Avoid Temptation by Celebrating Creation
Listen: “Ulysses” by Josh Garrels
How do we celebrate life, culture, and creation while at the same time avoid the pitfalls of temptation and dysfunctional behavior? Every faith tradition throughout human history has grappled with this question. The universe contains incredible order and chaos, beauty and decay, goodness and destruction. So does the human personality. We can all relate to the paradox within ourselves—angel or demon, sinner or saint.
Creation
In the creation account of Genesis 1-2, God is revealed as creator of all things, and everything he creates is declared “good” by Creator God. This is an important place to begin our thinking about how to live in God’s creation. Despite the primordial chaos depicted in Genesis 1:2, the creation story teaches us that there was an original goodness to the order of creation. Creation is inherently good and human beings created in the image of God were “very good.” (Read Original Blessing by Matthew Fox.)
The Fall
Genesis 3 introduces us to “the Fall.” This is the biblical account of how sin entered the world or how God’s good creation was tainted by evil. The story of Adam and Eve is the story of the human race: temptation to the dark side, the fall, shame, and blame. Notice that all of creation was affected by the resulting curse after the Fall (Genesis 3:14-24; Romans 8:18-25). However, original goodness is not eliminated, only marred. Notice that after the Fall, scripture still affirms that people bear the image of God (Genesis 9:6-7). After the Fall, the Psalmist still declares that “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1; ESV). After the Fall, the apostle Paul declares “For from him [God] and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36). So while all of creation has suffered from the Fall, evil (the Serpent) is really a “deceiver,” trying to divert humanity from original goodness.
God’s Plan of Redemption
After the Fall, the Bible unfolds a long story of redemption and restoration. From Abraham to Moses to Jesus, the Bible unfolds God’s plan for redemption for all creation. In essence, restoring original goodness and beauty and creativity and love and connection. The scriptures reveal that through Jesus, God’s plan is to reconcile all things:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him…and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven (Colossians 1:15-20; ESV).
God in Christ is on a mission to restore all of creation. As we follow Jesus and live in a beautifully flawed world, we need to keep this in mind (2 Corinthians 5:16-21). We are, in effect, living to bring heaven to earth (“on earth as it is in heaven”).
Evil Behavior or The Dark Side
What makes a thing or an action evil? Since everything is created good, what makes something evil or bad? The Bible teaches us that anything disconnected from its created purpose is sin. The Ten Commandments can basically be divided into two categories: sins against God (first four) and sins against people created in the image of God (last six). In other words, when we disconnect our heart from loving God and loving people, we move to the dark side (sin). This is why Jesus sums up the greatest commandments as—Love God. Love people. (It’s also a summary of the Ten Commandments stated positively; Matthew 22:34-40.)
Idolatry
Idolatry is worshipping or pursuing a false god, a false image which leads to destructive behavior. In idolatry, we become addicted to the dark side. Even good gifts like food or sex or wine or money, can become idols which enslave us. When we disconnect our heart from ourselves, others, or God, we can quickly slip into idolatry and addiction and destructive behaviors. Rather than celebrating creation, we become enslaved to it. Entropy accelerates.
Culture
Culture is a product of people living in God’s creation. Culture consists of patterns of behavior, symbols of achievement, and ideas and their attached values. Human groups of people living in God’s creation create culture. Culture is expressed through language, arts, technologies, religion, music, ideas, writings, recreation, laws, education, governments, and institutions (not an exhaustive list). Because culture is created by flawed people, all cultures have aspects of sin and evil and idolatry that are attached to them. Because culture emerges in God’s creation through people created in the image of God, all cultures have aspects of beauty and goodness and truth attached to them.
How does God in Christ relate to culture? He wants to redeem and reconcile those aspects of culture that have been distorted by sin and evil and idolatry. (For an interesting discussion on this topic, see Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture.) As followers of Jesus, we are called to join with this mission of God in the world: To restore and reconcile culture with God.
Celebrating Good Gifts and Avoiding Temptation
One approach to life is to focus on avoiding all the bad things. There’s some merit in this approach, but it can lend itself to an excessive focus on evil, avoiding contamination, and living with a bunch of “don’ts” or “thou shalt nots.” Rules and dogma without love and beauty kills grace (the letter kills, but Spirit gives life.) Another approach is to focus on beauty and all the “do’s.” Love God. Love people. Pursue beauty and goodness and connection and love. See it everywhere, even in the flawed nature of our world and people. Hunt for treasure everywhere, celebrate creation, and leave the world a better place.
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2021
