of-choice came the possibility of sin and rebellion. God, in his omniscience and foreknowledge knew this would occur. God could not allow neither angel or man, who by choice, would turn against him and mar his perfect creation with sin and rebellion. God had to allow both angel and man to be free moral agents with complete freedom of choice to choose Him, while at the same time remove the threat of sin and rebellion.
For our God is a consuming fire:
God’s plan and solution was to create temporary universes and worlds (2 Peter 3: 5-7) to serve as crucibles (a container for the melting of metals, like silver and gold, for refining) that through smelting (the process of refining; that is by choice and decisions / trials and temptations), God would be able to separate the dross (the unrighteous and rebellious) from the precious (the righteous). Then He would throw out the dross and keep His “precious” for his eternal glory: creating a new heaven and earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (1 Peter 1: 13).
That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. (Ephesians 1. 10).
That we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
And I saw a new heaven and new earth: for the first heaven and first earth were passed away. (Revelation 21. 1)
Free moral agents must prove themselves true in order to become worthy of the confidence of the Creator, before becoming entrusted with the eternal administration of the universe and the eternal plans of God.
God does have eternal plans. However, creation first has to be purged of all possibility of rebellion. God has to eliminate the “dross” (the unbelievers and those who love self, more than God and His ways). God will not allow His plan and creation marred sometime in the eternal future through the misuse of will and authority. Free Will has to be put into the Refiner’s charge for a smelting process and removal of the dross (sin and rebellion) to guarantee a pure, clean, and righteous creation for all of eternity.
The world (Kosmos) that then was (the heavens--the angelic host) had to first go through a melting process to bring the "dross" to surface for removal and elimination. The world (Kosmos) that now is (the earth--mankind) is currently going through the 1 Peter 3. 5-7