In the Beginning

Then God said, Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion.    -Genesis 1:26.

The baseball season is upon us--go Buccos. Many of you may not know, but God likes baseball and even began the Bible with the words, as one little leaguer misquoted, "In the big inning."  Maybe you've heard about two retired men who loved baseball. They made a pact with each other; whoever dies first would see if there was baseball in heaven and come back and tell his friend. One man died and the next day appeared to his friend in a dream. He said, "I have good news and better news about baseball in heaven. The good news, yes, there is baseball in heaven. The better news is that you are pitching tomorrow."

Seriously, in the beginning, the first two chapters of the Bible tell the powerful story of God who spoke everything into being.  God then creates human beings in His own image and gives them dominion over all creation.  God dwells among His creation in authentic community, even enjoying walks in the garden with Adam and Eve.  They KNOW God and God KNOWS them. 

One very short chapter later, Adam and Eve eat fruit from the one tree God says is forbidden.  This is called “the fall,” and the rest is history… or is it?  In our western world we all have heard the story but do we really understand what it means to be created in the image of God and to be in fellowship with God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? 

Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in a post-industrialized age of rugged independence with little that we can be absolutely certain about.  This legacy of modern thought has seeped into our theology in crafty ways.  We deny absolute truth, preferring a “whatever works for you” mentality.  We say things like, “I choose God,” and “Jesus is my homeboy” or “I’ve made a personal decision for Christ.”  We ask questions like, “Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior?” 

When we base our relationship with God on our personal decision to accept Christ or not, we slip into the trap of individualism.  Yes, Jesus longs to have a personal relationship with all people. 2 Peter 3:9 speaks of a God who is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish.  Jesus relates to us on a very personal and intimate level, but we must be careful not to base our relationship with God solely on our personal decision. Our response to God's love and offer of salvation is required in order to experience new life and fellowship with the Lord, but basing our salvation completely on our personal decision denies the majesty, power, authority, and magnificence of a God who merely had to speak creation into existence. 

If I think that the basis of my salvation rests only on my decision to accept and follow Christ, I run the risk of thinking everything else is up to me, too!  Personal holiness, love for all humanity, sacrificial living, Christian perfection…the stuff we “Christians” are made of, becomes up to me.  

The story of God is a story of mutual interdependence.  God sent Jesus to take on the sins of every person and provide a means through which we can come into fellowship with God.  We needed Jesus to do this for us, not by us.  The really good news is that God did not stop there.  By grace, God sends us the Holy Spirit who works in and among God’s people to lead, guide, and empower them for all the “good works” God had called them to.  God tells us in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

Baseball is a team sport, and so is life in the Kingdom of God. By the grace of God you need and must not go it alone.  You are known by God, you are called by God, you are justified and made whole by God, and you are being glorified and made holy by God.   This is not of yourself… it is a gift from God.  In the end it is up to God who has saved us and reaches out to us. You and I get to partner with God to make His goodness and love known to all the earth.