If we are to think like the God of the Bible we must begin where He begins. And God begins in Genesis with the creation of the cosmos, the earth, and everything in it. Just two chapters are dedicated to this space-and-time creation event. Not a great deal of explanation for such a monumental event. But these two chapters lay down the foundation stones of all Biblical thought. They lay down three themes the whole of the Bible then fleshes out: Who is God? Who am I? How am I to live with you, my neighbor? Without Genesis chapters one and two, our thinking about God and life will drift towards either mysticism or rationalism.
One, mysticism, holds a magical view of reality and sees solutions in terms of invisible powers in unseen places. The other, rationalism, sees reality as a purely material manifestation and solutions as solely pragmatic and man made, things we can see, taste, touch, and measure. Without a clear understanding of Genesis 1 and 2 we begin to develop a duality between the seen and unseen world. We begin to define Kingdom reality in terms of either miracles or science, heavenly or earthly, visible or invisible, secular or sacred, spiritual or unspiritual, losing the powerful message of Christ-Creator of all. Paul labors this integrated reality of God’s Kingdom with the Gentiles in Colossians 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
In Genesis God declares these two realities, seen and unseen, visible and invisible, to both be created by Him and under His authority. He declares man to be in dominion over both realms on earth and that our destiny as a human race is to multiply, fill the earth and create communities (cultures). Therefore, those who seek to think like God and find his solutions and direction must marry the realities of the seen and unseen and the individual and community as part of the one and only Kingdom of God.
– Landa L. Cope
In 2005 Landa founded The Template Institute committed to providing seminars and materials for the development of Biblical thinking in the professions as well as a comprehensive Biblical approach to issues in the public forum. She currently serves as the Founder and Executive Director of TTI. The above post is an excerpt from the full article available here. Her book, The Old Testament Template, is available for purchase at the DNA bookstore.
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