Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Thoughts, from Genesis to the Church

In the Church today we have people celebrating Darwin’s failed theory of Evolution. If that statement didn’t send a chill up your spine I wonder what would. If we don't have a firm grasp on Genesis could it be that we don't have a firm grasp on the role of the Church? The reasons for it being in the world? The ages old question of "Why are we here?" is answered in Genesis, and I believe that beyond understanding why the world is messed up now, Genesis can reveal why the Church can and must affect lives today.

Jesus believed Genesis, and indicated that if men didn’t that they wouldn’t be impressed with His resurrection Luke 16:31 “He said to him, If they do not hear and listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded and convinced and believe [even] if someone should rise from the dead.”

Genesis clearly claims to be the “history” of Creation. Gen 2:4 “This is the history of the heavens and of the earth when they were created.

Genesis clearly states that creation was finished on the Sixth Day (not continuing to “evolve”) Gen 2:1 “THUS THE heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, of Blessing and Calamity, Gen 2:9 “And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired--good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity.”; and Gen 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Cold does not exist – it is a concept we use to describe a lack or lessening of heat.

Darkness does not exist – it is a concept we use to describe a lack or lessening of light.

Evil does not exist, It is a concept we use to describe the absence of God’s love. Evil is the same as cold and darkness. Just as cold and darkness are the absence of heat and light, so evil is the absence of Good.” – Albert Einstein

Clearly the lack of blessing is calamity. Is that not what we see when we do not believe, trust and rely on God? A lack of blessing? Is not the world in a state of that, calamity today?

Finally, man was put in the Garden to “tend, guard and keep it”. Gen 2:15 “And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.” Today the Church is to be the Salt of the Earth. Enhancing flavor, disinfecting and preserving the world. Our role is the same as Adam’s was.

Genesis is the beginning of everything, including our purpose and God's plan for us.

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