Rarely does a day go by that I do not read of clashes over social issues. Yesterday, the news carried a comment by the famous English commentator Piers Morgan over an arrest in London. A comedian was when he landed in London over 4 X (former Twitter) posts that poked fun at biological men in women’s spaces, locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms. He said it was like North Korea in England. Today, the famous author J. K. Rowling was in the news questioning a former senior partner in the Harry Potter movie series over his claim that her views were offensive. She asked him to say just what was offensive and to list these offenses. She asked if it was offensive for biological women to have their own private spaces or their own sports competitions. The clashes are intense. We would never have seen such clashes a few years back. Why such intense backlash against those who are more traditional?
I believe that we are really seeing a profound worldview clash. Not everyone on the opposite sides of the issues is on the opposing sides in worldviews. But worldview issues are at the root. In his profound book, The God of Israel and Christian Theology, R. Kendall Soulen argued that Israel and the nations are a God intended eternal distinction. He calls it an eternal dyad that exists for mutual blessing. Blessing means mutual enrichment. This inspired the thought that God’s creation order itself is one where God created distinctions for mutual interdependence and blessing. I was then inspired to write a book entitled Mutual Blessing.
You will have to read the book to get the weight of it. Basically, I note that man and nature are for mutual enrichment and blessing. Male and female are one of the most profound. After 54 years of wonderful marriage, I thank God every day for this. The ways of being are different. Our sexual being is different and complementary. Our perceptions and responses are complementary and enable us to see in a more adequate way. So many distinctions for blessing are noted in the book, employer and employee, governors and the governed, parents and children, and more.
Behind the great strife today is a clash of worldviews. The Devil desires to destroy creation distinctions because he is motivated to destroy God’s creation. As followers of the Bible, we are called to uphold creation distinctions. This is nowhere more conflicted today than in the area of sexuality and the Yeshua’s restoration of the creation order of one woman and one man for life in sexual fidelity. The battle is great but behind it is a very destructive philosophy, a radical freedom to choose according to whatever is desired with no norms. Those who reject historic norms are furious with those that uphold them A person may feel that he or she is the opposite sex in the wrong body. They may feel attracted more to the same sex. But if they submit to Yeshua, they will chose to not follow their feelings but show reverence for God’s creation order. They will seek his transforming power by the Spirit to be able to do this. In the sacrifice of self-fulfillment great blessing will come.
We can do no other but to uphold the world view of the Bible. I hope you read my book and are inspired.