but wait there's more

Hmm… I almost don’t know where to begin. This week, you seem to be a real whirling dervish (no, I don’t infer from your column that I think you’re Muslim. However and perhaps, maybe this is a good place for me to begin addressing the questions you ask. I can’t speak to Walker Percy but to say that I believe he embraced a Christian existentialist view. Percy’s view, however, is less relevant for discussion’s sake than what you seem to be espousing yourself. Still, rather than addressing your conjecture, I can only offer my own beliefs on the nature of man.

I believe man was, indeed, made in God’s image. In fact, Gen. 1:26, talks of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit doing just that. In part, making man in “Our image” seems to mean that man is a physical, mental, and spiritual being (the trinity; no, that does not make us God). But more than that, I believe it also means that man is a personality and, as such, self-conscious and able to make his own decisions; a free moral agent. It is… well, uniquely unique about us as created beings. Are we an “organic creature”? Well, I believe in so far as we are made of the elements of the earth, perhaps. Our physical bodies, after all, are composed of about 16 chemical elements. If sold for our chemical content, we’d be worth in the neighborhood of $4. Of course, God created everything, anyway. In Genesis the word bara is used when talking about the creation of man (and also when talking about the creating of the earth and so forth) – out of nothing. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” Gen 2:7 pt. But what’s really fantastic here is not our physical body. That isn’t what makes gives us our unique nature. It is that God “breathed into [man’s] nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Gen. 2:7 pt. God gives us life! – physical and psychological… and spiritual (which can bring us into a relationship with the Creator; more on that, later). This is what truly separates us from all other creatures in the universe. (Yes, we were made a little lower than the angels [actually, that’s the Septuagint’s translation; the Hebrew actually says a “little less than Elohim] so we are very different as far as our relationship with the Creator goes). Obviously, we could talk about this musing “forever” but I think folks (atheists notwithstanding) come down somewhere on a life-spectrum that is bookended by the following: Bertrand Russell, a humanist of the highest order, speaks of man and his existence this way: “Brief and powerless is man's life. On him and all his race the slow sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way. For man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day.” (Not exactly the life of the party, Mr. Russell.) Now, Ray Stedman, a Biblical expositor of authentic Christianity, speaks of man’s existence this way: “According to the Bible, God made man to be the expression of God's life, the human vehicle of the divine life, the means by which the invisible God would be made visible to His creatures. Man was to be the instrument by which God would do His work in the world and the expression of the character and being of God. He is the creature nearest to God. There is none other nearer, for God himself was to live in man. That is the revelation of the Bible. Man is such a unique being, such a remarkable being, that God Himself intends to live in him to be the glory of man's life. Man is the bearer of God.” Wow. How incredible is that?!

On to what now seems (relatively) unimportant. As to those whom through (again, quoting Mr. Stedman here) “God would do His work in the world and the expression of the character and being of God”: $660 billion could do a lot of “positive things” as you say. In short, I’d suggest we need to be involved and loving. Above all, I endeavor to respond the way Jesus would respond (WWJD may seem a bit simplistic but that’s the idea) in my own power but through the power of the Holy Spirit, as well and most importantly.

I arrive now at the point where you throw all reason of discourse out the window, glibly talking about getting a “phone call from the boss” for whom you exclusively use the pronoun “she” (and not even capitalized; kidding). You’re entitled to believe and say what you want about this, I won’t deny you those freedoms. I’m just confused. In earlier writings, you talked about Jesus, your preference for Mark’s gospel, and Dr. King. Huh? You’re putting us on here, right? Jesus always referred to God, the Father. Nowhere is a feminine pronoun used in the Bible in reference to the trinity. (I’m sure this is where you take issue with the Bible being written by men. Why men? I don’t know. But the Bible is the most incredible book, ultimately authored by the Holy Spirit, Himself. Think of it: 44 writers, most of whom never met. Some were kings, others shepherds, fishermen, Prime Ministers. Some of the writings were written in the wilderness, others in a dungeon, from a palace, while traveling on the road. The Bible was written in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek and tackles a number of controversial subjects. Yet in all of this, there is one common thread upon which all authors agree: God’s redemption of man. (More about this later.) To have just 10 authors, of the same walk of life, of the same time, in the same language, agree on one controversial subject is highly unlikely. Yet, the Bible offers 44 authors who, over a span of 1500 years, all agree. And by the way, God says His Word is the only thing He puts above His own name – that shows its incalculable value.) Anyway, and therefore, not to be disrespectful, I won’t even address, specifically, God rolling “dice” and that “she” said we would, eventually “screw the pooch” and help with the 1969 World Series Mets. This is all just… beneath you (you, a seemingly thoughtful person in search of greater meaning in life) and this is absolutely beneath the dignity of the God of the universe.

As to science. Love science. It will always confirm scripture (and I do mean always): historically, archaeologically, celestially, biologically… You name it. This is such a vast topic (and you’re not specific here) so I won’t endeavor to explain my thoughts any further but I will stand, always, by the Bible as the truth.

With regard for the evangelists of whom you speak… I can’t say that I’m personally a “follower” of any one you’ve named. I have my own reasons and you have yours; rather, I remain curious over why you express yourself here with such vitriol and contempt? Looking back at just a week ago, you spoke at some length about Jesus, that when He “was threatened… assaulted, when he was humiliated, tortured, sentenced to death and hung out to be picked apart by the vultures and the dogs with the power and full authority of God behind him… he forgave.” These evangelists have done nothing to you personally (except, apparently, insult your sensibilities). But even if they had, you seem unaware that Christ said to love your enemies. Pray for them. I suppose that’s all I have to say on that.

And now, your final paragraph. As I said just above, I don’t know about the god of whom you speak (“she”) but the God I worship said this: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you you know.” John 14:8 (I know, you’re not a fan of this gospel. But humor me and consider the context in which Jesus says this.) Jesus is sharing the “last supper” with His disciples in the upper room. He knows it’s only a matter of hours before He will be murdered and that His disciples need to hear something that will sustain them.

I’ll wrap up now and talk about those things I said I would speak of later: man’s relationship with his Creator and the redemption of man. God created man to be an eternal being. According to the Bible, we all will live forever – it’s a matter of where. Will you spend eternity with God the Father or separated from Him? (Let’s not open the subject of the physical hell other than to say… how do you describe eternal separation from the One who created you?) Sin has separated us from God. The law of the Old Testament is something to which we can never measure up. We’ve all fallen short. But the new covenant in the New Testament, made through the Father’s sacrifice of His Son, provides a way. The way. The only way. In John 14:6 (and many other places), Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Now, I can’t believe it took me so long to realize what I’m about to say but… I think I used to have this mental image of Jesus standing there with his hand up in a “Stop right there” gesture when, in fact, I’ve come to realize Jesus is waving us on, saying, “Come on, come this way! I’ll take you to the King. Your Father. Your Home.” To quote the late Keith Green, the Christian musician, in one of his concerts, “When I look around at all the beauty God made… the forests and the streams… the Bible says He made them in six days… I don’t know if they’re a literal six days. Scientists would say “no”, some theologians would say “yes”… It doesn’t matter to me. But I know that Jesus Christ has been preparing a home for me and for some of you for 2,000 years. And if this world took six days and that home 2,000 years… Hey man, this is living in a garbage can compared to what’s going up there.” God has a place, for each one of us – if we will only welcome His Son to come into our hearts and live; to let His purpose become the purpose of our life, to let Jesus be our Savior. And even more amazing than the fact that the God of heaven and earth makes us that offer, He makes us that free offer and He makes it to everyone. God offers salvation here on earth and eternal life with Him in heaven, to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, young or old, smart or not; there’s no test to take, nothing for which you need to qualify. No secret handshake, it’s not “who you know” (outside of Christ). “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 4:20. There is just one catch. Time and time again, God warns us that He will not strive with us forever. Someday, time will run out. Each one of us will die and if you haven’t accepted Christ by faith into your heart and life… it’ll be too late. “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden you hearts.” Hebrews 3: 7-8 pt. Personally, I’ve always just sort of “known” God is God but, up until a few years ago, never really took Him seriously, never allowed Him to be Lord of my life. I praise Him for having the patience with me and continuing to knock until I answered to door. If you’re at all inclined – and you seem as though you might be searching for (wrestling with?) God – I would encourage you… keep searching. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you. Listen for that voice. God does love you.
 

God does not play dice. -- Einstein
 

Wouldn't it be more "sad" to think or know that this is all there is?
 

The nature of man? According to God, in the Old Testament: "The heart is deceitful above all things,/And desperately wicked:/Who can know it?/I, the Lord, search the heart,/I test the mind,/Even to give every man according to his ways,/According to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:11 But by and through the death of God's Son, we can have a new nature, for "His divine power has given... to [all who believe and accept Jesus Christ as Savior]... the divine nature, having escaped the corruptino that is in the world through lust" 2Peter 1:3-4 pt.