Why did God entrust His perfect message to the world (the Gospel) to imperfect vessels?

Question

-
That is, Christians have been entrusted by God to deliver His message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

As it is written:
Jews that proclaim the Law of God dishonor God through breaking the law, and the name of God is blasphemed among Gentiles because of them. (Romans 2:23-24)

Yet, did not God choose and bless the Jews, because to them were committed the oracles of God.

In like-manner:
The name of God is blasphemed among atheists and other non-Christians because of the words and behaviors of Christians.

So, back to my question:
Why would God entrust His perfect message to the world, the Gospel, into the hands of imperfect vessels – even sinful humans?

-

Answer 1

Love this question. At first glance I thought the answer was straightforward. When I struggled the formulate that answer, I discovered depths in the question that reaffirmed my belief that whatever I can think up can't possibly represent anything more than a small fraction of what was and is in the mind of God. Thus, the straightforward answer is that I don't know why, I just know that it was a part of his plan and that it served his purpose to entrust imperfect humans with the Gospel.

The more complex answer could fill a chapter...here's a few highlights of what I thought as I pondered your question.

The term "deliver" could suggest communication and I think it is unfortunately common for people to forget that, at least in the mind of God, it also involves actions. We aren't just commanded to talk about the Gospel, we are also compelled to live it to the best of our ability. In fact, I'd argue that we're supposed to live it before we teach it (something about getting the plank out of your eye BEFORE trying to remove the speck in your brother's eye)!!

I believe God demonstrated conclusively through his chosen people (the keepers of the oracles you mentioned, the nation of Israel) that human beings can't achieve righteousness through the law...that the threat of law, even a law that allowed man to enforce the harshest earthly penalties imaginable, couldn't result in the desired outcome. For reasons fully understood only by him, God knew that we needed this evidence to finally accept that our only hope of becoming what he designed us to be is complete surrender to his will.

He even gave us the perfect example of what it means to surrender to the will of our heavenly father, he gave us his son Jesus. More than anything else, his actions (and his words) here on earth demonstrated what it means to surrender your human drives to the will of God. Jesus allowed himself to be tortured and killed because it was the will of his father. He didn't want to suffer, he made that clear (let this cup pass from my lips)...but he chose to do what his father asked of him because he knew that was the only way for his message to have any validity! "Actions speak louder than words" may be cliched but even children recognize the inconsistency in adults that tell them one thing (e.g., "don't lie") and then do something quite different (e.g., tell the child a lie or ask the child to lie for them).

God knew his name would be blasphemed among non-believers because of the words and behaviors of Christians...all part of the plan even if we can't understand it. I think at least part of the reason is that our decision to follow the example of Jesus and surrender to the father is merely the first step in a long process of refinement that God makes to his product so that, when our time on earth ends, we'll be ready to serve the purpose he has for us in his kingdom!

Clearly, God has a reason for the existence of immature Christians eager to spread the gospel before getting rid of that plank in their own eye. I know that my own experiences with Christians, both before and after I became one, were an obstacle I had to overcome to grow in my own faith. Perhaps part of the purpose they serve is to help all of us learn (and accept) that the imperfection of the vessel isn't a valid reason for rejecting the perfect truth of the message!

I didn't figure this out about professors/teachers until I was in graduate school and it made all the difference in the world! Until that time, I largely judged the value of a professor's message by the characteristics of the vessel. I paid attention in classes taught by a talented instructor and mostly just skipped classes taught by instructors who didn't communicate well, had annoying mannerisms, didn't encourage questions, actively discouraged debate, or were just plain boring! Once I started focusing on the message instead of the messenger, I became a model student. It took a bit longer for me to get around the imperfect messengers of the gospel but once I did, that also made all the difference in the world to my perspective. The purpose those Christians served for me was the same one those boring/annoying/whatever professors taught me...that judging the value of the message by the quality of the vessel often leads to incorrect conclusions, missed opportunities, and ultimately, poor decisions that damage my own vessel!

Answer 2

I like your, not so subtle, reworking of the Scriptural quote: Jews that proclaim the Law of God dishonor God through breaking the law, and the name of God is blasphemed among Gentiles because of them',
into the non-Scriptural personal opinion:'The name of God is blasphemed among atheists and other non-Christians because of the words and behaviors of Christians'.

Answer 3

For His glory- that when the Gospel continues succesfully on, we sinners know it couldn't possibly be of our own strength, but the power of God at work, to the praise of His glorious name.

Answer 4

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Answer 5

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Answer 6

No one put new wine into the old wine bag, lest it burst.

Will God do that? Ignorant man will.

The devil did plant thorns among the good plants. As it is also written.

Answer 7

To keep the Interests up and on.... is perhaps one Divine Agenda of the Lord ..

May be Perfect imperfections are also part and parcel to a Perfect Divine Action Plan (The Divine Drama)

Tatvamasi - meaning - "Thou (Divine) Art THAT"

Here one link on the interest in the Game ..

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvUZ.AdhBhhlkO.V6qf.dA3sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071120035152AAUPLpo

SAI RAM

Answer 8

His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

When someone responds to the Gospel, we know WE didn't do it, He did, because in ourselves we couldn't have.

Answer 9

For the same reason he came to earth and gave his life for us. He loves us. I love my children. They are not perfect. I still love them and teach them the best I can.

Hope that helps†

Answer 10

Yep, god, yeah right
what perfect message?

prove the veracity of your god by rejecting all modern sciences and medicine.

Where's god when you people needed him? where's he during all the atrocities committed and where's he during the black plague? oh yeah, he works in his mysterious ways?

evolution is the way, you laugh at the claims about us being descendants of monkey? what about fairytales of adam and eve? LOL!