As I look hard at the Bible, however, and at the two…
““As I look hard at the Bible, however, and at the two thousand years of church history since the Bible's completion, it seems evident that God has accommodated himself over and over to the weakness and even the sin of human beings. He also has called his faithful ones to a similar accommodation. The 'already but not yet' tension is clear not only with the coming of Christ but also throughout the Old Testament story of redemption. God chooses a people as a vehicle for global salvation and then works with them in a convoluted trajectory of obedience and blessing, disobedience and punishment, first this way and then that way. God puts up with a compromised plan for the conquest of Canaan, blesses a monarchy he did not want, forestalls the prophesied judgment on both northern and southern kingdoms for generations, and even then preserves a remnant and reestablishes it in Jerusalem. God works not only through Israel but also through the empires of Egypt, Assyria, Persia, and Rome. God works not only through prophets and saints but also through Joseph's brothers, Balaam and his donkey, Nebuchadnezzar and Darius, Caiaphas and Pilate.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
God repeatedly adapts divine plans to human frailty, working through both faithful and flawed agents across history.
In simple terms: God works with imperfect people and events to fulfill salvation.
Key Takeaway
Recognize divine flexibility in your own life.
Themes
theity
history
redemption
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
theological
historical
When to use this quote
- personal faith
- church leadership
- interfaith dialogue
- historical study
Key Concepts
Divine accommodation
covenant theology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing divine accommodation affect your faith?
- In what ways can you cooperate with God's flexible plan?
A Different Perspective
Human sin can still thwart divine intent.