Godtacular Notes - Alternate Redepmtions 1

These are the notes from May 5, 2008

read nathanson story

Genesis 11:3
They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

We're going to talk briefly about some of the alternative salvations that people (naturalists in particular) move toward when they will not allow for God.

All mankind is searching for redemption. We know that there is a rottenness at the core of our being. We long for meaning and purpose in life. Each belief system (or worldview) has its own versions of these things.

2 Thessalonians 2

The Man of Lawlessness
 1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
 5Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

For the Christian, the timeline of history goes something like this:

Creation
...
Sin
...
...
...
The Cross
...
...
...
The Second Coming
...
Eternity

For a secular person, they end up with the "Escalator Myth" - the idea that mankind is continually moving forward toward an earthly utopia brought about through human means.

It can take on different forms. Some thing utopia will come through economics, some through science.

Matthew 24:4-5 (New International Version)

 4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

Karl Marx wanted to create a heaven here on earth through communism. He believed the universe started itself and that man had originally lived in a state of communism until people began to own property. This was man's failing. If only the poor would rise up and destroy private ownership, returning humanity to its original goodness.

So, the parallels to our beliefs:
1) Creation - we were in a primitive communism
2) The Fall - private property
3) Redemption - destroy private property

Ultimately, Marx wanted complete autonomy but ironically he admitted it was implausible. It contradicts what we see in life. We know we are finite and dependent. In a piece of poetry he wrote:
Then I will wander godlike and victorious
Through the ruins of the world
And, giving my words an active force,
I will feel equal to the creator

Ultimately, he wanted to be equal to the creator. We know from history how disastorous communism has been.

Talk about Vietnam

Though still run by the communist party, Vietnam has switched to a capitalist economy.

From "The Economist" in April 2008:
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11089442

It is now one of Asia's fastest-developing countries, with annual growth averaging 7.5% over the past decade. Although this is less stellar than China's growth, our special report this week finds that Vietnam has made more impressive progress in cutting poverty than its vast northern neighbour. The government's initial hopes for 9% growth this year may be dashed, as the country struggles with double-digit inflation and a yawning trade gap. But the long-term outlook remains promising.
....
Vietnam began to be a success only after its ruling Communists accepted that capitalism, free markets and free trade were the surest route to riches. They began in 1986 with a liberalisation programme called doi moi (renewal), though real reform came in fits and starts over the following 20 years. Collectivisation was scrapped, farmers were given their own land to till and agricultural prices were freed. In 2000, private business—until then strictly curbed—was legalised and a stockmarket created. Trade barriers were lowered, exports and imports soared, and Vietnam is now among the world's most open economies. There can probably be no going back: any attempt to reapply the dead hand of government will ensure that Vietnam's dream of riches by 2020 remains just a dream.

Foo mo reminded us that unchecked capitalism can have negative effects as well - monopolists will eventually abuse their power, it is our sin nature.

Next - scapegoats.
What's a scapegoat?

The theory here is similar except we aren't talking about just private property.

Creation: Good Human Nature
The Fall: Corrupted by Scapegoat
Redemption: The State as Savior stops scapegoat
Perfect society results

There certainly have been times when there really have been oppressors who needed to be stopped. The civil rights struggle in the 60s is an example. But now, it seems everyone can blame someone for the trouble they are in.

Problem is: so many things in our life are our fault, so many more aren't anyone's fault at all.

In the Bible, there is a different concept of a scape goat. A goat would be sent into the desert as a symbol of sin leaving with God's atonement. Jesus took our sin on the cross so that we could be rescued from the eternal penalty.

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities 
      
and carried our sorrows, 
      
yet we considered him stricken by God, 
      
smitten by him, and afflicted.
 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
      
he was crushed for our iniquities; 
      
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
      
and by his wounds we are healed.
 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, 
      
each of us has turned to his own way; 
      
and the LORD has laid on him 
      
the iniquity of us all.