Paradise
Paradise is an outer court of eternity where all things are lawful except self-will, which is contrary to God's eternal and divine will.
W.R. Inge delves into the concept of Paradise, describing it as encompassing all things that are good and pleasant, akin to an outer court of heaven. He draws parallels between this world being an outer court of eternity, with temporal things serving as guides to God and eternity. In this perspective, the world can be seen as a Paradise where all things are permissible except self-will, which goes against the eternal Will.
Text
What is Paradise? All things that are. For all things are good and pleasant, and may therefore fitly be called Paradise. It is also said, that Paradise is an outer court of heaven. In the same way, this world is truly an outer court of the eternal, or of eternity; and this is specially true of any temporal things or creatures which manifest the Eternal or remind us of eternity; for the creatures are a guide and path to God and eternity. Thus the world is an outer court of eternity, and therefore it may well be called a Paradise, for so indeed it is. And in this Paradise all things are lawful except one tree and its fruit.
That is to say, of all things that exist, nothing is forbidden or contrary to God, except one thing only.
That one thing is self-will, or to will otherwise than as the eternal Will would have it. Remember this. For God says to Adam (that is, to every man) "Whatever thou art, or doest, or leavest undone, or whatever happens, is lawful if it be done for the sake of and according to My will, and not according to thy will. But all that is done from thy will is contrary to the eternal Will." Not that everything which is so done is in itself contrary to the eternal Will, but in so far as it is done from a different will, or otherwise than from the Eternal and Divine Will. l.
Sermon Outline
- Definition of Paradise
- All things that are good and pleasant
- An outer court of heaven
- A guide and path to God and eternity
Key Quotes
“All things that are good and pleasant, and may therefore fitly be called Paradise.” — W.R. Inge
“Whatever thou art, or doest, or leavest undone, or whatever happens, is lawful if it be done for the sake of and according to My will, and not according to thy will.” — W.R. Inge
Application Points
- Recognize the presence of God in all things and strive to align your will with His eternal and divine will.
- Avoid self-will and instead seek to do God's will in all aspects of life.
- Understand that everything that exists is a guide and path to God and eternity.