Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Genesis 1:3
Mr. Gibbons was quite a character. He was the professor I had in my required Introduction to Philosophy class, my last quarter before I graduated from college. If I have anyone to thank for my atypical reasoning style it has to be Mr. Gibbons.
I spent that whole quarter writing continuing essays discussing the role of language in the interpretation of reality. (Seriously!) Mr. Gibbons believed that philosophy was a verb, something you did. He also taught us that if our philosophy changed anyone's mind, it was really not the strength of our arguments, but the weakness in their own.
Into that atmosphere we were asked to write a term paper discussing the difference between science and religion. I really worked at the paper, but I got nowhere. Every source I checked had a different opinion. Very frustrating. But then I saw the light, if I just turned in the paper, even if he flunked me, I would still get the required C and still graduate. Armed with that wonderful enlightenment, I decided to write the paper relating my experiences trying to find the solution to this science - religion dilemma. But instead of making myself a college senior, I made myself a sixth grade student, under the watchful tutoring of Ms. Aris Totle.
My conclusion, after the required verbiage to reach the necessary size, quoting various well known philosophers, was the enlightenment I received in a conversation with my father over the mythical dinner table. If there is one profundity I have come up with in my life, at least in this line of discourse, this is definitely the one. Science is what my father uses to convince me to eat my spinach, religion is the argument I use to sway him that I don't need too.
True to what he had been preaching to his students Mr. Gibbons gave me an A-, commenting to me in private that it was the best paper in the class even though it really didn't fit the criteria he established.
So what does this have to do with the Bible and the creation of light you ask? Thanks to Mr. Gibbons, this week even if you didn't, I'm going to answer it for you.
Light comes in two forms, enlightenment light, "I see," said the blind man. And natural light, "I see," said the seeing woman. Now a similar profundity that we have been hammering on for a number of weeks is that it is not science that determines our religion, but religion that determines our science.
Now that we see this in such a clear light, why does everything seem to be so mixed up? Thermodynamics, everything proceeds naturally from order to disorder. Our created human condition is now so disordered, most people do not know what to believe.
Now let's focus some light on our modern world. Information is not knowledge, and knowledge is not wisdom. So if you say that information doubles every 10 years, there may or may not be a positive correlation between information and knowledge. Information by itself is just noise in a more randomized world.
To truly become knowledge, information must be synthesized into the correct understanding of reality. This is required in both science and religion. To the extent error is introduced into this equation, the answer can become foolishness. Therefore wisdom is the synthesis of knowledge based upon truth. All truth has it source in God, hence the Bible correctly states that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. See Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10 for context.
Now for an illumination I shall borrow from a creation scientist's presentation I once saw. I believe he was from Oregon, but I can't recall his name. If anyone out there knows who he is, I would appreciate giving him proper reference.
Does light dispel darkness, or does darkness suck out light?
Now in the Bible, and I think scientists of most persuasions believe, that natural light dispels darkness. We will look at that phenomenon more fully next week. But if you think about it, this is really an interesting philosophical question, with little or no basis in the real world, or does it?
When you look at religion, light may not be all that illuminating. I know of at least a couple of people that when they enter the room, the light hearted nature of those present just seems to disappear. Could it be that human beings are really the only natural form of light suckers?
These people, at least those I am aware of, are not all that satisfied with there life, but heaven forbid that you in any way challenge, or threaten the security of the darkness of their personality. The biblical reference for this is found in John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Now the proper context for this verse begins with John 3:1 but for now -- you guessed it football fans, we shall use John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:16-21)
Now the Bible doesn't really differentiate between spiritual light and natural light in the actual light word, therefore you must discern from the context which light we are talking about. The above passage pointing out the complexity of the light-light metaphor.
But the Bible does differentiate between sin and holiness. Sin is darkness and evil, and holiness is light, brought by God through Jesus Christ, the Word of God, referenced above. Just as in the creation story, light dispels darkness, except those who by choice will not accept that light.
Now here is the problem with light suckers. We are them, naturally. And since we are naturally light suckers, we have a propensity to return to that state of chaos. Unless we "let that little light shine, shine." The problem is if we are shining out of our own strength as the chorus implies, the light suckers will triumph, because their darkness is stronger than our personal light.
What we need is an outside source of energy, light to overcome not only the darkness of others, but our own. That source is clearly shown above as it is in Genesis 1:3, it is the same source. Light is created out of the attributes of God and it brings illumination not only to the earth, but to the heart of man. God gives this light to His children out of love and by His grace alone, without merit of any light sucker.
The Bible has its source in the wisdom of God, and if this is true, or truth, all other sources of religion must be measured on its scale of light giving illumination. We like to believe (as natural light suckers) that all paths of enlightenment lead to God. But this is not what the Bible says. The Bible says in its entire context that only Jesus Christ is the source of temporal and eternal light. That specifically is stated in John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
So what this shows us, is that only through the Bible can information be converted into wisdom, through the light of the word of God. Only through the Bible can science be in complete harmony with religion. Science and religion don't need to be antagonistic, for as long as science is content to describe physical reality, it is completely in harmony with Biblical principles. But once you use science as a means to further your religious views, you turn from the true source of all light and find the perceived light of your own self righteousness. A world ruled by your decreased horizons and light sucking potential.
But thanks be to God He gives us a way out of ever increasing darkness. But that is a choice He gives us to make, at least in the context that we consider our choice. But for your home work this week does that perception center in our darkness, or is that free will choice a function of the spiritual light we have been given. In other words, can my darkness overcome the truth of light? Just as Mr. Gibbon's said, "I expect you to turn in your response in class Monday!"
Just as true spiritual enlightenment is a miracle from God, He does still perform miracles in this current era. It is just that we have become such a light sucking society, it sometimes hard to see the ramifications.
But in that light, we need three miracles as soon as God supplies, one personal, one organizational, and one financial. Since they all involve other personalities, I use the term we. But in that light I do not know enough about miracles to state the complete context. So please pray for those miracles as God gives you illumination.
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