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(Some) Reformational
Basics
       David R Hanson MA FRCS (WYSOCS) Open Day 2012
Existence is response



• Creation is always no more
   than response to God‟s word
• it couldn‟t exist apart from
   that word.
“all the way down”


• We humans, and all the rest, are
    material creatures “all the
    way down”
• that‟s how the Word supports
    us.
• Holiness too goes “all the way
    down” .
“all the way down”



• But creation is a spiritual reality
     too, “all the way down”.
• The Spirit of God was busy long
     before humans showed up.
• Since all creation‟s response is
     to God, it is therefore spiritual.
Faithful

• Creation is made, upheld and
     directed by God‟s faithful,
     covenantal (not „absolute‟)
     sovereignty.
• God is committed (given) to his
     creation…
• a “covenant between me and all
     life on earth” (Gen.9:17)
Established by decree


• An “unbreakable” covenant with
    day and night and the fixed
    laws of heaven and earth”
    (Jer.33:25)
• “You established the earth and
    it endures. Your laws endure
    to this day for all things serve
    you” (Ps 119: 90,91.)
By Word of Mouth (Ps. 147)

• “determines”; “calls” v.4
• “covers”; “supplies”; “makes” v.8
• “provides” v.9
• “sends command”; “word runs swiftly” v.15
• “spreads”; “scatters” v.16
• “hurls down” v.17
• “sends word and melts”; “stirs up… and
  waters flow” vs.19
• “revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and
  decrees to Israel” vs.19
- a law-order


• Creation is articulated, not
     „floppy‟.
• Its skeleton or scaffolding is a
     law-order, spoken by God
• and specified in multiple ways
     to hold for creatures.
God‟s law words


• hold for all created things
• penetrate all creation
  • a scaffold for existence & action


• like staves on an orchestral
  score
  • awaiting action / performance


• a dynamic order
School

• Education / learning is life-long
• Every part of it is there to
    sustain our “spiritual” answer
    to God‟s Word
• History, Physics and French are
    some of the faces of God‟s
    Word
What‟s Scripture for?

• It tells the story of Creation, its
      predicament in human sin
      and its glorious future
• Of God‟s coming in human form
      to redeem and rule it
• Of the human calling to open up
      its mysteries & make all its
      forces serviceable to Him

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Some reformational basics

  • 1. (Some) Reformational Basics David R Hanson MA FRCS (WYSOCS) Open Day 2012
  • 2. Existence is response • Creation is always no more than response to God‟s word • it couldn‟t exist apart from that word.
  • 3. “all the way down” • We humans, and all the rest, are material creatures “all the way down” • that‟s how the Word supports us. • Holiness too goes “all the way down” .
  • 4. “all the way down” • But creation is a spiritual reality too, “all the way down”. • The Spirit of God was busy long before humans showed up. • Since all creation‟s response is to God, it is therefore spiritual.
  • 5. Faithful • Creation is made, upheld and directed by God‟s faithful, covenantal (not „absolute‟) sovereignty. • God is committed (given) to his creation… • a “covenant between me and all life on earth” (Gen.9:17)
  • 6. Established by decree • An “unbreakable” covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth” (Jer.33:25) • “You established the earth and it endures. Your laws endure to this day for all things serve you” (Ps 119: 90,91.)
  • 7. By Word of Mouth (Ps. 147) • “determines”; “calls” v.4 • “covers”; “supplies”; “makes” v.8 • “provides” v.9 • “sends command”; “word runs swiftly” v.15 • “spreads”; “scatters” v.16 • “hurls down” v.17 • “sends word and melts”; “stirs up… and waters flow” vs.19 • “revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel” vs.19
  • 8. - a law-order • Creation is articulated, not „floppy‟. • Its skeleton or scaffolding is a law-order, spoken by God • and specified in multiple ways to hold for creatures.
  • 9. God‟s law words • hold for all created things • penetrate all creation • a scaffold for existence & action • like staves on an orchestral score • awaiting action / performance • a dynamic order
  • 10. School • Education / learning is life-long • Every part of it is there to sustain our “spiritual” answer to God‟s Word • History, Physics and French are some of the faces of God‟s Word
  • 11. What‟s Scripture for? • It tells the story of Creation, its predicament in human sin and its glorious future • Of God‟s coming in human form to redeem and rule it • Of the human calling to open up its mysteries & make all its forces serviceable to Him