BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHOLENESS
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
The Apostle Paul
lovingly desired wholeness for people (1Thess.5:23), definitely a matter of
godliness. I have and continue to give recurring thought to the topic for I too
desire it with the accompanying ability to thusly provide guidance to for
others. In contemplating God’s Word my earliest and yet abiding conclusion
being that wholeness is inseparable from seeing the kingdom of God. (Jn.3:3)
God’s kingdom seen in, by, and through the Word Living (Jn.1:1) and written
(the Bible).
For some time I’ve
wanted to write out and share my thoughts as I see wholeness spiritually,
mentally, physically, and bodily. I’ve partially done so thru the years, but not
as a series. This morning I endeavor to begin doing so as your fellow traveler
this side of death. Please walk with me thru this series. Feel free to take my
hand or refuse to do so.
I begin with the
beginning: Genesis and “good”.
FROM GOOD TO GOOD
Reading of the
opening events of creation we see God said “good” numerous times describing
that which He formed. And truly good it was for until due to disobediently
gaining the knowledge of good and evil, knowing and experiencing the good of
creation – evil being the tragic comparative addition to, Adam and Eve were
evicted from the garden in Eden. They and all since falling short of the glory
of God (Rom.3:23) the matter of good and its results are chaotically mixed.
We provide
charity helping some while enabling slothful others. We provide for famine
sufferers. They flock to population center distribution points never to return
to their farming, creating other problems. Hawaiians vote for statehood and
gain many good things, but also come under USA mandated labor laws. Consequently
their major industry of pineapples and sugar from cane diminishes and falls to
nothing. Now Hawaii has one main industry, tourism, and expensively imports 90%
of their food, a vulnerable fragile situation. Democracies set out to help
others gain self-determination and mass death, destruction, and deprivation
ensues. I’m certain you know of other good
decisions that are chaotically mixed in results.
Having moved down
from truly good to chaotic tarnished good, mankind, individual and/or groups,
has the opportunity to move upward. (Rom.1:17-19) Realistically seeing this
world’s chaos we are left with a personal question: Am I whole enough to live Corinthians
13 love, doing good apart from stumbling over cynicism and protectively
isolating myself?
To serve Him all our days,
Ed Bullock (EBB4)
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