Creation
and the Gospel
Stephen
Terry
Commentary
for the March 23, 2013 Sabbath School Lesson
“…by
one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon
all men…” Romans 5:12, NIV
In the spring, we can awake to discover a beautiful, warm,
sunny day. A few cottony, white clouds may drift across a cornflower blue sky
like scattered sheep grazing a meadow in the summer sun. Lilting bird songs imbue
the air with joy and life as this year’s generation of feathered offspring joins
last year’s and learns to collect the bugs and seeds that nature has timely
provided for their nourishment. The landscape is painted with color as flowers
riotously display their infinite hues in efforts to attract the most industrious
pollinators among whom are the many singing birds and lazily droning bees.
Late spring, summer, and early fall are filled with life
and with it comes hope and lifted spirits. We often wish that it could go on
forever, relishing every extra day that “Indian Summer” grants us. We are
reluctant to leave the warmth and life of summer behind as we head into the
gray-scale landscape of winter. But even in the midst of that summer festival
of life, we are not sheltered from the constant presence of the very death that
winter is so identified with in its silence and bleakness. The beautiful flowers
with their vibrant colors too quickly fade and die, sometimes in only a few
hours. The honeybees which pollinate them last only a few weeks before their
time is also through. But even this lifespan may not be achieved as bugs devour
the flowers and other predators in turn devour the bugs, keeping each from
reaching their full vigor and measure of life.
We are not immune from this. Though our life spans are
much greater than the flowers, the insects and even the birds, we, too, eventually
come to walk the pallid pathway of death, often weighed down with parasitic viruses
and bacteria that have drained our own life force. We may have even dealt with
illnesses that we ourselves have encouraged by our poor choices. We often
discover that as we age and approach that terminal gateway, we no longer enjoy
the strength or vigor we once did. The candle that we eagerly burned at both
ends when we were younger is now burning in the middle and the light and fire it
provides is diminished. For all of our scientific achievements and
technological breakthroughs, we have accomplished little to extend life beyond
the few decades we are granted. We continually
fail to come anywhere near the ante-deluvian life spans of several centuries,
let alone the near millennial existence of a Methuselah.
Some might consider these early life spans mythological,
but when we look around and see the suffering and death that afflicts all life,
we cannot help but wonder if it was always so. When we see it so pervasive in
our world, we might be tempted to think that this is the natural state of
everything and always has been. We might feel that life is about the struggle
to overcome these things and that the vitality of all creatures comes from the
strength derived from that struggle. While this Nietzscheism may sound very
noble, it does not seem so to those who are suffering with chronic illness or the
depleted vitality of age. There is not much nobility in casting these individuals
aside as the necessary price for the physical and moral advancement of the
species. Nobility only comes when the sacrifice is willingly made for a greater
purpose. But these have had often had little choice in the matter. Few of them would
not eagerly relinquish their suffering or death if they could.
Whether we consider it mythological or not, we can
understand that the Bible does offer an alternative perspective. It tells us
that the suffering and death currently endured by so many is not part of the original
plan. The story in Genesis tells us that provision was made for death never to
be a part of human experience. A tree grew in the original garden paradise
called the Tree of Life, which had the power to keep one alive forever.[1] The very existence of such
a tree would indicate that it was unnecessary to die at one point. Perhaps this
is also the purpose of the Tree of Life in the final chapter of Revelation.[2] If so then perhaps guided
by these two book-ended references to the Tree of Life is a story of lost life
and its ultimate restoration.
If the consumption of the fruit of this tree grants
life, then conceivably one might choose not to partake and logically the result
would most likely be death. Does such a tree exist? Perhaps, but it may also be
an allegorical reference to something far more vital. Perhaps it is simply a
representation of Jesus, whom the Bible tells us is the life that all depend
on.[3] However, if the Genesis
account is mythological allegory, it is a powerful one, for it relates the vital
importance of human choice in determining destiny. Rather than a blind dependence
on happenstance for a favorable future, the Bible asserts one’s choices may have
a very real impact on not only us, but the rest of the world as well.
While science is perhaps the greatest champion at
present for an understanding of the universe as absolute randomness, it is, also,
paradoxically, the source for much data that supports a less-than-random
determinism shaping our present world. The much debated issue of Global Warming
is a case in point.[4]
Global Warming posits that we are experiencing a gradual
rise in global temperatures as a result of poor choices we have made which, in
turn, affect our world. This raises the moral question of whether we should
accept responsibility for ethical issues raised by our choices, a position
which the Bible would assert. This responsibility based on a determined cause is
paradoxical because this theory of warming is based on scientific methodology.
However, science has also posited that species evolve as they adapt to
environmental factors through random genetic variations that provide this
adaptability. Therefore, the favorable genetic code persists in the new
environment, enabling the species to also persist, although apparently somewhat
changed. This would seem to be a good argument for doing nothing about the
environment as inherent genetic adaptability would prevail, or if not, some
other species more suited to the environment would replace our own.
Nonetheless, a good many scientists are urging that we choose to intervene in
this process and counteract our original actions that created the problem in
the first place. This seems more in line with biblical perspective than the
randomness of a model based on chance.
With that biblical point of view, we find refutation of
that randomness through a perspective of personal and corporate responsibility.
In short, poor choices epitomized through the experience related in Genesis,
chapter three, have consequences. While the consequences may be good or bad
depending on the nature of the choice made, the Genesis narrative and indeed
much of the Bible tells us that the choices we make on our own tend toward the
latter rather than the former.[5]
In that Genesis account, mankind chose knowledge of good
and evil rather than life. However, the Bible assures us that the ability to
choose has not been lost as a further consequence of bad decision making.
Instead, we are told that in the person of Jesus was have divine provision to
restore the ability to choose life. Recognizing our poor choices, we can turn
from them and to Jesus and receive life again.[6] This is by no means an
abrogation of responsibility on our part. Recognizing our responsibility and culpability
and wanting to change is a prerequisite to this life restoration. If we can do
this, the Bible assures us that we will be restored.[7] Eventually, that restoration
will include the entire world around us.[8] The death and predation that
now permeates everything will cease.[9]
How wonderful it would be to wake up every morning to a
beautiful day filled with positive possibilities. We would not be hindered by
death or disease. Infirmity would not limit our plans for a wonderful
existence. Those plans would also not be cut short prematurely by death. Every
person could achieve their maximum potential and see purpose in existence where
now one may be tempted to only see futility.
We are presented with a choice. We can look at the world
and consider whether we choose to hope for the possibility of a future utopian existence.
Then if we admit that possibility, we can decide which path is likelier to take
us there, a random genetic variation or recognition of our responsibility for
poor choices resulting in repentance and a change of direction? In the end, as
in the beginning, it all comes down to choice. Will we choose knowledge without
responsibility, or will we choose responsibility and thereby choose life?[10]
