Light and Good
In his book “Toward Old Testament Ethics”, Dr. Walter C. Kaiser Jr. mentions two ideas that would bring together both the OT and the NT. “Double-sided morals” is the first idea, and the “Creation Ordinances” is the second idea. The “Double-sided morals” explains how any moral law (Decalogue) has both a positive result and a negative result. The “Creation Ordinances” idea supposes that there is a relationship between the physical laws in Genesis, such as light, and the moral or ethical themes of the Bible.
If light is good, then what is darkness?…is it evil? or is it the absence of light? Have you ever noticed that as the Sun gets lower in the sky that our shadows get longer? So it is with our pride, when light of God is low on the horizon, our pride increases. When the Light of God is overhead (as in noon time, Jn 12:46) , our shadow (human pride) is diminished. See Luke 18:9-14, Jn 9:4-5, Jn 12:46-50,1Thes 5:4-9 for some spiritual examples. Can you see how “Complexion-based Christianity” is an example of light that is low on the horizon? If not, see Jn 1:7-8, Jn 3:27-31, 1Cor4:7, and please continue reading.
Here is an excerpt regarding “Creation Ordinances” from Dr. Walter C. Kaisers Jr’s book “Toward Old Testament Ethics” below:
“One final basis for the ethical decision comes from the work of God, the “creation ordinances.” These ordinances reflect the work of God in creation and depict ‘the constitution of things’ as they were intended to be from the Creator’s hand. They cover and regulate the whole gamut of life” bearing children, superintending the earth as a responsible steward before and under God, responsibly ruling the creatures of all creation, finding fulfillment and satisfaction in work labor, resting on the Sabbath, and enjoying marriage as a gift from above. The importance of creation theology for the Wisdom Books has been one of the great insights of contemporary biblical theology. What needs to be done now is for someone to relate that creation emphasis in the Wisdom Books to its ethical and moral themes. Moreover, the link between creation ordinances and the matters of marriage, human sexuality, duties to parents, duties to superiors and underlings, property, work, life, the lower created forms, and the like must now be developed in the future studies. To do this, however one must assume that an ‘informing ethic’ has continued in the progress of revelation and that the presumption in favor of the unity of Old Testament ethics is a better working hypothesis than a presumption for its diversity and disunity.”
”Walter C. Kaiser Jr. “Toward Old Testament Ethics , P 31
John’s Gospel chapters 1-12 brings together the OT and the NT that Dr. Walter Kaiser mentions. John compares the Genesis record(Spoken Word) [1Jn1:1a], the Mt.Sinai/Mt Horeb record (Written Word)[1Jn1:1b], and the Gospel record of Christ (Living Word)[1Jn1:1c] . The book of John places the double-sided morals (spiritual laws) adjacent to the physical laws of first seven days of Creation. The ordering of John’s Gospel is intended to show Christ’s expertise, invincibility, longevity, relevance, and His conspicuous example for our day to day existence.
The second column of this link shows the physical laws or “Creation Ordinances” in St John’s Gospel. The third column shows the double-sided morals of the Decalogue from Mt Sinai/Mt Horeb. The red text denotes virtues of Christ. The bold black text denotes vices of mankind.
Darwin’s ideas should not have advanced as far as they did, if Christians were able to relate the physical laws to the spiritual ones. According to Romans 1:20, “…since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…”. This is a strong hint that spiritual laws and physical ones are related. So-called modern science would have taken a different turn, if Christians followed the Romans 1:20 clue along with 1John1:1 clues [See previous paragraph referencing John’s Gospel 1-12],
The “Creation Ordinances” provide moral light to a world that has lost its bearings. Spiritual laws are what is commonly called “religion” . St John describes spiritual laws as reality, freedom, and truth (Jn 8:31-32). This period of “Post Modernism” is an indicator that many Christians have lost their grip on the Word Jn (8:31-32). The phrase ” Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” from the US Constitution appears to be a remnant of knowledge long lost because the Light of the World is not shining where it should. Darwin’s ideas have brought darkness (human pride). Creation Ordinances vanquish the darkness of Darwin’s legacy.
