Thursday 25 October 2012

November 2012 - Order and the Organic

I’ve had a question, a pondering, that has been running through my mind for some time now and which I would like to ask you: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? It’s an old question but a relevant one. Literal biblical creationism would view it as the chicken being first. However, that simple answer is not where this question is leading. The question is whether order comes before life or vise versa.

Let’s consider some biblical pointers to the answer to this question before taking it a step further. There are examples of the order-first side: Adam was created from the dust of the earth before God breathed into him and he came to life; Solomon’s temple was created and everything organized before God’s visible presence filled the temple; & Jesus said He was going ahead of us to prepare a place for us before we get there. On the life-first side you might have: the Spirit hovered over the waters while the earth was still without form; Israel existed as God’s nation prior to God giving order to their worship of Him; the church existed prior to the council at Jerusalem; & the church was moving in spiritual gifts before Paul put some parameters on it in First Corinthians. So, we are left with examples in both directions.

The reason I am pondering this is because there is a controversy for Charismatic/Pentecostal churches in relation to the “flow of the Spirit” in our midst. There are those on the life-first side that claim any structure or order that may be given by church leadership or the order-first camp will hinder that life by controlling it and “quenching the Spirit.” Those of the order-first side claim that the unhindered aspect of the life-first camp introduces “wild fire” that creates more chaos and destruction than it does life. The first complaint could be seen like being against the old Chinese practice of foot-binding, which, while claiming to beautify, created pain and diminished life. The second complaint could be seen like being against cancer, which is the result of unhindered life (the replication of cells) in the body and actually creates pain and diminishes life.

I want to be clear that I am not trying to point fingers at any individuals but deal with mindsets. How a person thinks does not necessarily indicate who that person is but can clearly affect how that person expresses themselves and their Christian life. Hard-line positions in either camp tend to get wrapped within personal senses of identity and destiny which can negate teachability and a sense of the corporate. Both extremes claim God is directing them and that the other is ultimately unspiritual and/or unbiblical. As a body we need to be aware of the validity that both sides can bring.

I would propose, therefore, that the organic involves order. Where there is life we always see order. If you are of the position that human life begins at conception, then you must also realize the order that DNA brings to that life. Neither life without order nor order without life are acceptable. They are intended to grow in synergy and synchronization with each other.

I know that this balanced approach may not satisfy either camp, but also believe it is where God would have us. It is more of a tightrope to walk and I would encourage you all to pray and support the church leaders in walking that tightrope. Ultimately it isn’t about the chicken or the egg but it is about the God who creates and operates life within order.

Journeying together with you,  Pastor Merril