God’s Construction
Imagine these following scenarios.
A car traveling east on Interstate 80 decides to construct its own rules and speed limit by driving in the west bound lane at 100 miles an hour. The outcome? Disaster!
A mom making a sandwich for her son who has a peanut allergy decides to construct her own guidelines for what is healthy and puts peanut butter in the sandwich. The outcome? Disaster!
After hearing that golf ball size hail is coming his way in a severe thunderstorm, a man decides to construct his own sense of a wise decision and leaves his new car out of the garage. The outcome? Disaster!
In each of these scenarios we find examples of constructivism, a view that is convinced a person can construct their own reality. The disastrous results remind us that a person cannot construct their own reality.
In our next question and answer in The New City Catechism, #4 (“How and why did God create us? Answer: God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him. And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.”), several areas of life are addressed in which many people currently construct their own reality, and with disastrous results. They all revolve around God’s creation of the world. Let’s briefly look at these.
Creation
In order to escape any accountability that would come with there being a God, many have constructed their own reality about the origin of the world in a theory known as evolution or macroevolution. The results have been disastrous in that people have been encouraged to believe only in what they can see and touch, human beings have been diminished to no more importance than animals, and belief in God has been thought to be obsolete. Yet, the Bible clearly tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
The Image Of God
Because so many have lost sight of God in the origin of the world, it also follows that they have constructed their own reality about who humans are and how important they are. The prevalence of abortion, assisted suicide, and a devaluing of the aged and infirm are all a direct result of this loss. It is in direct contradiction to what the Bible teaches: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Human life is sacred since humans are created in the image of God: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Gen. 9:6)
Binary Sexuality
One of the most prevalent ways constructivism is being practiced today is in this area. God created humans male and female and He ordained marriage as only between a male and female, to give a picture of the ultimate bridegroom and bride, Jesus Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:32). To recognize this and live out this reality brings happiness and results in the best way to live (Deut. 10:12-13; Ps 112:1; Luke 11:28). Today’s constructivism often concludes that, “God put me in the wrong body, so I must transition,” or “Rather than loving and/or being in an intimate relationship with one of the opposite sex, I will be happier in such a relationship with one of my own sex.” Such ends in disaster, God’s judgment (Romans 1:26-27), much pain to those who live “alternative lifestyles,” and it opposes the clear teaching of the Bible: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
The World’s Purpose
To realize that God is the only God, the only Creator, and He has revealed how He constructed the world and humans best to live, leads to life purposes that fit with the reality of Him, His world, and our purposes: To know Him (Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 17:3), love Him (Matthew 22:37-40), live with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 21:1-7), and to glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 11:34-36).
There are many questions and answers in The New City Catechism that deal with very important topics, but none are more important than this fourth one because constructivism, in many ways, has replaced Secular Humanism as the number one challenge to a biblical worldview. In this one question and answer we find the biblical response in succinct form.
Commit this question and answer to memory, teach it to the next generation, and talk about it often with your children. If you don’t, the world will catechize them in constructivism, otherwise known as sin.
Your Joyful Catechizing Pastor,
Tom
A car traveling east on Interstate 80 decides to construct its own rules and speed limit by driving in the west bound lane at 100 miles an hour. The outcome? Disaster!
A mom making a sandwich for her son who has a peanut allergy decides to construct her own guidelines for what is healthy and puts peanut butter in the sandwich. The outcome? Disaster!
After hearing that golf ball size hail is coming his way in a severe thunderstorm, a man decides to construct his own sense of a wise decision and leaves his new car out of the garage. The outcome? Disaster!
In each of these scenarios we find examples of constructivism, a view that is convinced a person can construct their own reality. The disastrous results remind us that a person cannot construct their own reality.
In our next question and answer in The New City Catechism, #4 (“How and why did God create us? Answer: God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him. And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.”), several areas of life are addressed in which many people currently construct their own reality, and with disastrous results. They all revolve around God’s creation of the world. Let’s briefly look at these.
Creation
In order to escape any accountability that would come with there being a God, many have constructed their own reality about the origin of the world in a theory known as evolution or macroevolution. The results have been disastrous in that people have been encouraged to believe only in what they can see and touch, human beings have been diminished to no more importance than animals, and belief in God has been thought to be obsolete. Yet, the Bible clearly tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
The Image Of God
Because so many have lost sight of God in the origin of the world, it also follows that they have constructed their own reality about who humans are and how important they are. The prevalence of abortion, assisted suicide, and a devaluing of the aged and infirm are all a direct result of this loss. It is in direct contradiction to what the Bible teaches: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) Human life is sacred since humans are created in the image of God: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Gen. 9:6)
Binary Sexuality
One of the most prevalent ways constructivism is being practiced today is in this area. God created humans male and female and He ordained marriage as only between a male and female, to give a picture of the ultimate bridegroom and bride, Jesus Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:32). To recognize this and live out this reality brings happiness and results in the best way to live (Deut. 10:12-13; Ps 112:1; Luke 11:28). Today’s constructivism often concludes that, “God put me in the wrong body, so I must transition,” or “Rather than loving and/or being in an intimate relationship with one of the opposite sex, I will be happier in such a relationship with one of my own sex.” Such ends in disaster, God’s judgment (Romans 1:26-27), much pain to those who live “alternative lifestyles,” and it opposes the clear teaching of the Bible: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
The World’s Purpose
To realize that God is the only God, the only Creator, and He has revealed how He constructed the world and humans best to live, leads to life purposes that fit with the reality of Him, His world, and our purposes: To know Him (Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 17:3), love Him (Matthew 22:37-40), live with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 21:1-7), and to glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7; Romans 11:34-36).
There are many questions and answers in The New City Catechism that deal with very important topics, but none are more important than this fourth one because constructivism, in many ways, has replaced Secular Humanism as the number one challenge to a biblical worldview. In this one question and answer we find the biblical response in succinct form.
Commit this question and answer to memory, teach it to the next generation, and talk about it often with your children. If you don’t, the world will catechize them in constructivism, otherwise known as sin.
Your Joyful Catechizing Pastor,
Tom
Posted in Shepherding From a Joyful Pastor
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