What is the Bible? What’s it for?
The Bible is God’s revelation to man. Okay, so?
What is He revealing?
To begin with, the Bible reveals how the world was made, how it was ruined, how it was rescued and how it will be made new. The Bible reveals God’s Word. Every mountain and every molecule is the word of God. He spoke and it is!
Ultimately His Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Bible reveals Truth and the Truth is God’s glory; His glory is the redemption of man through Jesus Christ. And that’s the Truth, believe it or not.
Ooooohhh wow, deep stuff. (sarcastic tone for effect). Well, yes.
From the Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
This history of the Apostle’s Creed is a worthy lesson. We will not cover it here, but we will contemplate the “first truth”; From Genesis 1 the Creed submits: “God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Here are four musings from Genesis 1 in this Simple Sabbath post:
1. God’s creation is good. He said so;
2. God is one and has created from Himself;
3. God creates everything by His word;
4. We love His creation because we love Him and are created to enjoy Him forever.
1. A Good Creation: The Bible reveals Spirit and matter existing with integrity and in unity (it is coordinated, so to speak). The material world is good. There is a marvelous unity in creation. Genesis teaches that the Spirit is present “moving over the surface” or hovering. View this presence as His love and care for creation.
Though Plato has the entire western world distrusting all things material, and would prefer that we ponder the next reality, we reject his posit (dualism – just say no.) It’s a wonderful world; God created it and said, “It is good.”
Listen, that first miracle wasn’t random. That water to wine thing at Cana was appointed by the Divine. Jesus was dropping his calling card. More than a rescued social event, Jesus sets the stage for the Kingdom of God. He fills those water cisterns with joy…that’s right, joy! … right here and right now.
2. God is One and has created from Himself: All elements of creation point back to God alone. When our first love is God, and when we are humbled by His provision, the sunset means more, a nice meal means more, and the hug of a child means more, a glass of wine means more. The whole world takes its meaning from the existence of God.
“Say there partner…them’s fightin words.”
Really? What did I say?
“First of all you said wine. And secondly, I know pantheism and a spot of hedonism when I see it.”
I understand. But I stand by the statement. The Christian sees God’s word of good creation in all that exists and can embrace Kingdom hedonism (thank you John Piper). Here’s the thing: When our ultimate passion is God, we can enjoy his good gifts in that context.
Of course when bad things, or good things for that matter, become ultimate things there is trouble on the horizon. We en-joy because we understand that Creation is God’s gift and provision. Most simply, we can enjoy our nice home, nice clothes, tools / toys and even earthly passions. We can enjoy making money, but what makes us different is that we know we are taken care of even if we don’t have the stuff. God is our joy, not the stuff.
3. God creates everything by His word: God said, “Let there be…” and eternally trumped Descartes. God spoke, there for we am and it is. God said there is going to be man and then he said it was very good. Unfortunately man decided to take it from there, opting to go his own way. You know the story and how the Word remains, both coming and going.
His eternal word became flesh, like us. We looked at Him and saw glory. The Word became flesh and we killed Him. (Yah, we’re sinful that way.) God accomplishes redemption even at the cross where Jesus got the “cold shoulder” and not the good word. He got the “bad word” – silence. This Jesus endured. Silence on Friday, creation re-spoken on Sunday.
3. We love His creation because we love Him and are created to enjoy Him forever: We love it when God speaks having learned that His word is the spring of life. New life, joy, purpose and meaning are now found in Jesus. He takes us back to the way it is meant to be. Shalom! The way things are meant to be. Shalom! Peace with God and His creation.
In the beginning God… and a bunch of people asking entirely the wrong question – How did God make the world? No, no, no,…wrong question, that’s the wrong question. (That’s like getting the most resent technological device for your birthday and asking how it was made.) The real question should be – what’s it for? It’s for Him, His glory. Let’s get to it.
A prayer of Jesus: “Sanctify them in truth; thy word is truth.” John 17:17
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Editors Note: I’m pleased to introduce our Simple Sabbath author, Mr. Dallas Caldwell. I asked Dallas to write for you because my brain was always thinking after I read his “Facebook Notes” about faith stuff. Thanks, Dallas, for being willing. Like you said, “Let’s get to it!”~ RDK