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“Creation Ethics Re-established”The great cataclysm of the Flood reset, in a way, the created order. With Noah and his family, God essentially returns the world to it’s postlapsarian state. At the same time and in so doing, God restates the mandates He gave to Adam and Eve. This tells us a lot of what God values. Even though He was willing to restart the world, there are some ethical codes He is unwilling to rewrite. In this way, God cements for the Church a number of things He holds sacred.
The first of which is the sanctity of marriage. By restating the mandate to be fruitful and multiply to four pairs of spouses tells us that God has a high regard to the institution that has its foundation in the Garden of Eden. Marriage, then, is a divine relationship categorized and defined by the Creator Himself. Marriage between one man and one woman for life is the only acceptable and God-ordained relationship for sexual expression. |
The next moral principle is the sanctity of property. God restates the dominion mandate He initially gave to Adam and Eve. This mandate gives mankind the responsibility of stewardship over the created order. This stewardship presupposes the acquisition and transfer of property. Animals and plants are given over for food, clothing, and manufacturing; this includes the ownership of land and sea to care, harvest, and sell. The related mandate is also the sanctity of labor. The human race is called to be industrious and productive.
The final of the creation ethics is the sanctity of life. The first sin after the fall was murder, and violence precipitated ever since, culminating in the Great Flood. Every human being has God’s image and every violent act done against men is also against that blessed image. For that reason, God will hold accountable violence done to another image bearer, either in this life—through just magistrates—or in the next. It is for this reason the Christian should not oppose the death penalty but should also stand firmly against the wanton slaughter of innocents in the womb and the unnecessary genocide of political radicals.
To seal all of this, God places in the sky the rainbow. Whenever this symbol arises, we are reminded of the wrath of God, the grace of God, and the patience of God. In like manner, when God looks upon the rainbow in the sky, He sees the seal of covenant promise to never again employ baptismal waters to destroy those whose hearts are wicked from their youth. Instead, as we learn from Scripture, fire will be used to destroy and cleanse, preparing the new heaven and new earth for the glorious marriage of the Lamb and His Bride. (October 23, 2022)
The final of the creation ethics is the sanctity of life. The first sin after the fall was murder, and violence precipitated ever since, culminating in the Great Flood. Every human being has God’s image and every violent act done against men is also against that blessed image. For that reason, God will hold accountable violence done to another image bearer, either in this life—through just magistrates—or in the next. It is for this reason the Christian should not oppose the death penalty but should also stand firmly against the wanton slaughter of innocents in the womb and the unnecessary genocide of political radicals.
To seal all of this, God places in the sky the rainbow. Whenever this symbol arises, we are reminded of the wrath of God, the grace of God, and the patience of God. In like manner, when God looks upon the rainbow in the sky, He sees the seal of covenant promise to never again employ baptismal waters to destroy those whose hearts are wicked from their youth. Instead, as we learn from Scripture, fire will be used to destroy and cleanse, preparing the new heaven and new earth for the glorious marriage of the Lamb and His Bride. (October 23, 2022)
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“Ham’s Folly”The covenant renewal with Noah doesn’t mean sin has ceased to be a problem. In fact, immediately in the narrative Noah partakes too much of the fruits of his labor. This prompts us to consider the Bible’s view on alcohol. It’s clear that Scripture does view alcohol as something that is not forbidden. God Himself enjoys the sweet aroma of the drink offering, the people are invited to share in the wine of the feast offering, and both Jesus and Paul see the benefits of alcohol. Nevertheless, Scripture also has grave warnings against drunkenness and the love of strong drink. It’s clear from Scripture that God’s concern is with self-control. Whether or not an individual Christian should drink is a matter of conscience and knowing his or her own limits of sobriety.
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Noah doesn’t seem to take this advice, because he ends up drunk and naked in his tent. His youngest son, Ham, sees him in this state and tells his brothers. It’s important for us to rightly understand what is going on here, for the punishment must fit the crime. It’s clear Ham’s folly was no passing glance but an act of rebellion. As a result, Noah doesn’t punish Ham but his son, Canaan. Shem and Japheth, on the other hand, are not easily swayed by Ham but properly care for the dignity of their father even in his undignified state. As a result, Noah blesses not only them, but their entire generations; a promise that reaches even to us. (November 6, 2022)