A Community of Faith - part 6
Made in His Image
Before we continue our look at the Baptist Faith and Message, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite people.
This is Vincent Van Gogh. We usually pronounce it van gō, but if you’re really hoity toity, it’s pronounced “Van Gagh”—because he’s Dutch. This particular portrait is much like the rest of his self-portraits. The brush strokes are obvious. The colors lay on the canvas unmixed. We see him in his straw hat and beard. The overly red ear is somewhat prophetic, because, yes, he’s the one that cut his ear off. He was a tortured soul with psychiatric problems. The tragedy of his life is that he never sold a painting and was only able to live because his brother acted as his patron. His tragic life ended even more tragically by suicide. So, with such a sad story, why is he one of my favorite people? Because the very reasons why he failed as an artist in his lifetime are the very reasons he is revered today.
Critics couldn’t stand the visible brush strokes, the unmixed paint, and the bizarre colors. His most famous piece, “Starry Night,” scared some people. It was an ominous painting to them, and yet those swirls of light in the sky, Van Gogh saw them as beacons of light in a dark world.
So, what does all this have to do with the Baptist Faith & Message? This week we are looking at the doctrine of humanity which, at its core, lies the truth that humans are created to be the image of God.
Unfortunately, we live in a day and age in which critics cannot stand this image. It is castigated and ridiculed as “old fashioned” or “bigoted.” But one day, the critics will silenced. The truth will come out. Christians, we paint as artists who are ridiculed by the critics. But don’t fret, because one day the world will understand the genius of God’s design. Today, let’s take a look at that design.
Humanity’s Place in Creation
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation.
BFM 2000
It’s funny how times change. Twenty years ago when this version of the BFM was written, they had the turn of the century wave of feminism in mind. Much has changed since then, but then again, not much has changed either. The culture today still clashes over matters of gender, compensation, and so-called achievement gaps. Yet, now we also have a new layer of debate regarding the number of genders, as well as sexuality and all the intricacies of that rabbit hole. Today, I will not be addressing much of these for two reasons:
The first reason is the same reason bank trainees do not study counterfeit money. When a teller or other bank employee is being trained to spot counterfeit dollars, they don’t examine fakes, they examine the real thing. It’s easier to spot the lies when you know the real thing. Satan has introduced all kinds of lies regarding the nature and roles of males and females. It’s much quicker and efficient to simply know the truth rather than attack individual lies.
The second reason is culture will continue to change over the decades. Every generation has its own problems and issues. Rather than speak to this generation’s elephant, I would rather invoke a statement I heard recently: “With everyone speaking to the times these days, allow this brother to speak to eternity.” It’s easy to get caught up in the passions and topics of the day. It is better to remember we are eternal creatures who should be preparing for eternity.
When we look at humanity in light of eternity, we come away with this simple truth: Male and female (yes, two) are created in God’s Image as the crowing work of His creation. They are created to rule, administer, and build value to His Creation.
The psalmist proclaims:
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.Psalm 8:3-8
We have dominion over the earth because we have been placed “a little lower than the heavenly beings.” This phrase invokes the status of humanity as the “in-between” creatures of heaven and earth. Have you considered there are heavenly creatures and earthly creatures, but only humans are made for both? Sometimes I am asked about whether our pets will be with us in heaven, and truly, the Bible does not state our beloved pets will be with us. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from cracking a joke about all dogs going to heaven, but cats not quite making the cut. I like to believe my childhood dogs will be waiting for me, but we don’t see that in Scripture. But, we do see many creatures in heaven. Revelation and Ezekiel speak to a number of creatures in heaven. Mostly angels, of course, but there is no reason to believe other animals exist there. Perhaps in the new heaven and new earth we will regain our lost pets, or perhaps God will have something even better in store. The point of this little theological tangent is simply this:
Humanity’s exceptional place in Creation is that men and women are created as both earthly and heavenly creatures.
Any teaching or cultural fad that attempts to make humans only earthly material or only spiritual beings entrapped within the physical are false teachings. As you listen to the myriad of ideas about men and women, gender, and sexuality, try to listen for the root argument or the “argument behind the argument.” What you will find is an attempt to either make humans on the same plane as animals, creatures who should be allowed to indulge whatever passion their hormones promote, or make humans purely spiritual allowing humans to disregard this earth and any sort of responsibility for it.
Humanity’s Fall in Creation
In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation.
BFM 2000
Genesis 3 records the Fall from God’s design. Unfortunately, we do not have time to address the chapter as a whole, but if you will turn there I have a couple notes as we consider the Baptist Faith & Message.
First, the BFM notes in the beginning man was innocent of sin and endowed with freedom of choice. Notice, as you look at chapter 3, Adam and Eve are able to roam about the Garden freely. At the end of chapter 3, the narrator notes God had to place an angel at the entrance of the Garden in order to keep the first couple from returning. We could speculate the couple had freedom to enter and exit the garden as they wanted, as well. The rule God gave them was relatively easy looking back. The humans could go where they wanted, build what they wanted, and eat what they wanted, so long as they didn’t eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Hindsight being what it is, we all would say, “Leave the Garden! Go build your house somewhere far away!” But in life, there are things we don’t know that we don’t know. Regardless, the point is simply this:
God endows humanity with the freedom of choice as an act of love.
It is an act of love, because that is the nature of love. No one can force someone else to love them. True love is reciprocated. A one-sided love isn’t really love. It’s infatuation, lust, or something else. A healthy relationship requires two-way communication, mutual respect, and, especially in the case of marriage, two-sided love.
This truth is why many times in Scripture God uses the metaphor of marriage to address His wayward people. In Jeremiah 2, Israel is called an adulterer going after prostitutes because of their worship of false gods. Hosea is all about the prophet taking a wife who cheats on him for the sole purpose of reinforcing God’s love toward Israel and Israel’s infidelity towards their God.
But Israel is not the only people who wander from their Creator. This bent toward sin is summed up by David in Psalm 51:5.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.Psalm 51:5
The Teacher in Ecclesiastes utters this same truth in his message of wisdom.
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Why are we unable to remove the plight of sin? Why is it that even nonbelievers can know what is good and right, and yet we all still butcher God’s good design for this world? The answer is back in Genesis 3.
Notice secondly, Satan is the one tempts the couple away from God’s design and into sin. They have a choice. Eve could have just ignored the serpent and walked away. Adam could have stepped in and killed the snake. It’s worth noting Adam is not in the picture during the conversation with the snake. There’s a sermon about men shirking their duties which leads to more sin (think David and Bathsheba), but that will have to come another day. But, no, the serpent temps them to sin, and they fall for it.
This same scenario continues to play out today. In psalms 58, the psalmist describes the situation.
Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
No, in heart you work unrighteousness; On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth.
Psalm 58:1-3
The wickedness of men and the lies of dark spiritual forces continue to plague humanity. Verse 1, where we read about “gods,” is probably translated “rulers” or “mighty ones” in your Bible. The KJV has “congregation.” This is one of those words that could go a few ways depending on how the verse is interpreted. Just a quick Hebrew lesson, originally it did not have vowels. The meaning of the word depended on how it was pronounced out loud. It was not until between 600 and 900 AD that Hebrew scribes started putting in vowel markings to ensure “correct” punctuation. Every once in awhile you can find a verse that is still debated, and this happens to be one. Literally, the word here would be translated “silent ones,” but that seems unlikely since the question implies the subject is speaking something. If it’s re-vocalized, which most translators do, then we can get “rulers” or “mighty ones.”
I bring all this up, because 1) it’s an interesting bit of Bible trivia and 2) because if we accept “rulers” then it begs the question of who are these rulers? The answer brings us back into ancient days when it was well-known and accepted the spiritual realm had just as much influence on humanity as the physical realm. “Gods” with a little ‘g’ has a bit of extra baggage today than in ancient days. They did not have supreme power, only limited based on their location or status in heaven. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, these “gods” would eventually become known as “demons.” The false gods of the nations became labelled “demons” who used magic or other signs to deceive the nations. That interpretation actually fits well with Psalm 58:1.
Read it again, but this time keep in mind the ancient understanding of little gods. Do they decree what is right? No. Do they judge the children of man uprightly? No. They devise wrongs and deal out violence.
If we think of all the things that are wrong with the world today, and keep in mind there really are dark forces at work, then these verses start to make things clear.
Demonic forces still tempt humanity into sin and violence, but it is still the human’s choice to follow them.
We still have a choice in the matter. We have a choice of which forces we will listen to—either the same demonic ones that wrought sin and violence or the King of Kings Who has disarmed them through the cross. Paul understood the work of Christ to be dismantling these dark forces. Read with me Colossians 2.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Colossians 2:13-15
Notice Paul never takes the responsibility of sin away from humanity. We were dead in our transgresses. God made us alive and forgives our sin. He does so by canceling the record of debt against us. We broke the Law. We were in rebellion to God. But all that debt and sin is nailed to the cross when Jesus went to the cross for us. Then, the next line, Jesus disarmed the rulers (yes, same type of “rulers”) and authorities and puts them to shame. Christ triumphs over the dark forces who want to claim humanity for their own by freeing us through His death and resurrection.
Because it is all the work of Christ and His power and grace, we read in the BFM:
Humanity’s Lifeline
Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God.
We have free will to choose God’s way or the devil’s way, but without the power and grace of the God, we will never have true fellowship with God and fulfill His purpose. He created us to bear His image, but we can’t do that if we are still corrupted by sin. Sin destroys the image of God and causes us to destroy the relationships and world around us. In order to restore ourselves, our relationships, and our world, we must pray for forgiveness as David writes:
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.Psalm 51:8-12
If we ask God to restore us, He will. The work has already been done in Christ. We can have freedom from those dark forces that make humans question the roles of men and women, question the status of the genders in God’s Kingdom, and make some even question their own identities. Restoration and understanding is possible, but it begins with Jesus and demonstrating God’s grace.
Restoration of individual humans, as well as humanity at large, is dependent on God’s grace.
And if we have been saved by God’s grace, then we must walk in God’s grace. As Paul says in Ephesians:
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Notice how Paul describes the Ephesians former way of life. Does it not sound much like what we see today? The sins of the 21st century are no different than the sins of the 1st century. And the cure for sin has not changed either. If we want to see people restored to God, then we must walk as people restored in order to proclaim the mercy and love of God given through Jesus Christ.
If Christians want to see more people come to faith in Christ, they must demonstrate the power of Christ’s mercy and love in their own lives first.
This point leads us to the last line in the BFM and our last passage.
Humanity consists of all Humanity
The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
BFM 2000
One of the fun parts of being a historian is comparing how official statements change over time. This last line was not in the 1925 version of the BFM, but it pops up in the 1963 version. To be honest, I’m a little surprised it appeared in the 1963 one simply because of how many SBC churches were in the 60s. (You can see the three different versions here.) But, I am pleased it did, because unfortunately many churches have been known to be on the wrong side of this debate. It’s no secret the SBC exists because it was on the wrong side of the slavery issue.
There was a book written in 1947 by Carl Henry that still rings true today. It’s called The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism. It’s a relatively short book, and one worth reading. The gist is fairly simple, though. Christians who rail against personal sins should be just as angry about social sins, especially since the Bible does not make a distinction between the two. Sin is sin, whether one person does it or a whole nation. Before anyone dismisses this notion as “marxist” or “social gospel,” they should read the book. Carl Henry was neither.
The implications of the Gospel of Christ are clear, even if some people don’t like it, and the BFM puts it well. “Every person of every race possess full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.” When Jesus told the disciples to go be His witness to the ends of the earth, He specifically mentioned Samaria. That was not an accident. He was telling them, “Go to those people. Yes, those people.”
Paul picks up this same idea in Colossians.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Colossians 3:5-11
Again, dear Christian, if we want to see more people come to Christ, then we have to demonstrate Christ’s love. If we want to see society become a more godly society that upholds the moral virtues of Christianity, then we must demonstrate those moral virtues first.
So put away the immorality. Put away the impurity, the evil desires, the covetousness, the anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscenities, and all the other things that look like the devil and not like Jesus.
Christians reach people by acting like Christ, not acting like the devil.
So as we close, take a look at the lists in verses 5 and 8. Do you see these in your own life? What about your personality? Your character? In your workplace? Or in your home?
We must rid ourselves of these things if we are to truly reflect the image of our Creator.
I know these are bizarre times. They seem to only get more bizarre with each passing year. But the answer is not to yell, scream, and get angry. It certainly isn’t to show wrath, malice, and all those other sins. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, not us. If they won’t listen, then that’s their choice. Our job is only to speak to them in truth and in love.