I am caught up in the dilemma of dualism. What fuels this dilemma is the way I separate worldly issues from religious issues. I somehow can’t connect some of the problems I find facing me daily to my religious beliefs. Some things are just stuff. First, I believe God created ALL of the science, ALL reason and ALL of the Gospel for His glory. If we find a discrepancy, it is because we do not understand something. Furthermore, God created everything, and the fall influenced everything. Natural disasters are just as much a manifestation of the fall as human sin.
Colossians 1:16, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”
DUALISM
Dualism is the separation of facts and values. Dualism is a philosophical theory that is centuries old. It postulates that all of creation is divided into two realms or stories. Facts and observations objectively bound the first story. The second story is bounded by emotions, arbitrary decisions, religious beliefs, and the unexplained. The value story of dualism exists only because, to the naturalist, science can’t explain everything. Thus, there is this maddening occurrence of arbitrary decision-making and unexplained feelings.
A naturalist would love to have the entire spectrum of our existence defined by rules and laws. They like the nice clean line of logic over emotion. God is a crutch for things unexplained.
The worldview is that almost everything we do is controlled by the first story; facts and rules. Very few things require the involvement of the second story. Matter of fact, anything that involves emotions or beliefs is irrational. Living life based on the ebb and tide of morals, ethics, religious beliefs and emotions is counter-intuitive. We should define all of our personal interaction by contractual agreements (rules) designed to allow us to behave as we wish.
I’m going to throw this in at this point as it is significant moving forward.
Definition of a Theory (Merrian- Webster)
- a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena
- an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances
- a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation
- an unproven assumption
Can a theory be disproved? No, once disproved, it ceases to be a theory. Can a theory be proven? No, once verified, it becomes a fact. To argue something that can neither be proven nor disproven is a waste of time. Your life should be a witness to the glorification of Christ. You are the one expert on the face of the earth that can unequivocally testify to the validity of what God has done through you.
THE CHALLENGE
We cannot separate our Sunday mornings from our Monday mornings. We can not separate the quest for spiritual meaning and our everyday interactions. We can not seek sanctification while at the same time living within the pressures of worldly constraints. As I said, it is a dilemma.
How do I connect the need to create an accurate marketing analysis due tomorrow with the sermon preached last Sunday? How do I live as if there is only one story; the story of creation, the fall, and redemption? Can I connect that one story to everything I experience?
CAVEATS
First of all, stop treating theory as if it was facts. Second, stop believing that current science has all the answers. Third, start believing that all things work for the good of those who believe in Christ.
Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
FIRST ISSUE
The first issue is theory verse facts. Many of the scientific facts we hear today are really scientific theories. That is, they are an extrapolation of current knowledge to create previous knowledge. It is a mathematical or logical interpretation of current events. There is a lot of good stuff in science; after all, God created the rules that govern the universe. Most science is not bad. I love science, I read about it all the time. Each new discovery is another step in understanding the God of the universe. It is the science that is theoretical that causes concern. Much of the academic science is postulated primarily to disprove a Divine God. It is an effort to bring order and meaning to a world devoid of a Creator. Take the time to know the difference between natural science and theoretical science. Take theoretical science for what it is; theory.
1 Corinthians 2:14, a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them.”
SECOND ISSUE
The second issue is the permanence of scientific facts. At one point, the most educated people on the planet thought the world was flat. They also believed that the Sun revolved around the earth and was the center of the universe. Scientific facts change over time as we learn new things. God only reveals what He wants us to know. When the Big Bang Theory was introduced, it was the Darwinism of the universe. But as they started validating the theory, they began to see cracks in it. The most prominent gap was “How was the initial matter created and what was the catalyst that started the Big Bang?” Some people treat the concept that the universe was created randomly from the Big Bang as a proven scientific fact. It is simply a plausible (not confirmed) assumption based on extrapolating current information, nothing more.
Psychology is science of mental processes and behavior. Treat it with the same skepticism as physical science. Distinguish between theoretical and natural science. Most science passed off as natural is really theoretical.
1 Timothy 6:20, “Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.”
FINALLY
Finally, start believing that all things work for the good of those who believe in Christ. We live in a fallen world. The implications to all of creation are enormous. Things don’t always work out as we planned. But God never gives us more than we can handle. God never deserts us.
2 Timothy 2:7, “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
Every interaction we have has eternal implications. Nothing is left to chance; God is not into randomness. But God has given us free will. He has given us a choice to use what He provides for His glory or treat it as a worldly event. So, you can go through life thinking that Sunday morning and Monday morning are two different worlds, or you can see the eternal implications to all that God puts in front of you.
Do not create inter-personal contractional agreement, implied or otherwise, just to “go along to get along”. Don’t shrink from what you know to be true for what the world wants to be true.
To be the person God made you requires that you work at it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There is no dualism. Question the eternal implications of every assignment and interaction.
Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”