1.22.2006
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To love or not to love...
..."the world or the things in the world." This is the question, and it comes down to the bigger
John, in 1 John 2:15 lays out the negative, like a Biblical two-by-four to the head:
In contrast to my namesake John, we've got Pesky Paul, who advises Timothy (1 Timothy 4:4)
Both points of view are right, in the right context. Paul, and John, are both really tellling us the same things: don't confuse any thing with God Almighty. That includes even the majesty of God's mountains, rivers, and stars and galaxies by the uncountable billions. They are just things, matter and energy, brought into being by the thought (or, as some might prefer, the very words) of God.
Paul, John, and God through His Scriptures are forever telling us that we are the authors of evil in this world. It was all created as good, and with our perfection in God's mind. We're the ones who mess it up.
But wait, the skeptic cries, "what about the mosquito? Surely there's nothing good about that little corner of God's creation?" Well, perhaps not to me or thee. But if you're a bird, mosquitos sure look like God's free lunch. A good thing, and part of God's creation to maintain the ecosphere.
And isn't birdsong a glorious piece of evidence of the goodness of God's creation?
| technorati tag | Christianity|
John, in 1 John 2:15 lays out the negative, like a Biblical two-by-four to the head:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.Think on this the next time you or someone close to you says "don't you just love Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey?" Or something similar, say, involving you in a rather too-fond relationship with Ghiraradelli chocolate.
In contrast to my namesake John, we've got Pesky Paul, who advises Timothy (1 Timothy 4:4)
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.Which is it? Good, or bad? And is that chocolate ok if I receive it with thanksgiving? Which I promise you, I very much do.
Both points of view are right, in the right context. Paul, and John, are both really tellling us the same things: don't confuse any thing with God Almighty. That includes even the majesty of God's mountains, rivers, and stars and galaxies by the uncountable billions. They are just things, matter and energy, brought into being by the thought (or, as some might prefer, the very words) of God.
Paul, John, and God through His Scriptures are forever telling us that we are the authors of evil in this world. It was all created as good, and with our perfection in God's mind. We're the ones who mess it up.
But wait, the skeptic cries, "what about the mosquito? Surely there's nothing good about that little corner of God's creation?" Well, perhaps not to me or thee. But if you're a bird, mosquitos sure look like God's free lunch. A good thing, and part of God's creation to maintain the ecosphere.
And isn't birdsong a glorious piece of evidence of the goodness of God's creation?
| technorati tag | Christianity|
posted by John Luke at 12:11 PM
Welcome. My name is John Luke Rich, (very) struggling Christian. The focus here is Christianity in its many varieties,
its fussing and feuding, how it impacts our lives and our society, with detours to consider it with other faiths (or lack thereof).
1 Comments:
To paraphrase a tshirt I saw once:
"Chocolate (or insert your own) is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
;)
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