Good World Dying

God designed a good world, but things have gone wrong. Christians are called to preserve what we can even as we live and long for the new heavens and new earth.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. —Genesis 1:1-5

The world is a wonderful place.

The world is a horrible place.

We all know it to be true. Whether we do in the moment depends on the moment. Did we just hold a beautiful baby, or are we watching the news? Are we marveling at the intricacy of DNA or staring at a brain tumor on an X-ray? Did someone just help you pick up the groceries scattered in the parking lot after a bag broke, or did someone just cut you off to take the parking spot you were about to enter?

How do we explain this wonderful, horrible world?

One of the ways you know you’re in possession of a true idea is that it is good at explaining experience. It’s not always the measure, but it is a good rule of thumb.

And the truest idea, under modern assault since Darwin published On the Origin of Species, is that the world we live in was designed by God, perfect and good. The truth of Creation is really the only way to explain the wonderful, horrible world we live in. Perhaps that’s why it’s the one that Satan has attempted to overthrow throughout the ages.

Creation entails design. God designed this good world. It is not the result of an accident. From the origins of the universe to the intricacies of bacteria, everything points to a Designer. The wonderful world we live in points us to the wonderful God who made it.

God not only created a physical universe, he wove through it a Moral Law. This law (which is distinct from the Law in the Old Testament) is not some external, arbitrary set of rules we have to follow. It is a set of truths that, when ignored, leads to disorder and, ultimately death. Like gravity, these laws can be criticized and defied, but the results are never good.

In fact, this Moral Law isn’t necessarily “religious” in nature at all. Philosophers of no real faith wrote about it in Ancient Greece. People with many different dogmas have recognized it around the globe and throughout history. Like any law, it is a reflection of the way things are. To deny it is to deny reality. And to do that is to tempt stubbed toes in the dark.

Everything that would ever inspire us to say, “This is a horrible world,” flows out of some element of God’s world moving from order to disorder, departing from its created design. Every human behavior that leads to suffering flows from ignoring the Moral Law.

And the Bible tells us that’s exactly what Humanity did in the Garden. The decision to ghost God’s authority opened the door to disorder and death.

Thankfully, God still loves the world. He loves us so much that he introduced a plan to redeem the situation! In the same breath he gave to announcing the tragic results of our sin, God promised he would make things right again!

The Gospel proclaims that this New World is already here, expanding and growing. Jesus called it the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we’re called to live our lives for this New World that will be fully revealed when Jesus returns.

For now, we are in an In-Between Era. Theologians have called it the “already-but-not-yet.” In other words, the Kingdom of God has entered in, but we’re still living in a fallen world. It’s why Paul said, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” It’s why Jesus said we must be salt and light.

While we are called to live for this new world, we are also called to care for the one we are in, even as it dies. We do this because it is right and good. We do this because we love people. Ultimately, we do this because we want as many people as possible to enter the Kingdom.

Now, let me come to my point: One of the most powerful ways we can love people is by preserving as much of the Goodness of creation as we can. That means we fight to help people live in a world where the Moral Law is reflect in our cultural values and governmental laws. The more closely those laws align with the Moral Law, the better life will be for everyone.

Far too many Christians have bought into the lie that we need to “stop being political and just preach the Gospel.” Friends, if we do that, we’ll be no better than the Priest and Levite that passed by the man left for dead by robbers.

The Good Samaritan showed love not by leading the man through the sinner’s prayer, but by binding up his wounds, loading him onto a donkey, and leaving him in the hands of a competent caregiver.

When we enter the cultural arena and fight for truth, we are not abandoning the call to share the Good News. No! We are actually living out the Gospel of love.

You see, the fight for things like life, marriage and family is a fight to preserve good things God designed for everyone. These are not inherently “religious” issues. When we battle things like Prop 3, we aren’t asking non-Christians to act like believers. We’re trying help everyone live more like humans. We’re being Salt, preserving something that’s good for everyone: the Truth that Life Matters!

I need to say this very clearly: If Christians surrender the realms of politics, education and entertainment to the claims of a secular, progressive movement, then we are consigning people we claim to love to disintegration. When Truth is lost, then Death is the result.

We cannot allow the call to “Just preach the Gospel,” make us deaf to the call to “Love your neighbor.”

Yes. Our hope is in the Kingdom.

Yes. We should never confuse “preserving what is good” in a dying world with shining the light of a New World coming.

But I believe it is time for courageous Christians to be loosed into the cultural arena. A dangerous rot has nearly consumed our society. If we don’t start doing what only salt can do, the remnants of God’s Good Creation, which make life better for everyone, will be lost.

If that means getting political, then let’s get political.